Curated OER
Vocabulary Development
Learners utilize various vocabulary strategies. They use vocabulary logs to record strategies they have been taught, such as the Frayer Model (definition, picture, examples, non-examples), writing their own definitions, and using...
Polk Bros Foundation
Common Core Constructed Response Organizer
Get your writers ready to compose a constructed response essay in response to either an informational or fictional text. Pupils note down the big idea they wish to address as well as up to nine examples from the text that they wish to...
Public Media for Northern California
An Educator’s Guide to Teaching Gun Control Issues | The Lowdown
The topic of gun control is vast, controversial, and difficult to introduce to students. This gem of a resource covers both sides of the issue and provides topic background, various multimedia and print resources, analysis questions, and...
Shmoop
ELA.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.1
If you need an introduction to skill W.9-10.1 for writing, then you’re off to a good start here. Included is a funny script that introduces what the students need to know to conquer the skill. It also provides an introduction activity...
Georgia Department of Education
Exploring Poetry and Poets
Combine the study of poetry and non-fiction texts with this complete and ready-to-use six-week unit. After reading numerous poems from local writers and compiling a personal anthology, high schoolers find and read a memoir or biography...
Curated OER
Two Sides, Same Coin: How Political Beliefs Influence Language Use
Learners read several magazine articles on the same topic written from different political perspectives, paying particular attention to the diction, syntax, and arguments presented in support the point of view expressed. They then select...
Novelinks
The Hobbit: Writing Assignment
As a culminating assignment for a unit study of heroes that uses The Hobbit as the core text, class members engage in a multi-genre writing project.
Curated OER
Word Roots 1 dict, vent, duct Advanced Level Synonym or Antonym Word Puzzle
Play a bit of a matching game with the words addicted, intervene, abdicate, circumvent, seductive, and conducive. Using the provided word list, select a synonym and an antonym for each vocabulary word. Quiz your class or use this as a...
Curated OER
Word Roots CERN, JUR, and LEG Advanced True/False Quiz
An above-average vocabulary test: given a vocabulary word in the context of a sentence, pupils must decide, using their knowledge of the word's meaning along with context clues, if the word is used correctly or not. This worksheet...
Curated OER
Word Roots PLIC, FAC, and COGN Advanced True/False Quiz
A nice twist on the usual vocabulary quiz, this test provides pupils with each of the 12 words in the context of a sentence. This variation allows test takers to use context as well as their word knowledge to determine if vocabulary...
Curated OER
Writing Diagnostics and Introduction to Literary Terms
Assess your new learners' writing abilities and knowledge of literary terms with these diagnostic activities. Part of a back-to-school unit, this is meant to provide the teacher with information about the ability levels of their class....
Curated OER
Compare and Contrast Night to Life is Beautiful
After reading Elie Wiesel's Night, watching the movie Life is Beautiful, and researching World War II, class members write a comparison essay on the book and film. This includes a prior knowledge activity, discussion in whole and small...
Curated OER
Compare and Contrast Poems vs. Lyrics
Combine your pupils' love of music with their growing knowledge of poetry! First, have them bring in their favorite songs for a discussion on word choice and literary devices. Then, use a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast the...
Curated OER
"A Sound of Thunder" by Ray Bradbury: Questions
These questions are designed to accompany Ray Bradbury's "A Sound of Thunder," and could be used to guide and focus readers or as an assessment of reading skill and knowledge of the elements of a story. Page one focuses on questions of...
The New York Times
I Don’t Think So: Writing Effective Counterarguments
When it comes to writing effective arguments, writers must do more than simply make a claim, counterarguments must be considered. Aspiring writers analyze counterarguments in editorials, and then learn how to write counterarguments in...
Curated OER
Gateway to the Arts
Students redesign a dead space in the school to create an interesting and stimulating visual environment. In this art design lesson, students look at how to redesign architectural space and research ways to enhance a space. Students then...
Curated OER
Poetry in Depth
Scholars use technology to explore poetry and its related elements, such as theme, figures of speech, and other literary devices. They complete four poetry projects including a poem analysis with a concept web, an interactive poem...
Curated OER
Subordinate Conjunctions and Complex Sentences for SMART Board
A SMART board is a great way to get kids engaged and excited about grammar. Using this SMART board lesson and worksheet, pupils study the rules of conjunctions, clauses, and complex sentences. After they have worked on the exercises, a...
Curated OER
Car For Sale!
Car For sale! In this GED prep lesson, writers develop a classified advertisement to sell a car. After a discussion of precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language, sellers draft their ad for review, revision and...
Curated OER
But I'm Not a Writing Teacher!
How teaching writing skills in the science classroom will benefit your students as they transition to Common Core.
Curated OER
Word Roots FIN, SED, and FER Advanced True/False Quiz
Test pupils' knowledge of vocabulary words containing the word roots FIN, SED, FER with this 12-question true or false quiz. Vocabulary terms are provided in sentences and the test taker must use the context of the sentence as well as...
Curated OER
Word Roots NAT, TRACT, and SEQ Advanced Crossword Puzzle
A challenging activity that builds vocabulary as it tests knowledge of the word roots NAT, TRACT, and SEQ. This 12-clue crossword puzzle requires pupils to generate words that appropriately match the clues provided as well as contain the...
Poets.org
Ghosts and Spirits
Connect poetry to a naturally kid-friendly topic: ghosts! Draw on your class's prior knowledge of the paranormal to help them access the classic poem "Haunted House" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. After a fun warm-up activity describing...
Curated OER
Latin Roots dict, duct, and vent: Online Quiz
Readers can check their knowledge of words with the roots vent, duct, and dict in this interactive online quiz. True/false responses allow quiz takers to agree or disagree with usage and definitions of words as presented in the context...