Middle schoolers work on comparing and contrasting different text structures with this project. First, they study an example of a sample page in a booklet, which they go on to use as a model. They complete a booklet with text structure,...

“It was a dark and stormy night.” Thus begins the 1830's novel Paul Clifford and, of course, all of Snoopy’s novels! Encourage young writers to craft settings for their stories that go beyond Edward Bulwer-Lytton’s often-mocked phrase...

Though this presentation is designed for the Texas Academic Skills Program's (TASP) writing assessment, it could work for any class that is preparing to write a five-paragraph persuasive essay. Slides take intermediate writers through...

Use a worksheet to help learners identify the topic sentence and transitional words. They eliminate sentences that do not belong in the paragraph and name the pattern of organization used. Great for homework or extra credit.

Students compare and order objects according to length. They see that to conserve length, meaning that the length of an object is not altered by a change in its spatial position, even though it may appear to look longer or shorter than...

Third graders spell words and define homophone.  In this making words lesson, 3rd graders decipher words from letter strips in an effort to identify the "secret word". Students use a set of letters to spell different words. 

First graders solve a mystery by following map clues. In this map clues lesson plan, 1st graders follow a computer program called Neighborhood Map Machine. In this program, it gives students directional and spatial clues in order to...

Second graders use cardinal and intermediate directions to locate places on maps and places in the classroom, school, and community. They draw a setting map of "Little Red Riding Hood." Students give five steps of cardinal or...

Middle schoolers work together to plan a six-day road trip through central Oregon. Using a map, they locate any place mentioned and create a list of attractions throughout the area. They list the places in the order they are going to...

This PowerPoint highlights the steps one should follow to craft an organized essay. It addresses the purpose, audience, and format, and briefly touches on prewriting and organizing. This presentation is designed to review the very basic...

Third graders study Thanksgiving. In this physical education and spelling instructional activity, 3rd graders play a race game by being the first group who can spell the word Thanksgiving first.

This resource from Kim's Korner for Teacher Talk defines various patterns of text organization and provides a brief essay example of each pattern.

In writing and reading organization is the key to a reader's understanding. A great site for those of you who are looking for some further explanation of organization in writing. There is instruction, an example text, and specific...

Here is a run-down of several basic patterns of organization to use when writing. An example is given for each pattern, as well as an explanation.