Learning to read and write in response to a prompt is an essential skill. Users of this interactive learn how to analyze a writing prompt to determine the many facets that must be addressed, how to plan and structure a response, and how...

With the increasing emphasis on persuasive and argumentative writing, the lessons and strategies in the sample unit are sure to prove valuable—whether you are new to or an experienced pro at teaching persuasive reading and writing.

Use consonant digraphs to introduce learners to word patterns and high frequency words. They observe a chart with the digraphs /sh/, /ch/, /th/, and /wh/. After listening to each of these phonemes, scholars watch as the teacher...

Silly journal and essay prompts may be fun to write, but they don't model the kind of writing needed for college papers and standardized tests. The 15th part in a series of 24 covers the concept of reading to write—during and after...

Reading often times starts with phonemic awareness and letter sound correspondence. Get little ones blending those letter sounds together to read and write simple words. As the teacher sounds out each word, learners count phonemes, and...

Close reading doesn't mean to literally read text close to your face, but rather to pay attention to particular details in order to develop a deep and purposeful understanding of text. The first part of a five-part resource provides an...

Kids see, say, then count the phonemes they hear in a series of simple words. They practice counting phonemes with the teacher, then sound out the same word on their own. As they count each phoneme they write it down on their paper. A...

Use a performance task to assess third graders' ability to read informational text. After they plan a lemonade stand business, young entrepreneurs implement that plan through informational writing. The task assumes learners can...

Sound it out, read it, then sound it out, and write it. Little ones work as a class to sound out simple words. After they have sounded out each word they will write that word on the white board. This is a great way to build a connection...

The works of Carol Ann Duffy, Scottish poet and Britain's 2009 poet laureate, serve as a model for a writing activity that asks class members to select a character card, brainstorm lists of words, phrases, actions, and items associated...

Warning: reading your paper aloud may cause bystanders to think you're talking to yourself. However, as the 14th installment of 24 in the Writing the Paper series from UNC explains, it is one of the best strategies for revision. Through...

The second lesson of a pair about Paul Laurence Dunbar, this plan focuses in particular on his poem, "We Wear the Masks." After a short historical introduction, class members conduct a series or readings, marking up the text and...

Third graders work to determine the main idea, recall key details, and answer questions using an informational text on the topic of animal adaptations. Using the non-fiction text "Staying Alive: Animal Adaptations" (provided) the teacher...

What happens when I add an 'e' to the word mad? It becomes made! Decoding and writing words with the silent e is the lesson for today. The class discusses what the e can do to a cvc word, then they practice adding e's to various words in...

Reading and writing take on a whole different meaning in math class. Young mathematicians learn to read verbal phrases by focusing on operation words. They write equivalent algebraic expressions for both mathematical and contextual...

Ever needed a reason to stop eating meat? Read this interesting (and slightly disgusting) passage with your class to assess reading comprehension. 

Which animal is best for you—a dog or cat? Why? Engage third graders in an opinion writing assessment that prompts them to read facts about both pets, and then write and decide which pet is best for them.

Even if you've never picked up a musical instrument, chances are that music has directly impacted your mental and emotional development. Sixth graders engage in a reading activity in which they read two articles on the impact of music on...

Get in touch with the emotional side of writing by reading Words By Heart. The writing assignment helps learners make personal connections with the text and hone their writing skills by exploring a time that they had to forgive...

Encourage close reading and critical thinking with a activity that asks readers to select an event from a story, predict what they believe will happen, and list clues from the story that support this prediction. After completing the...

Kids practice saying and identifying words that have irregular spellings. They consider the words said, come, and does by breaking them down into how they are commonly pronounced versus how they "should" be pronounced given their spelling.

Who are we and what shapes our identities? Seventh graders work to answer this question as they learn how to write a memoir. Full of non-print resources and supplemental texts that range from fiction to non-fiction, scholars write their...

Use the fairy tale Rumpelstiltskin to teach your third grade class about descriptive writing. Following a teacher read-aloud of the story, the class brainstorms a list of adjectives describing the main character. Students use this list...

A three-part assessment promotes reading comprehension skills. Class members read literary texts and take notes to discuss their findings, answer comprehension questions, write summaries, and complete charts.