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Lesson Plan
PBS

The Power of Personal Narrative

For Teachers 10th - Higher Ed Standards
Personal narratives are powerful things. Whether told from the first-person or third-person point of view, whether in the form of an essay, a short story, novel, or video, whether fiction or fact, they capture readers and give them...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Planning and Drafting a Personal Narrative

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Bring your learners together to write a class narrative about the first day of school. Start off by teaching them about sequence with a quick oral activity. Then, work together to fill out a story map. Finally, compose the class...
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Assessment
New York State Education Department

Comprehensive English Examination: June 2015

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Heroes rise from adversity. That theme forms the focus of the critical lens essay in a sample comprehensive English examination. The exam, which is part of a larger series of sample standardized tests, also includes two short response...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Once Upon a Time: Writing Stories about Reading

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students read a New York Times article to examine strong first person voice in essays about reading. They write their own first person essays about some aspect of reading, participate in peer review, and re-writing.
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Lesson Plan
Scholastic

The First Thanksgiving Feast for Grades 3-5

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
Scholars examine the first Thanksgiving through books and interviews while they complete a KWL chart. Pretending they are part of the feast, learners craft a scrapbook page that features images related to their experience. Pupils reflect...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Writing a Personal Narrative

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
What is the difference between a news story and a personal narrative? This plan has learners write a personal narrative using the topic of service projects in their community. Consider completing a cross-curricular extension by bringing...
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PPT
Curated OER

Thesis Statements

For Teachers 7th - 12th
At 32 slides, one would think this presentation on thesis statements is a bit too long, but it is the most important component of a well-written essay! Help your developing writers craft concise, interesting theses with this PowerPoint....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How to Research and Write an Essay

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Research and write a 500-word essay. Pupils research a topic and write an essay based on their research. They use the given directions and examples to help them research, organize, format, and write their essay. There's a short chart...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Qualities of a Strong Literary Argument Essay

For Teachers 6th Standards
One activity, two essays, and one central theme: qualities of an argument essay. Here, scholars first describe the qualities of an argument essay regarding Bud's rules to live by from the novel Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis....
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PPT
Curated OER

How to Write a Five Paragraph Essay

For Teachers 7th - 9th
What are the necessary components of a five paragraph essay? How does one interest their reader? These questions are answered with this 12-slide PowerPoint which details components of the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

9/11 Essay Questions

For Teachers 8th - 10th
After reading about the events of September 11, 2001 learners can think critically with the aid of nine interesting questions. They answer each question in a full sentence and answer as if they were confronted with these questions at the...
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Lesson Plan
California Department of Education

Telling My Story

For Teachers 12th Standards
Entrance essays are the ultimate sales pitch! Show your seniors how to market themselves in the first of six college and career readiness lesson plans. Pupils discover the do's and don'ts of writing personal statements through research,...
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Activity
Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School

WWII Position Paper

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
There are some historical events that may warrant greater reflection and more in-depth analysis, and the decision to intern Japanese-Americans in the United States during World War II, as well as to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and...
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Unit Plan
Thomas Jefferson Foundation

Personal Morals vs. Political Moves

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Was Thomas Jefferson a hypocrite? That is the question facing class members as they examine excerpts from documents that relate to Jefferson's beliefs about slaves and slavery.
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Lesson Plan
The New York Times

Getting Personal: Writing College Essays for the Common Application

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Develop an understanding of the open-ended questions that are a part of the college Common Application. Future college learners collaborate, discuss prompts acquired from the application, and philosophize on their plan of attack for the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Picture Says a Thousand Words

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Use photographs to trigger memories. Writers use a personal photograph as a starting point for an autobiographical writing exercise. They complete brainstorming activities that have them study their photograph before actually putting pen...
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Lesson Plan
California Department of Education

Telling My Story

For Teachers 12th Standards
Crafting a personal statement for college admissions, job applications, or other post-high school programs does not have to be a nightmare. The "Telling My Story" packet describes the key components of successful essays and includes...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The "Write" Stuff: Strategies and Conventions for Imaginative Writing

For Teachers 6th
A comprehensive and immersive series of lessons that examines various aspects of story development leads learners into writing a narrative of their own. Writers develop an understanding of the writing process as they use the learning...
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PPT
Curated OER

How To Do an AHAP DBQ

For Teachers 9th - 12th
How is an essay like a hamburger? Detailing the "meaty" parts of a well-written essay, this presentation takes students through the process of using a strong thesis statement to write a thorough and engaging response to a Document Based...
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Organizer
Santa Barbara City College

Structure of a General Expository Essay

For Students 7th - 10th
A great student reference tool and graphic organizer in one worksheet! Young writers can read a detailed description of each section of a standard five-paragraph essay before completing a graphic organized with their own writing. The...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introducing the Essay: Twain, Douglass, and American Non-Fiction

For Teachers 10th - Higher Ed
Learners analyze American essayists Mark Twain and Frederick Douglass in an introduction to American literary non-fiction writing. In this essay history instructional activity, students identify methods for writing essays. Learners read...
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Worksheet
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Curated OER

Grade A: The Market for a Yale Woman's Eggs by Jessica Cohen

For Students 11th - Higher Ed
What would it be like to sell your eggs to a couple who can't have children on their own? Could you even imagine it? As most of us have never been in this position, this descriptive essay is really quite interesting. The reading itself...
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Handout
Wyatt Bingham

Comparative Essay: Tips for Timed Writing

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
This site provides a guideline for writing a comparative essay for the AP World History Test. It also provides practice exercises and samples.
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Analyzing Point of View: Inferring about the Impact of Hurricane Katrina on People Living in New Orlean

For Teachers 5th Standards
What, where, how? Readers hone their analysis skills as they determine the narrator's point of view in Eight Days. They complete a literary analysis chart and essay to describe what and where events take place. Individuals then discuss...