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Power Writing to Elaborate: Paragraph Writing, Main Idea
Students are walked through an outline (Power Writing) and shown how to elaborate on a main idea in their writing.
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WORDS FRANKLY SPOKEN
Students visit appropriate websites to discover quotes from Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanac. Working in pairs, they choose three quotes on which to elaborate and then write two original quotes.
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Show! Don't Tell!
Students write a descriptive paragraph. In this writing activity, students define elaboration and discuss the characteristics of an elaborate paragraph. Students write a paragraph that contains vivid adjectives, strong verbs and exact...
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Thoughts to the President
Students write a persuassive paragraph to the President stating their opinion on a topic. To do this, they start the message with a topic sentence such as "War is _____." The blank should contain a word or phrase expressing the student's...
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Current Events Rubric
Here is a rubric that can be used for your next current event assignment. It details what should be included in each paragraph of the event description and analysis, as well as other requirements for work habits and presentation.
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Creative Writing Workshop (Middle, Reading/Writing)
Bring this lesson into your unit about creative writing and precise language. First, middle schoolers create a piece of writing with the help of their classmates. In the second part of this workshop, they edit their own piece of writing....
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The Last Word: Using Critical Thinking and Analysis to Reach a Decision
Want to explore the process of writing a persuasive essay and tie it in with the upcoming elections? Class members use Venn diagrams and the hamburger model of persuasive writing to write a five-paragraph essay on elections and...
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Rhythm, Verse and Rhyme: COMPOSING A LIST POEM
Students are provided an opportunity for self-expression. They collaborate with a partner and compose a list poem. Students practice reading and writing skills. They explore lists and catalogues--both elements of poetry and practical...
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Assessment Rubric
Middle schoolers complete their activities related to writing persuasive essays. As a class, they review the components and structure of a rubric. They use this information to write their final essay on educational opportunities at...
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Political Ideological Spectrum
Students explore the ideologies of the American political spectrum. In this American politics lesson, students examine the characteristics and platforms of liberals, conservatives, libertarians, and moderates. Students complete the...
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Organizing Ideas
Eighth graders investigate varous writing skills as part of larger course of study. The lesson is essentially a rough guide for conducting a class for writing. The main focus of the plan is organizing ideas using various strategies that...
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WRITING AN ARTICLE FOR A CHILDREN'S MAGAZINE
Students engage in the writing of a magazine article. They focus upon the reading of a children's fiction book and create an informative narrative. They create main ideas and supporting details for the article. The supporting of main...
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Time Travel, Black Holes, and Relativity
Students read the novel, The Time Machine, and compare H.G. Well's perceptions of the future with those presented in The Third Wave, by Alvin Toffler. They research current scientific and mathematical theories that relate to space and time.
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Job Interview
Eighth graders write a multi paragraphed, expository composition that explanins how one would conduct themself before, during, and after a job interview. In order to be prepared for the interview, 8th graders complete a thesis, have an...
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Proofreading: Lesson 8
Teacher reads the material that is printed in boldface type inside the boxes aloud to the students. Information in regular type inside the boxes and all information outside the boxes should not be read to the students. Possible student...
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Proofreading: Lesson 9
Eighth graders participate in writing a descriptive paragraph with a main idea and supporting details. They generate correct mechanics and spelling while writing this paragraph. When finished, they complete a rubric (that is included...