Candy conversation hearts make writing a sweet pastime. Fifth graders write narratives demonstrating a complete thought and correct punctuation. The trick here is that they must use the words on five candy conversation hearts as part of...

Learners get in groups, take a list of words, put them into story form, and punctuate them. They present their story to the class and consider how punctuation changes meaning. Great excercise. 

Students answer questions from "Huckleberry Finn" in groups. They use the internet or other sources to help them in their answer. They share their responses with the class and discuss.

Student increase their reading fluency through the use of various strategies. After reviewing decoding strategies, 3rd graders, working in groups, write sentences that could be read with expression. Each member of the group takes turns...

Young scholars look at a picture book and observe what the facial expressions show.  In this character's feelings lesson plan, students write what they think the character might be saying on each page and the punctuation they...

Students write onomatopoeia poems. In this creative writing lesson, students listen to a picture book that introduces the concept of onomatopoeia. Students create their own list of words and write a short poem using onomatopoeia.

Students, utilizing technology and its avenues, create, produce and publish a variety of works. They generate a bubble map to brainstorm words that describe a specific vacation spot as well as create a pattern book with graphics about...

Students construct a four-line poem to be used on the inside of a Valentine's Day card. They use a digital camera to show themselves to their "buddies" (local nursing home patients) who receive the cards on Valentine's Day.

Students create holiday story while working in cooperative learning groups, using Chris Van Allsburg's Polar Express as a writing prompt.

Second graders identify nouns and verbs in written communication. They distinguish between between nouns, proper nouns, and verbs. Students discuss the difference between these parts of speech. In partners, 2nd graders write a sentences...

Fifth graders use context clues to help them understand unknown words. In this context clues instructional activity, 5th graders practice identifying context clues on a worksheet, then work with a peer to write their own story. Stories...

Young scholars explain reducing, recycling and reusing. For this science/ arts lesson, students create a commercial and display a backdrop made out of recycled goods. Additionally, young scholars write written responses to writing...

Middle schoolers research burial tombs of ancient Egypt. Acting as pharaohs of Egypt, students create burial plans to decide what items they would include in their own tombs and why. They find another student to analyze their plan.

Young scholars read essays and participate in a discussion that examines Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s stance on both civil rights and the broader issue of human rights. They conduct research about King's life and work, analyze quotes...

Students write about goals, responsibility, and persistence, and listen to President Obama's speech. In this President Obama lesson students create concept webs, listen with a purpose, and list the challenges of our generation.

Before graphing and finding distances, learners investigate the coordinate plane and look at patterns related to plotted points. Points are plotted and the goal is to look at the horizontal and vertical distances between coordinates and...

Shoo fly. Scholars read DDT Spray Scares Mosquitoes Away, Study Finds and You Think You Have It Tough? to complete a mid-unit assessment. The learners compare and contrast author presentation and conduct a credibility check on each...

Students submit their newsletter articles and a newsletter team proofreads them. Revisions are suggested. Writers revise their articles. Using a template from a word processing program, articles are typed in final form.

Eighth graders search a website and locate a poem written by a specific poet whose work appears in the grade 8 anthology. After listening to poetry, 8th graders present oral or written examples of imagery and an analysis of the imagery.

Learners explore how to use PowerPoint.

Students brainstorm a list of inventions that have affected their lives. In groups, they use the internet to research a specific inventor and their invention. They use the information to write two paragraphs and share their information...

Students consider the responsibilities of Senate Judiciary Committee members. In this judicial hearings instructional activity, students participate in a mock Supreme Court Confirmation and discuss the outcome.

Fourth graders listen to the story, The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish" and complete a cartoon drawing containing dialogue that shows an understanding of conventions used in dialogue by using the bubble form.

Students complete sentence structure activities. In this sentence structure lesson plan, students discuss ways to piece together a sentence using the given words from the teacher. Students may also participate in related activities that...