Curated OER
The Science of Aging
Students reflect on the lives of older people they know, then research and debate the key issues surrounding scientific experimentation in anti-aging. They write a short story that reflects their own philosophical beliefs on aging and...
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Literature: Isabel Allende
Students watch and respond to a Bill Moyers Now video on the Chilean author, Isabel Allende. They brainstorm a list of recent events that might inspire writers and choose one to write about in poetic, diary, or short story form.
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Life in Letters
Students explore the relationship between an author's life and their work. Students research the historical and personal events surrounding a Nobel Prize winning author and how they are reflected in the author's writing. They create a...
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The Missing Word
Students, after reading a short story, predict possible missing words by utilizing context clues and graphophonic clues. A picture book with several words covered up sets the scene for this lesson. They share their predictions in groups...
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Vocabulary Choice Board Lesson 17
In this vocabulary usage instructional activity, students choose cards to describe vocabulary words and participate in activities such as illustrating pictures, making lists, making charts, writing short stories, and playing games....
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A Way with Words or Say What?
Students examine Shakespearean language. In this word study lesson, students investigate the meaning of words that Shakespeare invented. Students draw and pantomime with the words prior to writing short stories that feature Shakespeare's...
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Exploring the Dark Heart of an Obsessive Mind
Students complete a unit of activities for "The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe in part to analyze short stories, playwriting, and video production. In this Edgar Allan Poe lesson, students complete a 37 page packet of...
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Greek Mythology: Cultures and Art
Young scholars examine literary arts. In this Greek mythology lessons, students read Greek myths and select characters from the myths to study. Young scholars create watercolor illustrations of the characters, write short stories about...
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The Art of Adaptation
Students examine and discuss animal adaptation. They read an article about snakes, conduct research on ways animals adapt, develop a diagram, and write a short story written from the perspective of the animal they researched.
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Roy G. Biv Has Feelings Too
Students test their memory recall and discuss its association to color. After reading an article, they discuss the natural and psycho-sociological significance of the color red. As a class, they participate in a mood-color association...
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Bugging Out
Students explore how insects behave in their natural habitats and build dioramas to create an Insect World in their classroom. They investigate various insects and the roles they play in the environment. They write creative short...
National Endowment for the Humanities
A Raisin in the Sun: Whose "American Dream"?
How does Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun factor into a discussion of the American dream? High schoolers define the American dream and recognize the historical setting of the play. Additionally, they identify...
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Web Quest on "How to Write a Mystery."
Students complete a Web Quest on How to Write a Mystery. They listen to or read a short mystery story and discuss its elements. They write an outline of a mystery story using all of the elements.
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Digital Storytelling
Sixth graders write a creative story and turn it into a digital storybook. In this digital storytelling lesson, 6th graders write a creative story, illustrate the story, and then use computer technology to turn their story and...
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Anansi: A Language Arts Twist to the Trickster
Students read African folk tales to learn about story elements and writing techniques. In this writing and reading skills lesson, students listen and retell African folk tales about Anansi the spider. Students complete four lessons to...
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Aliens Visit Earth Writing Exercise
In this grammar and writing worksheet, students correct the errors in 10 sentences about aliens visiting Earth. Students use 12 words in a box to complete a story and then write their own story about aliens.
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KS3 Bitesize
Students complete exercises using their five senses to improve their writing skills. In this writing skills lesson, students complete activities blindfolded and using their five senses. Students then select an abstract noun and describe...
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Divided We Fall
Students examine the Bill of Rights. In this U.S. Constitution instructional activity, students write essays for perform plays that feature the importance of the first ten amendments. Students imagine the United States without 1 of the...
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Using Stories in the Classroom
In this using stories in the classroom worksheet, 7th graders read the Emperor's New Clothes, find 8 vocabulary words, write 3 short answer endings for the story and write 10 questions for the given answers.
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Bug's Eye View
Students explore biology by writing fictitious stories in class. In this insect life lesson, students identify many different types of insects in the animal kingdom and the classifications they fall into. Students collect insects on a...
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Using Effective, Amusing Writing As a Model
Learners use the author's writing as a model to achieve vivid description and engaging humor in compositions of their own. They examine the ways a writer can capture and hold a reader's attention and write a short personal narrative...
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Puffins
In this writing worksheet, students write an original short story on Puffins. Students utilize vivid verbs and adjectives in their stories.
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School Day
Learners participate in a lesson that involves writing a persuasive essay. They use the prompt of "extending the school day". The paper should contain correct elements of sentence structure with clear purpose that is supported with...
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Predicting From the First Line 2
In this Predicting From the First Line 2 activity, students answer 6 questions by predicting the rest of a story from the first line. Students also write a short story, using the first line given.