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University of North Carolina

History

For Students 9th - 12th
The past helps to inform the present and the future—that's why the study of history is so important. The handout describes what historians do and why their jobs are meaningful. Readers learn about what to expect in a college-level...
Study Guide
Penguin Books

Teacher’s Guide: The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
At first glance Sandra Cisneros' The House on Mango Street seems to be a charming collection of vignettes about a young Latina's observations about the people in her Chicago neighborhood. Developing questions that prompt readers to think...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Circle the Simile

For Students 5th - 7th
Figurative language is a welcome addition to creative writing. Clearly describe similes with this activity. For each of 10 example sentences, learners have to identify what is being compared. An answer key is provided with this great...
Writing
Curated OER

Islam - Ramadan, Newspaper Article - Writing Frame

For Students 7th - 9th
In this newspaper article writing frame worksheet, students report on the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. Students must write a solid headline, describe the significance of the special month to Muslims and maintain appropriate news...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Describing Nouns

For Students 12th - Higher Ed
For this puzzle worksheet, students describe 12 words to their partner. Students complete the rest of a crossword puzzle by guessing what their partner is describing.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Writing Mythological Narratives

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students compose a creative writing piece based on a painting of a mythological scene. In this creative writing lesson,  students write about the scene in the painting and tie in  their original stories into tales from the life...
Writing
Curated OER

Sikhism - The Birthday of Guru Nanak, Newspaper Article - Writing Frame

For Students 7th - 9th
In this newspaper writing frame worksheet, students crystallize their understanding of the birthday of the Guru Nanak in the Sikhism faith by writing a report over the subject. They are asked to create an solid headline, detail the Sikh...
Organizer
Curated OER

Describing Wheel

For Students 2nd - 5th
In this graphic organizer worksheet, students will write their topic in the center of a wheel. Then students will add describing words about the topic to the spokes.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Descriptive Writing

For Students 5th - 6th
In this writing worksheet, students color and design an ornament and then describe their ornament on another sheet of paper. Students, after all the ornaments have been hung up on the board, attempt to match the descriptions to the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Narrative Writing

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders study narrative writing. In this language arts lesson, 5th graders review how an author uses vivid verbs, imagery, and adjectives to capture reader's attention. Students explore literary devices of foreshadowing, flashback...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Coins In Space! (Creative Writing)

For Teachers 5th - 10th
Students practice creative writing. They write an imaginative story in which quarters escape from the space shuttle and ends up in the hands of an alien. Students brainstorm ideas, write a draft, revise, and edit their composition.
Worksheet
Curated OER

May Writing Ideas

For Students 4th - 6th
In this writing worksheet, students explore and discover a variety of ways to help make writing more interesting and creative.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making Poetry Writing Fun!

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students find a group of words from an unlikely source and turn them into a poem. They discuss the central image in two well-known poems by Langston Hughes and Emily Dickinson. They write their own short poem expressing one central...
Writing
Curated OER

Sequencing a "How-to" Piece

For Students 3rd - 4th
In his sequencing worksheet, students write a "how to" article telling how to eat a cookie. In this essay worksheet, students write 3-5 sentences.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Way to Rainy Mountain

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers read and analyze the N. Scott Momaday novel, The Way to Rainy Mountain. They share photos of an older family relative, write about the relative, listen to an excerpt from the book, and conduct an Internet research on the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Egg to Butterfly

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students examine the life cycle of the butterfly through literature. In this butterfly life cycle lesson, students listen to a read aloud of Eric Carle's, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and discuss the life cycle shown in the story. They...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Describing How to Get a Shop or Restaurant

For Students 4th - 5th
In this descriptive paragraph worksheet, students first draw a map showing how to get to a location. Students then write sentences explaining how to get to a location using directional phrases. Students then write the sentences into a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Thoreau's Writing Style

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Learners analyze Thoreau's writing style. In this writing style instructional activity, students describe Thoreau's literary style and use the devices he employs in a response to one of his essays.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Art Analysis and Creative Writing

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students write an acrostic poem and analyze a work of art. In this art lesson plan, students look at a picture and answer questions about it, write a poem, write about the setting in the painting they saw, and answer short questions...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Power of Autobiographical Writing

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners explore the concept of injustice. In this nonviolent resistance lesson, students discuss how autobiographical writing may be used to promote justice. Learners read an excerpt from Gandhi's autobiography and determine how his...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

All About Me

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Young scholars explore autobiographical stories. They write about a personal experience that is significant and memorable. Students specifically explain the chosen events. They define autobiography and share their stories.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Expressions All About Me

For Students 1st - 6th
In this language arts writing activity instructional activity, students fill in the blanks of 19 sentences in order to describe themselves.
Worksheet
Starfall

The Turnip

For Students K - 2nd
For this language arts instructional activity, students study a picture of a farmer who cannot pull up a turnip. Students use the 16 word vocabulary bank to write a story. This may be related to the book The Turnip.
Writing
Curated OER

Narrative Journal Prompts

For Students 5th - 10th
Need some possible writing topics for your class? Look no further, this resource consists of a list of 24 writing prompts. Perfect for journal writing or quick writes, all 24 prompts ask about pupils' personal experiences and thus elicit...