Curated OER
Creatively Creating Expository Essays
Students, after reading Fahrenheit 451, brainstorm inventions that could have been in the novel. They present their invention to the class and writing an expository essay about their creation.
Curated OER
What is Good Writing
Students identify the qualities of good writing. In this writing lesson plan, students use the 6+1 Traits of Writing and use a rubric to discuss samples of writing on the overhead. Students discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each...
Curated OER
Tips for Improving Transition
Vary, bury, pull, fit. These tips for improving transitions in writing are found on a template designed as a teacher resource. A clever way to make memorable these suggestions for improving transitions in writing, the language in the...
McGraw Hill
Choosing Effective Details
In this sentence revision activity, learners must incorporate the details given in order to create a vivid, more interesting sentence. Students may add or replace words as needed to make their sentences compelling.
McGraw Hill
Saying More with Less
In this sentence revision instructional activity, students rewrite each sentence to eliminate wordiness. Students are encouraged to use shorter, more concise terms and make each word meaningful in the sentences.
Curated OER
Writing and Responding to a Prompt
Eighth graders explore the writing process. They respond to the prompt "if I had a million dollars I would..." Students brainstorm ideas they could write about and they use the writing check list as they write.
Curated OER
Wordiness
Refine the writing of your class members with this quick PowerPoint. Wordiness can kill effective writing, making it boring and indirect. Help your writers cut out some of the unneeded words by pairing this presentation with a piece of...
Curated OER
Scrapbook
Students, using photos as their inspiration, develop six personal narratives, then edit and revise them.
Curated OER
Fragments Wanted (Not)
Students rewrite newspaper employment ads using complete sentences.
Curated OER
Small Group Shared Writing
Students discuss elements of effective writing in small groups. They work together to critique individual and group writing focusing on including supporting details.
Virginia Department of Education
Using Specific Vocabulary and Collaboration
Develop concepts on how to change your improving wordsmiths' writing from blah to wow with the activities and ideas in this resource. The instructor provides the class with examples of writing that lacks detail and precision, and then...
Curated OER
Commas and Nonessential Elements Exercise 2
In this comma learning exercise, students are given ten sentences and must determine whether the sentence is correctly written. Students must correct the sentences and identify nonessential information.
Curated OER
Writing a Letter of Inquiry!
Students examine and discuss brevity of business letters, create focused and catchy letters, and publish a typed letter that is suitable for mailing.
Curated OER
Crazy Critters are Figuratively Fantastic
Eighth graders use creatures created from their imaginations to practice hyperbole, simile, metaphor, and alliteration in association with creative writing. They utilize a worksheet imbedded in this plan to guide their writing.
Curated OER
News View
Students read and analyze three different news sources that describe the same event. They compare/contrast the similarities and differences of the news sources, and write an essay describing the main event.
Curated OER
Five Paragraph Essay
Eighth graders are introduced to the mechanics of writing a standard-form essay. They draft, edit and polish a five-paragraph essay about spending the day as an animal of their choice.
Curated OER
What Does Christmas Mean to Me?
Students write an essay entitled "What Does Christmas Mean to Me?" In this writing lesson, students express their feelings about Christmas in an essay. Students discuss ways they have given to others during the Christmas season, then...
Curated OER
Similes and Metaphors Information
In this similes and metaphors worksheet, students write a descriptive practice paragraph in which they describe a place, idea, person, event, or concept without telling what the subject of the paragraph is. Students then pair up to try...
Curated OER
Front Page News
Students write original earthquake articles typically found on the front page of a newspaper. Each student has the freedom to write in a variety of writing styles (lead story, human interest story, editorials, etc.). They research...
Curated OER
Parts of Speech- Worksheet 1
In this grammar worksheet, students identify the underlined words in twenty sentences as one of the following parts of speech: noun, verb, adverb, adjective, pronoun, conjunction or preposition.
Curated OER
Mardi Gras Madness
CStudents create a sensory chart in on the topic of Mardi Gras. They design a brainstorm web using Inspiration and complete creative writing assignment. Students write a poem about Mardi Gras that is presented to the class at the final...
Curated OER
Pair-Share: Constructing Paragraph Order
Students write with controlled and/or subtle organization. They identify the main idea and explicit details. Students analyze paragraph and essay structure. They utilize context clues to identify organization.
Curated OER
Crazy Critters Teach Parts of Speech
Pupils create pieces of writing about a creature they have created. They examine the parts of speech and how they are used in their writing to see how they can write more specifically.
Curated OER
Sidewalks to Success in Middle School
Students write a brochure that educates incoming middle school students on how to succeed.