A reading of vignettes written by Peace Corps Volunteers serving in Lesotho and Madagascar launches a study of the difference between narrative and expository texts. As final products, young writers craft both a narrative and an...

Good endings are hard to find. And write. This, the final lesson in a six-part series devoted to study of the ingredients of a good story, focuses on crafting endings. Class members draft ideas about what should happen to each of their...

Advertisers are out to get your pupils' business, and as consumers, they need to be aware of how advertisements are crafted. After delineating the four parts of an ad, this worksheet presents a sample and readers are asked to identify...

Racist, independent, conflicted? Readers of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn brainstorm words that describe the traits of characters in Twain’s novel and then rate these qualities in several of their favorite characters. Individuals...

Rhetorical appeals (pathos, logos, and ethos) are the focus of a series of exercises that asks class members to brainstorm topics for persuasive speeches, groups to craft a persuasive speech about one of the topics, and individuals to...

There are so many holidays celebrated around winter that it can be difficult to keep track. Consider having your class members design a newsletter highlighting a particular holiday, such as Christmas, Hanukkah, Martin Luther King Jr....

How are Icarus and Prometheus similar? How are they different? Compare any two Greek myths with a graphic organizer, which provides space for kids to fill in the ways that the myths are like and unlike each other.

To culminate a study of Markus Zusak's The Book Thief, individuals craft a persuasive essay in which they assume the voice of a member of one of the political parties during the early 1920s, and advocate that their party offers the...

To better understand the conflict between Amir and Hassan, two characters in Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner, readers assume the voice of one of the boys and craft a letter to the other that explains his feelings and concerns.

How do muscles move bones? Find out using a built-in-class model. Pupils construct a hand model with paper and string, then follow a series of directions to explore the movement process. Discover additional information about the muscular...

Students learn about fall and spring by engaging in hands-on activities in order to fulfill science and language arts standards. In this lesson on seasons, students first listen to a story about fall, discuss the characteristics of the...

Fifth graders examine the influences of Japan on American life through this three activity unit. Feudal Japan with its traditional arts and culture is contrasted with current developments of the country.

That tricky Anansi! Join him and Turtle in the story Anansi and Turtle Go to Dinner by Bobby and Sherry Norfolk, based on the African folktale. Kids answer comprehension questions and sing songs about spiders before creating spider...

Artists of many ages use steel, plastic, tree branches and other natural materials to weave a wall hanging. The materials needed for this fine plan are easy to procure, and the process is clearly-described. The results are beautiful, and...

An old-fashioned cootie catcher project is a good way to help kids learn about the ways to honor God with the fruit of the Spirit. After cutting, folding, and constructing the cootie catchers, Sunday school kids work together to name the...

In a multidisciplinary lesson plan, you will focus your instruction around the West African folktale, Anansi Goes to Lunch by Bobby and Sherry Norfolk while your little learners sing songs, play games, participate in a grand...

Some learners just feel more comfortable with very explicit directions. The directions on this template for a five-paragraph essay are very explicit and detail the content and order of each paragraph to be crafted. Color coding reveals...

Readers of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn are directed to complete two projects as a part of their study of Mark Twain’s novel.  Individuals craft an organized notebook containing all their work during the study, and they...

An art activity can benefit special needs pupils in a variety of ways. The class creates mono prints. Focus on increasing motor skills development, expressive communication, and safe handling of materials. Discuss or show a video of...

Analogies are a great way to develop vocabulary and critical thinking skills. This resource directs learners to craft a bridge sentence that makes apparent the relationship between the first pair of words. They then search for the same...

Planning on assigning a book review? High school and college-level writers will benefit from a presentation that provides step-by-step directions for crafting a review. Before, during, and after reading tips are included.

Casting, setting, context, frame, camera angle, lighting, soundtrack. Every choice a writer or director makes is conscious. Here's a worksheet that asks readers/viewers to examine these choices and consider how they are used to to...

An excellent, in-depth resource would be an asset to your unit on writing an argument essay. It provides an explanation to each part of the essay as well as examples of transition words to strengthen your kids' writing. Additionally, the...

Celebrate the legendary Dr. Seuss on Read Across America Day with a plethora of activities set to five stories—The Cat in the Hat, The Lorax, Horton Hears a Who, Oh, the Places You'll Go!, and Green Eggs and Ham. Activities...