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What Famous Landmarks Have You Visited?
Responding to blog posts can increase written communication skills, critical thinking skills, and the use of social media as a means for discussion. Kids will compose a blog post in response to the provided article related to famous...
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Choosing Words Carefully
Use literacy tools to select precise vocabulary. High schoolers respond to discussion questions that require them to consider the denotation and connotation of words. They then read non-fiction passages and identify words in the passages...
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Brochure Writing
What do you use a brochure for? Middle schoolers or underperforming high schoolers identify the attributes of informative brochures. Either bring in a few brochures you've collected or use the sample brochures attached here. While...
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Persuasive Elements
Investigate letters to the editor and their persuasive qualities. Break your class into reading groups and give each one a different article. As they read, they complete a graphic organizer to record their thoughts and opinions. There is...
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Civil War Letters
Students put themselves in the shoes of American Civil War soldiers. In this Civil War instructional activity, students examine letters from the time period written by soldiers, edit the letters for grammatical errors, and then present...
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Writing an Original Fable
Students discover how to write fables. In this writing skill instructional activity, students review the literary elements of fables and take all of the steps in the writing process to create their own fables.
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Workplace Communication from Two Points of View
Students explore the significance of communication in the workplace. In this written communication lesson, students review and discuss the attributes of workplace memos prior to writing their own using the provided checklist.
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Job Prompt Entries
Students explore the role of journal writing. In this written communication lesson plan, students discuss the purpose of journals as well as cohesive devices. Students then respond to 2 writing prompts that require them to write using...
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Come On Over To Maya Place
Fifth graders analyze the Mayan culture. In this Mayan culture instructional activity, 5th graders study the Mayan culture noting similarities and differences between the Mayan culture and their own. Students examine hieroglyphic writing...
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An Ancient Revolution: The Written Word
Students explore the impact of written communication. In this ancient civilizations lesson, students investigate communication from ancient Sumer and discuss its relevance today. Students watch a multimedia presentation about cuneiform...
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Writing Session: Evaluative Writing
This evaluative writing PowerPoint provides a framework for developing the critical thinking skills needed to critique literary selections. Deductive and inductive reasoning skills are featured as well tips for building a good argument...
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Persuasive Essay
Students compose persuasive essays. For this written communication lesson, students follow the provided steps to prewrite, draft, and present persuasive essays on topics of their choosing. Rubrics and graphic organizers are provided.
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Writing Essays
Students compose expository essays. In this written communication lesson, students examine paragraphs from sample expository essays and then discuss the attributes of well-written essays prior to writing their own expository essays.
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Organizing One’s Thoughts
Students take a closer look at the organization of written pieces. In this writing skills lesson, students examine transitions, repetition, parallelism, and other organizational patterns in writing.
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Note-taking and Organizational Strategies
Students practice taking notes. In this written communication lesson, students discuss the purpose of taking notes and then research note-taking methods using the provided Web site tool. Students practice using one of the note-taking...
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Review Steps in the Writing Process and Explore a Poem
Students practice their persuasive writing skills. For this writing process lesson, students write essays that meet the requirements of the included text element worksheets and analyze poetry of their choosing.
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Give and Read Multi-Step Directions
Learners give and follow directions. In this written communication lesson, students use the provided step-by-step directions to draw pictures, discuss the importance of adequate directions and then explain to other learners how they drew...
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Apply Post-Reading Skills and Discuss Persuasive Text
Students put their reading comprehension skills to practice. In this interpreting text lesson, students read "Chief Red Jacket's Reply," and then respond to questions that require them to reason, infer, and analyze the selection.
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Examining Letters to the Editor
Students write letters to the editor. In this written communication lesson plan, students read sample letters to the editor and use the active voice to compose letters to the editor about issues in which they are interested.
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Letter of Complaint
Students compose letters of complaint. In this written communication instructional activity, students read sample letters of complaint and use the provided graphic organizer to analyze them.
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Brochure Writing
Students identify the attributes of informative brochures. In this written communication lesson, students examine sample brochures to investigate the layout and the information presented. Students then select topics to create their own...
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Writing a Reflective Paper
Students write about literature. In this writing skills lesson, students discuss recurring literature themes and then write reflective essays that about the themes in pieces of literature they have read.
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The Job Application
Learners complete job applications. In this written communication lesson plan, students discuss the purpose of job applications and then complete job applications in their field.
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Writing a Letter of Recommendation
Learners compose letters of recommendation. In this written communication lesson, students read sample letters of recommendation and then write their own letters.