University of North Carolina
Paragraph Development
There's no set length for a good paragraph, but the short block of text should contain key components. A handout on paragraphs, the 12th in a series of 24, outlines a five-step process for paragraph development. Additionally, the handout...
University of North Carolina
Blogs
The blogosphere may be overwhelmed with content, but there's still room for unique points of view. Creating a blog that stands out, however, is the bigger challenge. A handout on blogs, part of a series of handouts on specific writing...
Curated OER
Writing to Focus Reading and to Imagine Researching
Students examine several elements that would cue them into a newspaper article about community change without reading the main copy text. They discuss the details and write notes about the article. They first skim and then thoroughly...
Curated OER
Creating Context Mural
students examine the historical, political, religious and culture aspects of the Renaissance. Using this information, they read "Galileo" by Bertolt Brecht. They use the internet to research a specific event of the time period and come...
Curated OER
How the Environment Affects Our Health
Ninth graders explore how the environment affects health. In this infectious disease lesson, 9th graders investigate what environmental situations cause infections diseases. Students study the symptoms, treatments, prevention, and...
Curated OER
Dragonwings: Evaluate Chapters 10-12
As your class finishes the novel Dragonwings, use these culminating projects. A vocabulary list is given for chapters eleven and twelve and either an epitaph or letter activity concludes the book. The final project consists of creating a...
Curated OER
Magazine Production
Analyze magazines as a class, looking carefully for the target audience, advertisements, and topics presented. Small groups then work as a publication team and receive a magazine that they have to "sell." Each individual has a different...
Curated OER
Lewis and Clark and Me: A Dog's Tale
Providing a wonderful way to explore reading and vocabulary skills, this resource takes your class on a journey to understand the accomplishments of Lewis and Clark through the eyes of their dog Seaman. It focuses on using the book Lewis...
Curated OER
Poetry Project
Choosing a poet or a theme, eighth graders conduct research in the world of poetry. They conduct Internet research and select five poems that fit their poet or theme, and create a seven slide PowerPoint presentation on their selected...
Curated OER
Family Foodways
Discover, document and share the knowledge of family food and ways special occasions are treated. Your class will explore the context in which food traditions are created and adapted in their families and communities. Each student also...
Curated OER
Finding Information in the Library
In this Finding Information in the Library worksheet, students write down something they want to find out about and then read 8 steps to help them in their search. Students discover web addresses of three sites where they can find out...
Curated OER
Bud, Not Buddy: Directed Reading Thinking Activity
Here’s a reading strategy that can be used with any text. Class members examine portions of a novel, and make predictions about the theme or subject matter of the book. Although designed for Christopher Paul Curtis’s Newbery Medal...
EngageNY
Summarizing Complex Ideas: Comparing the Original UDHR and the "Plain Language" Version
The eighth lesson plan in this series continues the focus on vocabulary and increasing young readers' awareness of academic language. Pairs of learners participate in a short vocabulary review activity called Interactive Words in which...
Curated OER
Who is the Expert? Exploring Credible Sources in Healthcare
How do you decide what sources are credible when researching online? Evaluate sources with a focus on researching health issues. After brainstorming common health concerns and how they would try to diagnose these problems, class members...
Curated OER
Culture Universals Lesson Plan
Students perform research on specific cultures. They write a short paragraph on each of the universals and explain how each universal relates to their home culture.
Curated OER
Watch the Birdie
Students complete a six-week unit on North American birds. They conduct research, develop fact sheets, create labeled bird drawings, write a dictionary of bird vocabulary words, create a Concentration game, and observe birds in their...
Curated OER
Creating Context: The Printing Press as Impetus
Tenth graders examine the invention of the Gutenberg printing press and its effect on society. In groups, they research how much the press enabled various revolutions around the globe. They also identify the causes and effects of each...
Curated OER
Writing Original Directions
Third graders create original design directions. Each student creates a design and composes directions for re-creating it. Then, when students form pairs, they take turns drawing from one another's written directions.
Curated OER
A Creative Presentation
Bring writing to life with this lesson in which elementary and middle schoolers create a display of the imagery they identify in a series of Gary Paulsen books. They read the suggested materials, identify imagery and descriptive...
Curated OER
Reading Lesson Plan -- Shopping for "Big Ticket" Items
Students in adult ESL education classes evaluate and compare information about computers. They demonstrate the correct use of compound nouns in their description of computers. They review information and skills needed to actually visit a...
Curated OER
Reading Examples
Young writers read excerpts from Gary Paulsen's memoir to identify figurative and literal language that contain sensory details. They determine which selections are examples of sensory language and fi the language is used literally or...
Curated OER
Comparing Themes Across Texts
Read various texts to compare the themes across each text. Learners write a journal entry describing the most beautiful scenery they've seen and use a map of the United States to locate the Sequoia National Park and Muir Woods. They then...
Minnesota Literacy Council
Adult Computer and Employment Skills
Whether you are an experienced computer user or a newcomer to technology, a packet full of computer vocabulary, tips, and guided practice is sure to enhance your technological knowledge. Learners can hone their word processing skills and...
Curated OER
Laurence Yep's, Dragonwings
Students discuss vocabulary words and compare definitions. They read chapters 6-9 of the novel, Dragonwings, and discuss point of view, and complete a plot diagram. Then they review the four types of conflict and identify the conflicts...