You can't read Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory without craving the rich treats described in Dahl's vivid prose. Young writers try their hands at sensory language with a lesson plan that prompts them to write about their...

Ideal for a language arts class, literary unit, or independent reading assignment, a set of reading worksheets address a wide array of skills. From poetic elements to nonfiction text features, you can surely find a valuable resource in...

The painting Three Young Girls circa 1620, was believed to be painted after the death of the subjects' mother. Art enthusiasts analyze the image details to determine if they come to the same conclusion. They then use the sensory details...

Writing can become one-dimensional if authors don't involve all their senses. First, scholars observe a strange object which, ideally, they can touch and even smell. Without using certain words (you can create a list or have the class...

Help your class find their writing voices with this instructional activity which uses the work of Ralph Fletcher to guide a "Prompt in Reverse" activity. Using the chapter "First Pen" from Fletcher's Marshfield Dreams, learners decipher...

A cross-disciplinary lesson plan that incorporates language arts, social studies, and art into a creative project, this lesson plan would be a great fit for any middle school humanities classroom. After briefly learning about the...

Work on narrative writing with this lesson, in which middle schoolers analyze the characters from a selected piece of literature and write narrative diary pieces as the character. They work to understand the point of view of the...

Have you assigned your learners a creative writing project, only to find that their incredible creativity doesn't easily translate to writing? Here's some practice to kick them into sensory overload! Using their five senses, they choose...

A vivid setting can bring a story to life. Challenge your writers to dive into this element as they complete worksheets in preparation for their first draft. This packet starts by giving an example of a description that simply tells who...

Dress up to catch the class's attention before reading a silly story aloud. Learners identify five sensory details within the story and interpret two metaphors. They then collaborate on sequencing events before retelling the story using...

New ReviewWith a brief mini-lesson, scholars learn about using strong verbs, sensory details, and precise descriptions. Next, pupils continue working on their children's book storyboards before choosing their strongest pages for peer critiques. 

New ReviewWriters learn about using sensory details as they revise bland sentences with more vivid language. Next, they begin writing the first drafts of their children's books, completing storyboards to effectively plan their writing. 

Introduce young learners to imagery with a lesson that asks them to look closely at the lyrics from popular songs. Class members listen to a song rich with imagery, draw a picture of the images that come to mind, and then share their...

Over three days, scholars listen to and read the poem, "Covers" by Nikki Giovanni. Learners complete a graphic organizer by sketching their visualizations from each stanza then discuss their pictures with a peer. Pupils answer...

Class members analyze the details of a section of E. B. White’s Death of a Pig to determine a central idea. Learners use turn and talk to discuss the details and ideas they identified. They then work in groups to annotate the text,...

Budding poets choose a topic for a sensory-filled poem. Authors describe that topic using detailed language based on the five senses. Then, switch the senses to create a fanciful poem intended to add a touch of fun to the objective. 

Learners follow five steps to compose an alliteration poem. They choose one consonant and brainstorm as many nouns, verbs, and adjectives they can think of to create rhyming sentences that come together in a poetic fashion. 

Scholars gather in small groups to share their final drafts of free-verse poems. Peers reflect on their reading with a grand discussion that focuses on prosody. Poetry groups choose one poem to choreograph using motion that reflects a...

Using a rubric, young writers work in small groups to revise their first drafts of a free-verse poem. After a productive discussion, poets compose their final draft.  

After an invigorating interpretive dance, young poets compose their first draft of a free-verse poem. Peers share their drafts and reference a rubric in order to provide feedback. 

Introduce the importance of prosody with a lesson that spotlights the free-verse poem "Sparklers" by Mark Vinz. Poetry enthusiasts begin with a discussion about using feeling and expression. They then take part in a vocal exercise that...

Poetry enthusiasts read the poem, Sparklers by Mark Vinz, discuss their feelings after hearing it, and create an interpretive dance based on the emotions it provoked.