Middle schoolers aren't too young to feel strongly about politics, social issues, consumer rights, or environmental problems. Demonstrate the first steps toward social change with a project about action-oriented writing. Eighth graders...

The multi-lesson, 47-page packet contains everything you need to ensure kids can recognize the clues provided to identify the type of text, the intended audience, and the author's purpose in writing the passage.

Investigate the importance of author's point of view. Young linguists study primary source documents related to the Treaty of Casco Bay. The first source is authored by the Native American Chiefs, the second by an English...

Have your class discuss the problems faced by those in war-torn nations using this resource about a librarian in Iraq. After reading Alia's Mission: Saving the Books of Iraq, learners answer cause and effect questions, summarize the...

What a fantastic resource to guide youngsters in persuasive letter writing. They read a brief letter to the editor and answer question about the author's purpose, word choice, and structure. Next, scholars draft their own letter by...

Determine the author's point of view in a text. Young readers read Dr. Seuss' The Sneeches and identify the author's purpose in the story. They identify persuasive techniques in writing, asking and answering questions to better...

Practice reading strategies using Elizabeti's Doll by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen. Readers utilize decoding and comprehension strategies before, during, and after reading the story. A detailed list of text features, high frequency words,...

It's time to put it all together! Using the resource, scholars complete an end-of-unit assessment. They write a multi-paragraph essay, comparing either Audre Lorde's "From the House of Yemanjá" or "An Address by Elizabeth Cady Stanton"...

Seven activities boost reading comprehension skills. Working independently and collaboratively, scholars analyze fiction and nonfiction text. Participants identify the author's purpose, determine and produce facts and opinions, as well...

What goes around, comes around. Using the resource, pupils read Act 4.3 of  Macbeth, in which Macduff and Malcolm make plans to attack Macbeth. Scholars then hold a discussion and complete writing activities to analyze Shakespeare's...

Shakespeare's Macbeth has something for everyone. Scholars complete a mid-unit assessment. They craft multi-paragraph essays to analyze how the author's structural choices create tension and suspense in the first two acts of the play. 

What does it mean to be Americanized? Pupils read a text excerpt from Edward Bok's "The Americanization of Edward Bok." Next, they engage in the SOAPSTone strategy for analyzing the text. Afterward, scholars write a summary of the...

Scholars read about the brightly colored flower in Eugenia Collier's short story, "Marigolds." They annotate the text and answer comprehension questions. As a concluding activity, pupils write about the author's use of diction, imagery,...

Are dogs truly a man's best friend? Pupils read a newspaper column by John Grogan about the death of his dog, Marley. Next, they answer text-dependent questions and complete graphic organizers to examine Grogan's feelings about his dog....

Science over humanity? Scholars analyze an excerpt from The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. They must consider if experimentation of Henrietta's cells without her consent was worth the information gained about cancer. They discuss in...

A person doesn't have to be an adult to make a difference!  Scholars take a close look at a speech from a 16-year-old girl. They discuss her word use, answer guided questions in groups, and complete a rhetorical tracking tool. Readers...

Readers take all the information they gained from the last 19 lessons and complete an essay describing how King develops his purpose and claim in "Letter from Birmingham Jail." Pupils use a rubric and checklist to help guide their...

Choose your words carefully. Martin Luther King Jr. carefully chooses his words to provide evidence to support his claim about segregation. Scholars work in pairs to discuss previous lessons, complete homework assignments, determine his...

Readers analyze paragraphs from the "Letter From Birmingham Jail" and determine King's purpose and how he supports it. Scholars discuss given questions with their peers, learn new vocabulary words, and complete a quick writing prompt.