Create a "Double Bubble" to organize information in a Venn diagram-like graphic organizer.   There are a few options included to differentiate this assignment, but unfortunately, there are no topics for selection. Provide your...

Analyze the free-writing method of brainstorming to explore how to write an essay. Middle schoolers plan their writing from the beginning after reading two samples of free-writing, then creating their own. The lesson includes extension...

As a class, 7th graders observe examples of brainstorming and then complete brainstorming worksheets themselves. They compose and describe planning strategies. Prior to writing an essay, they identify the purpose and the audience.

What is a signal word? Recognizing these words is an important step in both reading and writing formal text. Review a list of signal words (provided and organized into specific categories), and then have your class play a game to...

Analyze advertising techniques in order to pinpoint persuasive strategies that writers use. These same techniques are then examined in persuasive speeches. You will have to find your own advertisements, but speeches are included. Finish...

Students explore topic sentences and supporting sentences. In this writing lesson, students locate topic sentences and supporting sentences found in The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. Students write an essay based on a particular section of...

Students discuss the importance of writing clear, well structured essays. They explore the use of introductions and conclusions when writing an essay. Students compose an essay using both introductions and conclusions.

Learners read George Orwell's essay "Shooting an Elephant" as an analysis for the historical context. In this historical analysis lesson, students analyze the main points in the essay to identify its cultural and historical context....

For this Walden worksheet, learners discuss the experience of Thoreau at Walden Pond and evaluate the importance of the experiment. Students write essays which discuss the details, the genres, the mythological references, and the author...

Students practice writing after completing research on a given topic. They use a writing sample to practice for the SAT writing section, then review sample essays and gain classmates feedback.

Build the skills your budding authors need to develop to compose well-structured paragraphs. Give them the topic sheet (included here), and have them write a cohesive paragraph using the ideas listed. Consider having them include two...

An informative activity invites learners to compose essays about animals. Some excellent writing prompts are included in this innovative activity. Use these ideas with a variety of grade levels.

Students research an event or a person from a decade in American history when the civil rights movement was an important focus. They create a multimedia project based on the research.

Help your pupils organize their thoughts, gain a greater understanding of a topic by laying it out clearly, or plan for writing with this graphic organizer. Learners can write in three larger topics and then two subtopics for each.

What led to the United States Civil War? Interested historians consider a variety of political, social, and economic factors using primary sources and an essay prompt in an authentic high-stakes test. Primary sources include political...

Discuss the themes and events of Elizabeth George Speare's The Sign of the Beaver with a collection of journal topics. Each chapter contains two or three questions for kids to consider and write about, for a total of 24 questions.

How much do high schoolers know about human history? The assessment covers global history and geography with multiple choice, document based items, and essay questions. It covers topics such as human migration patterns and religions of...

Let's test global history knowledge. The standardized test, designed for high schooler scholars, assesses world history and geography. The assessment is divided into five different sections, including essay items and multiple choice. It...

Creating an environment where learners feel both educated and empowered challenges any teacher when discussing a sometimes bleak topic. A respectful resource provides them with the details and permits them to make a plan of action....

It's time to put it all together! Using the resource, scholars complete an end-of-unit assessment. They write a multi-paragraph essay comparing Audre Lorde's "From the House of Yemanjá" or "An Address by Elizabeth Cady Stanton" to...

Examine one cause and its effect in-depth. To complete this graphic organizer, learners write down a topic, the cause, the effect, and a brief analysis of the cause and effect relationship. 

If you're reading The Kid in the Red Jacket by Barbara Park, use a handy reference sheet to help kids format a book report. After filling in the basics of the book, such as author, main characters, and setting, learners answer...

Explore the amazing temperate rainforest of the Pacific Northwest. Your class starts by investigating the animals and plants of the Northwest, specifically Washington, and then research an animal population common to the area. In small...

Free Trade and Sailor's Rights! Pupils dive into America's first declared war, the War of 1812. They analyze the presidencies of Jefferson and Madison through diary entries and historical reasoning. To conclude the lesson, they use their...