Curated OER
Protecting Natural Resources
Third graders recognize what our natural resources are and their importance. For this natural resource recycling lesson, 3rd graders understand why it is important to recycle and conserve natural resources. Students can explain how...
EngageNY
Mid-Unit 2 Assessment: Analyzing a New Narrative about a Natural Disaster, Part I
Scholars complete a mid-unit assessment by analyzing a narrative text, In the Middle of the Storm. Learners determine the gist of the text, identify synonyms, make inferences, and answer text-dependent questions to demonstrate...
Curated OER
Looking at Portraits: Literary Monuments
Examine artwork, research literature, and create art pieces for a monument to a literary figure. Young scholars analyze the sculpture Model for a Monument to Alexandre Dumas père and compare it to other well-known monuments. They...
Curated OER
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
Fourth graders participate in a play to work on seeing events from a different perspective. Some of them are reporters, some cameramen and women, and others are interviewed. They put themselves in the shoes of the people in the book...
Curated OER
Adapting a Musical
High schoolers transform literature into musical productions. In this integrated arts instructional activity, students discuss how musicals are written and produced. High schoolers then select literature they are familiar with to adapt...
Curated OER
Edgar Allan Poe Lessons- Taking A Look At The Original Goth
Edgar Allan Poe lesson plans can provide a way for students to learn about literature, psychology, and the horror genre.
Curated OER
The Life and Work of Marc Chagall
The background and work of the artist Marc Chagall can be a great way to teach students about history and art.
Curated OER
The Life and Work of Paul Cezanne
Students can explore the art of Paul Cezanne with these lessons and activities.
Curated OER
It's Just Not Art
Students examine multiple styles of artwork that have earned awards. For this art lesson, students discuss the definition of contemporary art then compare how artwork has changed over the years.
Curated OER
Video Biographies
Who was Alexander The Great? How did Abraham Lincoln’s early life influence his political life? Learners select a historical figure to use for video biography. After developing research questions and collecting information, pupils search...
University of Oregon
Pizzaz, Creative Writing & Storytelling: Creative Writing via Basket Stories
This PIZZAZ (People Interested in Zippy and ZAny Zcribbling) lesson plan will engage learners in creative writing about items found in a basket. Examples of creative writing are provided. Examples of springboard ideas are included.
University of Oregon
Pizzaz, Creative Writing & Storytelling: Chain Stories
This PIZZAZ (People Interested in Zippy and ZAny Zcribbling) lesson plan will engage students in writing chain stories. A variation of the activity is provided as an extension during the publishing phase of writing.
Other
Glimmer Train Press: Writing Guidelines
Glimmer Train accepts entries from both published and upcoming writers, although there is a separate category for new writers. Deadlines and additional information are given at this site. (It would be wise to click on the Short-Story...
University of Oregon
Pizzaz, Creative Writing & Storytelling: Tongue Twisters
This PIZZAZ (People Interested in Zippy and ZAny Zcribbling) lesson plan will engage students in writing tongue twisters. Examples of tongue twisters are provided. A template is also included as a graphic organizing support for students.
British Library
British Library: 20th Century: Angela Carter's the Bloody Chamber
These activities offer students a unique opportunity to examine how a writer crafts a narrative. By exploring many of Angela Carter's early drafts, students will uncover how she created her ground-breaking short story collection, "The...
Other
Fiction Writing Tips: Creating a Vivid Setting
Some excellent guidelines to consider when evaluating your setting in a short story or novel. Discusses the importance of setting, some examples, as well as practical advice in setting your story. W.11-12.3d Sensory/precise lang narratives
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: The Stupendous Dodgeball Fiasco by Janice Repka
This lesson will lead students in relating literature to their own lives. The book, The Stupendous Dodgeball Fiasco, will be read aloud to students. Afterward, students will create short stories about things which they'd like to change...
Other
Write4 kids.com
This site provides a great deal of information on writing children's stories. Contains "Advice, instruction, insider tips, insight and inspiration."
Other
Ink Pot: A Print Literary Journal
Ink Pot accepts short stories, poetry, and essays. Guidelines for submitting work, as well as samples of previously published entries, are readily available at this site. This site offers a great archive as well.
Caro Clarke
Historical Fiction: Who Rules?
This is the fifteenth article in a series designed to help the new novel author. This article focuses on the genre of historical fiction and the role of the author. Is the author a researcher or a story-teller?
Caro Clarke
Caro Clarke: Description: What's It For?
This is the twelfth article in a series that is designed to help the new novel writer. This article focuses on how to effectively use descriptions in any writing.
Caro Clarke
Caro Clarke: Pacing Anxiety, or How to Stop Padding and Plot!
This is the seventh installment of a series giving advice to the author who is new to writing novels. This article focuses on how to take your characters and use them and their conflicts to develop the plot of your story. W.9-10.3b...
PBS
Pbs Kids: Plum Landing: Backyard With Clem
This Plum Landing activity from PBS Kids engages students in using imagination. Students will think about their environments and then write and or draw what visitors would see.
Other
Nottingham Trent University: Kids on the Net
Visit this site for children's writing made by kids. Kids on the Net aims to help children develop a useful and informed approach to the Internet and how to use it for writing.