Colorado State University
Colorado State Writing Center: Understanding Your Purpose
Use the links on the right to get a better understanding of purpose in writing including the types of purposes and how audience affects purpose. Click on Purpose and Audience and Purpose and Strategies. W.9-10.4 Write/Audience/Purpose;...
University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina: Writing Center: Handouts: Evidence
What kinds of evidence best support the points you make in a paper? Where can you find the evidence you need? This handout answers all these questions and more, including the difference between primary and secondary sources. You'll also...
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Persuasion Map
A printable graphic organizer for students to use when writing on opinion or persuasive essay. Directions on how to use this type of graphic organizer as well as lists of teaching ideas, lesson plans, and other resources are also...
Better Lesson
Better Lesson: W.2.1 Write Opinion Pieces...
Choose from a variety of lessons to help your students write an effective opinion piece.
University of Toronto (Canada)
University of Toronto: Using Computers to Improve Your Writing
Tips from the University of Toronto on using word processing features as aids in composing and revising papers. W.9-10.6 Technology, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.6, W.11-12.6 Technology
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Writing Across the Curriculum Lesson: This I Believe: History
This writing assignments asks learners to assume the voice of a person from history they have researched. Focusing on a topic or belief the person showed passion about as history unfolded, the students write an essay modeled after NPR's...
Online Writing Lab at Purdue University
Purdue University Owl: Starting the Writing Process
Getting started on a paper or story always seems to be the greatest obstacle. Learn some simple prewriting strategies to overcome this common problem. Use the links on the left to work through each step of the writing process. W.9-10.5...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Leads for a Most Embarrassing Moment Narrative
Inspired by the embarrassing situation Byron finds himself in during chapter 1 of Christopher Paul Curtis's The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963, students will think of their own embarrassing moments they might write about. Using the...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Story Starting Participles
In this activity, Roni Schotter's picture book entitled The Boy Who Loved Words is used as the mentor text. This Language Arts Common Core Standards-aligned activity pre-writing task engages students in writing a collection of ideas of...
Colorado State University
Colorado State Writing Center: Reviewing and Revising an Argument
An excellent guide to help the writer review a composition to see if their position has been fully supported by evidence and to analyze the perspective of the anticipated audience. Follow the links on the right to access all of the...
Thinkport Education
Thinkport: Writing Explanation Part 3: Building an Argument
In this module, students will explore how claims, counterclaims, evidence and reasoning are used to write an effective argument. Students will read texts that discuss the climate change debate.
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Prose Poetry Paragraphs
Inspired by the vignettes of Sandra Cisneros, students will write about a familiar thing from their lives. Students will use the style of prose poetry to describe something familiar around their home, school or neighborhood. The final...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: A Magical Animal Encounter
This writing lesson is fashioned after Harry Potter's encounter with a communicative boa constrictor at the zoo. Inspired by Rowling's original idea, students will be asked to create a three-part story about an original magical animal...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Unique Imaginary Friends
The writer will first create an original imaginary friend, inspired by Ted from Tony DiTerlizzi's wonderful picture book. The writer will then think of an ordinary activity done on a daily basis, like feeding the family dog. The writer...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: A Character's Decalogue
In this lesson, the writer first writes a personal decalogue (a list of ten personal beliefs) about something important to him/her. The writer then creates a decalogue for a fictional character they will invent and envision. The final...
Education.com
Education.com: W.3.6 Worksheets: Use Technology to Produce and Publish Writing
[Free Registration/Login Required] A site with links to 7 worksheets that can be downloaded and printed for student use while building skills with standard W.3.6: With guidance and support from adults, use technology to produce and...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Revising for a Different Audience [Pdf]
An activity where students are asked to write for a specific audience. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.5 Develop and strengthen writing
University of Toronto (Canada)
University of Toronto: Critical Reading Towards Critical Writing
Aimed particularly towards writing about non-fiction, this site describes ways to think about what you read so you can write more clearly. Focuses on analyzing the "ways of thinking" that an author uses so you can evaluate the validity...
University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin: Writing Center: How to Proofread
Concise instruction on how to get the best results from your proofreading. Suggestions are divided into "Before You Proofread," "When You Proofread," and "When You Want to Learn More." The latter includes links to handouts on writing.
Other
Indiana University of Pennsylvania: Writing Center: Shifty Tenses
Notes about verb tense, when it should and should not be changed, and what tense is best to use when writing about literature.
Harvard University
Harvard Univ.: Harvard College Writing Center: Ending the Essay: Conclusions
This resource teaches how to write a conclusion for an essay. Also includes a few pointers on how not to end one.
Cambridge Rindge & Latin School
Cambridge Rindge & Latin School: Writing an Introduction
A tip sheet on how to write and develop an introduction to a research paper.
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: A Left Brained Writing Prompt: A Day as Your Shoes
It's fun to personify articles of clothing as a means of inspiring creative writing from your young scholars, and this mini-workshop has students a) personify their shoes on a page in their writer's notebook, b) share their story ideas...
Hopelink
Hopelink: Writing Lesson Idea: Self Editing
This writing lesson teaches students how to become self-editors by learning to judge and critique their work.