New ReviewThe tools writers use to craft their tales, such as tone, voice, mood, and point of view, are also used by readers as they build an analysis of a work of literature. A reference sheet defines and provides examples of prevalent literary...

New ReviewThe stories of the Silver People, the West Indies immigrants hired to work on the Panama Canal, come to life in a lesson about the building of the Panama Canal. Groups research why the canal was built, how it was build, the working...

New ReviewTheater comes alive for actors of all ages through the activities packed in a dynamic dramatic arts resource. Lessons for early elementary learners focus on creative play and improvisation. Middle school lessons focus on vocal and...

What level of voice is most appropriate for the classroom? Develop volume control in your learners with ASD with an activity that lets them know when they are using appropriate and inappropriate voice level.

Support English language development with a family-themed unit consisting of a series of lessons designed to get your scholars moving, looking, speaking, writing, and listening. Conversation topics include birthdays, family...

How do advertisements evoke specific thoughts and feelings? Class members find out through the exploration of the Internet, videos, television, magazines, radio, and posters. Learners investigate commercial advertisements, political...

Sometimes it's difficult to assess your own writing. With a handy checklist designed for self-assessment, young writers can take a last look at their essays or stories before turning them in. The checklists address main ideas and...

Gain greater insight into poems using a poetry analysis instructional activity. Here, scholars follow steps and answer questions to dissect any poem. Topics include the poem's meaning, theme, technique, and structure, as well as personal...

Make sure your pupils exercise their grammar muscles with this collection of worksheets. Organized into units, the packet covers everything from the parts of speech to sentence structure to punctuation.

Put together an English language arts unit on the six traits of writing with this helpful collection of resources. From fun songs to differentiated writing exercises reinforcing each of the traits, great ideas are provided for developing...

Developing a distinctive voice is a challenge all writers face. Here’s a presentation that defines the parts of voice (attitude, syntax, diction) and then asks viewers to engage in a series of activities designed to model how to develop...

After teaching your class how to analyze poetry, provide them with this summative assessment. They read the poem "El Olivido" by Judith Ortiz Cofer, identifying unknown words in context, identifying the author's tone, and making...

Students develop empathy through writing. In this writing skills instructional activity, students read the listed poems and then respond to analysis questions about them. Students write poetry responses of the characters in the poems...

What is the difference between the active voice and the passive voice? Focus on the latter with your middle schoolers to help them strengthen their writing. First, they identify which sentences are written in the passive. Then, they...

Elementary schoolers complete word clusters after listening to the book Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letters from Obedience School by Mark Teague. They listen as the teacher stops to point out the unusual point of view and various persuasive...

Explore a different style of writing! Read Caves, a picture book written by Stephen Kramer, which describes what isn't seen before describing the actual setting. After discussing the effect this style has on the audience, writers attempt...

Singing is serious business. Get those backs straight, those feet on the ground, and those eyes facing forward, because today's lesson is about proper singing posture. Twelfth graders do a vocal warm up exercise after practicing proper...

Help your class find their writing voices with this lesson 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 what they...

A Six-Trait Writing lesson helps your middle schoolers liven up their word choice and shows them how to evaluate their own writing. Class members take a close look at the language used in poems by Shakespeare, Kipling, Longfellow, and...

Use this poetry analysis worksheet to help your learners understand a poem of their or your choosing. This resource asks class members to summarize the poem and analyze it by looking at voice, word choice, imagery, and theme. The...

Foster empathy and expose your class to the hardships of refugees. First, learners listen to, read, and analyze the poem "Refugee Blues" by W.H. Auden. They then use this poem as a model for their own poem that uses voice, imagery, and...

Follow this outline to write persuasive essays with your 11th grade college prep classes. Using the internet, they research a topic, citing their sources correctly. They work with a partner to peer edit their rough drafts, checking for...

Discuss the meaning of the phrase tone of voice with the class. They respond to a variety of scenarios where a particular tone would be prevalent. They then read "Mother to Son" without knowing the title and answer some questions about...

Develop the writing skills of your high school class. Writers consider their personal style and voice, read selections by other authors, and then write pieces that challenge them to experiment with their own style.