High schoolers work in four different groups to examine the many factors that led to the American Civil War. They research an assigned topic, prepare questions, and finally engage in a class discussion using the Socratic Seminar method.

Scholars write an informational essay with a practice examination. The resource includes comprehensive multiple-choice questions dealing with everything from the creation of the European Union to changes in oil prices across the globe.

Fourth graders are taught how to outline a fictional narrative essay. They review the definition and structure of narrative essays. Students use the activity to brainstorm specific ideas for narrative essays. They are given a...

Twelfth graders write self-identity essays of three to five paragraphs in length. They include topic sentences, transition words, and concluding paragraphs in their essays, They read their essays to classmates.

Ninth graders develop ideas for an invention and write a persuasive essay explaining why their invention is best. In this invention essay lesson plan, 9th graders review persuasive essay writing. Students create a graphic web for an...

Young scholars in fourth grade pair up with students in second grade to edit writing convension.

Students write a four paragraph persuasive paper on Of Mice and Men. In this Of Mice and Men activity, students take a position on whether or not George should have killed Lennie. Students are given a paragraph-by-paragraph guide to...

In this interviewing skills learning exercise, students read tips for conducting interviews as part of the research process and then use the tips to interview their grandparents about their life experiences related to economics. Students...

Students read a New York Times article in order to explore the use of handheld electronic devices in schools. They investigate, through surveys and essay-writing, the pros and cons of this technology.

Students consider works of art in their historical context. In this art in historical context lesson, students are encouraged to think about and record their prior knowledge of the historical period and to make inferences about the...

Students are able to revise their own essays for greater clarity and fluency, adding explanation where needed and cutting extraneous information where appropriate. They are able to compose an academic essay with a complete introduction,...

Whether used to review prior to a reading assessment or as a way to generate ideas for an essay, this activity is sure to encourage critical thinking about Markus Zusak's The Book Thief. Kids create a six-sided question cube with each...

High schoolers discuss and develop graphic writing webs, writing supporting ideas for a given topic.

In this literature analysis worksheet, studnets read Dante's Inferno and write an introduction with a thesis statement. Students give a synopsis of the comedy and then write an essay. Students select from the five options to complete the...

Students analyze patterns of organization used in writing to determine how and when comparisons and contrasts can be effectively utilized to identify similarities and differences or pros and cons.

Seventh graders experience the satisfaction of writing for a purpose; their self-selected piece be published for an audience. They write using techniques appropriate to the selected genre.

Young scholars explore the elements of a narrative for its purpose, type of audience, mood, main character, minor characters, setting, and conflicts in the story. A story outline is developed and a five paragraph essay composed in this...

In this report planning worksheet, students prepare to write a 3-5 page report about one great time in American History. Students choose a topic, answer 4 questions to help in planning the report and take this form home for parental...

Students evaluate the essays of their classmates. In this evaluation lesson, students write two non-fiction essays on two different topics that they may choose. After a lecture on the aspects of the paper that will be evaluated,...

Fourth graders listen to nonfiction stories, read fact sheets about historical characters and events, and record facts in groups. They write a paper based on six facts from their research.

In this description worksheet, students describe a typical summer morning in a teepee village. Essays should include introductory paragraph, body paragraph, and concluding paragraph.

Growing writers explore what it takes to develop and support a thesis statement with pre-fabricated ideas provided by the Virginia Department of Education. Learners take notes on what makes a thesis statement and a topic sentence, and...

Introduce and challenge the essay organization skills of your junior high writers with the paper reconstruction activity in this demonstration.  Theydetermine what the word organization means, and discover the basic organizational...

Tackle Transcendentalist literature with these questions. This resource provides 14 essay questions that cover different works by Thoreau and Emerson. Class members may also access an online quiz on the selection using the link at the...