Curated OER
The House on Mango Street: Book Review
In this set of 11 worksheets on The House on Mango Street, students complete a series of either short answer or multiple choice questions, then complete an essay assignment on each worksheet.
Curated OER
"The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe
In this "The Tell-Tale Heart" worksheet, learners write an essay about how Edgar Allan Poe keeps the reader in suspense. The worksheet helps students construct the essay through eleven different scaffolding steps.
Curated OER
Maven Makeover?
Students reflect on the role of prisons and discuss how they believe sentencing should be handed down. After reading an article, they discover the experiences Martha Stewart went through while in prison. In groups, they share their...
Curated OER
My Car Has Potential
Seventh graders investigate how changes in the mass or height of a ramp can affect the change in potential energy. They discuss the concepts of work and energy, then using the four question strategy, they design an experiment that...
Curated OER
Ghosts of Rwanda: Reconciliation and Reparations
Learners examine a specific case of genocide participation in Rwanda. Working in groups, they simulate the courtroom drama, from the positions of victim, perpetrator, and court monitor. They conclude by writing essays on the...
Curated OER
Looking at Life through the Creation of Personal Metaphors
Students focus on the creation of personal metaphors, which are first illustrated in pictures and caricatures and then extended to descriptive/analytical paragraphs. They teach the lesson to others using their own personal metaphors as...
Curated OER
U.S. And Global Deforestation
Students analyze graph showing global deforestation, view photograph of deforestation in Brazil's interior rain forest and examine three maps showing deforestation within the United States, describe political, economic, and social...
Curated OER
Babes in Electronic Toyland
Students read a New York Times article in order to explore the use of handheld electronic devices in schools. They investigate, through surveys and essay-writing, the pros and cons of this technology.
Curated OER
Haiku: The Power of Nature and Emotion
Introduce your students to the famous Japanese Haiku with these great ideas for the classroom.
Curated OER
Nonviolent Leaders
Students compare the life of Gandhi and other nonviolent leaders. They identify qualities and behaviors of nonviolence. They synthesize the information they research about world leaders and the impact they had.
Capital Community College Foundation
Guide to Grammar and Writing: The Five Paragraph Essay
Explains what each paragraph of the five-paragraph essay, should do. Then gives a side-by-side analysis of a sample essay, pointing out aspects of the introduction and thesis statement, the paragraph-by-paragraph development, and the...
Wisc-Online
Wisc Online: Ged Essay Writing Formula for Success
In this learning module, students review the format for a five-paragraph essay, which is the second part of the GED Writing Test.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: Expository Essay: State Trip
After researching a place/event of interest in Alabama, students write a five-paragraph essay. Students include maps and written directions to the location, describe activities and/or events associated with this location, include in this...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: Let's Eat: An Expository Slideshow Presentation
Students will write a three-paragraph essay explaining the steps necessary to follow a recipe and then present and serve the recipe to their classmates.
Department of Defense
Do Dea: What Is a Myth?
Learn about myths from around the world in this self-guided unit while also learning how to construct a compare and contrast essay. Included are characteristics of creation myths, videos about Chinese and Egyptian myths, and a step by...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: Hershey Kiss Descriptive Essay
This is a fun instructional activity to demonstrate the power of words to describe a simple chocolate treat prior to writing a five-paragraph descriptive essay.
Capital Community College Foundation
Guide to Grammar and Writing: Principles of a Composition
Writing a Paper? Here at the Capital Community College is everything you could ever ask for while preparing your essay. This site includes the writing process, structure, thesis statement, transitions, the computer as a writing...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: Better Living Through Science
This lesson involves research on scientists whose accomplishments have impacted areas of nutrition, sanitation, or health care. Students will research an area of their choice, record information on a graphic organizer, and use the...
University of Wisconsin
Univ. Of Wisconsin Madison: Writing Center: Thesis and Purpose Statements
Explains the thesis statement and distinguishes it from the purpose statement. Gives an example of a paragraph containing both. Be sure try the link at the bottom of the page, "Developing a Thesis Statement." This page goes into further...
Cambridge Rindge & Latin School
Cambridge Rindge & Latin School: Making an Outline
A tip sheet on how to create and outline for a research paper.
Sophia Learning
Sophia: Organizing Your Paper
Two slideshows and a screencast on organizational patterns used when writing essays and speeches. The first is a 20-slide presentation explaining the seven most common organizational patterns used in writing: time sequence, spatial,...