Curated OER
Writing Process- Narrative Writing
Graphic organizers are a wonderful tool for young writers to use to help them get their thoughts in order for a piece of writing. Here, learners are coached on what a piece of narrative writing is, and how they must have a distinct...
Curated OER
Understanding Character
Readers practice character analysis by reviewing Gary Soto's short story "La Bamba" with the whole class (anything you've read together will work). They design t-shirts that feature traits and story elements to reveal the nature of a...
Curated OER
Literary Analysis of Theme
Remember reading "The Lottery" and "The Possibility of Evil" by Shirley Jackson? Learners can experience and analyze the tension, themes, and human experience found in these pieces through reading and class discussion. They use...
Historical Thinking Matters
Rosa Parks: 5 Day Lesson
What led to the success of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and how might historians approach this question differently? This rich series of lessons includes a short introductory video clip, analysis of six primary source documents, and...
Curated OER
"I Never Knew That!"
Incorporating To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, narrative writing, and friendly letters, this activity is ideal for any number of units in your classroom. First, read chapter 10 of the novel, noting Scout and Jem's reactions to their...
Channel Islands Film
Sa Hi Pa Ca (Once Upon a Time): Lesson Plan 2
What tools do archaeologists and anthropologist use to learned about what life was like in the past. After watching West of The West's documentary Once Upon a Time that details how scientists use artifacts to establish a...
Curated OER
Compare and Contrast: Literary Analysis
Great for a reading intervention or remedial Language Arts class, this lesson uses two stories from Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul III ("Terri Jackson" and "Mary Lou" to reinforce note-taking skills, story elements, and comparing and...
Curated OER
A Letter from Miami: A Telenovela
Students create their own telenovelas. In this telenovela lesson, students use the graphic organizer to work in groups and create a telenovela based on the mysterious letter.
Curated OER
Using Color as a Pre-Writing Tool
To better understand how to compose a clear and well-organized paper, learners read short passages, write summaries, and make colored graphic organizers. This is a fully developed three-day lesson with suggested assessments.
Polk Bros Foundation
I Can Sequence Important Events
After reading any short informational or fictional text, ask your class to analyze the important events. They note down three important events on a short timeline, describing the events with either words or drawings. After this, pupils...
Curated OER
Portrait of a Friend
Students complete a graphic organizer about themselves and write a short auto-biography. They share their work with a classmate and draw a portrait of a classmate be displayed in the classroom.
Curated OER
Writing Stories With Comic Strips
In this writing worksheet, students fill in a comic strip style 3 row graphic organizer to write a short story. Each row shows a starting transition word and students are instructed to include speech bubbles to show what characters are...
Curated OER
Predictions: Technologies of the Future
Visit the world of science fiction with this graphic organizer focusing on predictions. Complete the chart to determine the possible positive and negative side effects for two examples of future technology. Then, have writers choose one...
Annenberg Foundation
Modernist Portraits
How did literature reflect people's attitudes in post-World War I America? A lesson explores the topic using a variety of activities. Individuals watch and respond to a video; read author biographies and engage in discussion; write...
Curated OER
And The Oscar Goes To?
Third graders complete a graphic organizer to determine what a good story looks and sounds like. Using various forms and conventions, they determine which style to use for different audiences and purposes. They write their own story and...
Curated OER
Book Report Alternative
Students create a video book report. In this literature lesson, students read a book independently and fill out a graphic organizer. Students use a digital camera to record their book review.
Curated OER
Responding to A Sound of Thunder by Writing PowerPoint Presentations
Students, after reading "A Sound of Thunder," create a PowerPoint presentation about time travel. They study and utilize a graphic organizer to assist them in preparing to deliver an oral presentation next and finally they print their...
Curated OER
Was the Wolf Really Guilty?
Students read plays, short stories, or novels which revolve around trials, and write essays explaining or defending the assigned role in a mock fairy tale trial.
PBS
Analyzing Stop and Frisk Through Personal Stories and Infographics
How much can you learn about an important topic from a single image? High schoolers analyze an infographic that represents the number of stops performed during the Stop and Frisk police procedure. After building background information...
Curated OER
Arthur Meets the President
Students listen to Arthur Meets the President and participate in Internet activities. For this Arthur Meets the President lesson, students become familiar with the work of the President. Students create a KWL about the job of...
Curated OER
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
In this Sense and Sensibility worksheet, high schoolers respond to 8 short answer questions and complete 1 graphic organizer designed to be used prior to reading, while reading, and after reading Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen.
Curated OER
Because of Winn-Dixie The Movie vs. The Book
In this Because of Winn Dixie worksheet, students use the provided graphic organizer to compare and contrast the book by Kate DiCamillo and the movie based on the book. Students also respond to 2 short answer questions.
Carnegie Library
Creative Writing: Middle School Lesson Plan
Enhance a unit on historical fiction with an engaging writing lesson. Learners bring the Industrial Era to life as they compose their own historical fiction pieces based on primary source images of Pittsburgh steel workers.
McGraw Hill
Study Guide for The Scarlet Letter
How does or society punish people who break the law? What effect does guilt have on a person's life? In what way does or society demand we conform to certain conventions? Such questions, found in this study guide, are sure to...