Curated OER
Creating Transitions
Fourth graders analyze the use of transitions in text. In this transitions lesson, 4th graders determine how and why a transition is used at a specific time in a piece of writing. They show transitions by using movements before...
Curated OER
Women
A close study of two works of art provides the introduction to this cross-curricular writing assignment. After comparing the clothing, facial expressions, body language, setting, and color in the two 19th century paintings Tissout’s...
Curated OER
Building Believable Characters
Students use descriptive strategies such as physical descriptions, background, and comparison of characters when writing narratives. They develop the topic with supporting details and precise diction to paint a visual image in the...
Curated OER
Once Upon a Pop-Up Book
Third graders compile their writings into pop-up books after reading "The Jolly Postman: Or Other People's Letters." The book contains letters, invitations, essays, and narratives they have written previously. The project also includes...
Curated OER
Teaching Imagery with Gary Paulsen
Middle schoolers read excerpts from memoirs written by Gary Paulsen as examples of how to write a narrative piece. They identify figurative language used and then they write a memoir of their own that contains imagery and figurative...
Starfall
Let's Make a Snowman
In this literacy worksheet, students practice writing their own story with the help of the picture dictionary and matching them to the new story.
Starfall
Dream Beach
In this language arts activity, students write a story about a dream beach. Students use the illustrated word banks provided for each story.
Curated OER
Poetry Alive! Interpreting Poetry Using Digital Images
Students investigate poetry by incorporating images into the words of a poem. In this language arts lesson, students discuss poetry writing devices and self expression with their classmates. Students create a film about the...
Curated OER
Life Cycle of Butterfly
Second graders investigate life cycles of insects by writing a story. In this butterfly life lesson, 2nd graders create a checklist of the many steps a caterpillar takes before growing wings and flying. Students utilize...
Curated OER
Crazy Critters are Figuratively Fantastic
Eighth graders use creatures created from their imaginations to practice hyperbole, simile, metaphor, and alliteration in association with creative writing. They utilize a worksheet imbedded in this plan to guide their writing.
Curated OER
A Life Lived Well
Students write poems based on words and phrases found in an obituatuary. They write autobiographical obituaries that imagine their own lives and future accomplishments.
Starfall
Making a Candy House
For this writing worksheet, scholars use a word bank that includes naming, connecting, and describing words to write about how they would build a candy house.
Curated OER
Thanks for the Memories
Students explore the importance of the family holiday meal, read and discuss "Pass the Turkey, Tamales, Kugel and Criticism" and write their own renditions of a fictitious family's holiday evening.
Starfall
It's the 100th day of school!
For this 100th day of school worksheet, students write about if they could have 100 of anything, what would it be. Students also describe how the world will look in 100 years.
Curated OER
The All About Me Poster
Students discover the literary genre of biographies. In this creative writing instructional activity, students write about their own life experiences and personal stories. Students create a poster about their lives, a...
Curated OER
The Mystery of the Disappearing Tracks
Fifth graders watch as the teacher projects a series of pictures on the wall showing bird tracks heading toward each other but not meeting, two tracks converging into one, and two tracks converging and then being scuffed up. They write...
Curated OER
My Book of Thanksgiving Words
In these mini-book activity activity, students create a Thanksgiving word mini-book that includes the words stuffing, Mayflower, Pilgrims, corn, Native Americans, and turkey. Students also write their own Thanksgiving word and draw a...
Curated OER
A Picture is Worth a Million Words
Students practice composing digital photographs by documenting activities in their lives. In this photography instructional activity, students utilize digital cameras to create beautiful art from things they find around the campus...
Curated OER
Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart: Teaching Through the Novel
Students are introduced to Chinua Achebe's first novel and to his views on the role of the writer in his or her society. It can be used alone or in conjunction with the related lesson Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart.
EngageNY
Writing Narratives from First Person Point of View: Imagining Meg Lowman’s Rainforest Journal
I spy with my little eye! Learners observe page 23 in The Most Beautiful Roof in the World and practice what they would add to a field journal. They discuss how details from the text help add to their thoughts. To finish,...
Curated OER
Create a Lasting Impression: #Myseniorfootprint
Looking for some ideas for an end-of-year project for seniors? Here's one that asks seniors to highlight what they learned during their four years of high school.
Curated OER
Multimedia Storytelling
Experiment with multimedia storytelling. After watching a segment of American Family, first, middle and high schoolers tell a story about their families, clarifying the setting, characters, and script. They work on setting...
Curated OER
Warm Thoughts About the Cold
“What do you think life is like at the South Pole?” After responding to this journal prompt, class members read and discuss the New York Times article, “At South Pole, New Home for a New Era.” Using resources available from the Times’...
EngageNY
Writing Interview Questions
And now for the star witness! Scholars take a look at a model newspaper article and discuss the importance of eyewitness accounts. In groups of three, they take turns underlining text from eyewitnesses. They then regroup to talk about...