Curated OER
"Mind Reader" Math Trick
Students perform a math-based card trick and explain the concepts behind the trick. They video tape classmates performing the trick. Finally, they write a paragraph explaining the trick.
Curated OER
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Students identify the use of characterization in Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. In this characterization instructional activity, students define characterization and write descriptive paragraphs about Maya Angelou's...
Curated OER
Writing and Responding to a Prompt
Eighth graders explore the writing process. They respond to the prompt "if I had a million dollars I would..." Students brainstorm ideas they could write about and they use the writing check list as they write.
Curated OER
Expository Writing (Informational Brochure)
Young scholars identify the attributes of informative brochures. In this written communication lesson, students examine sample brochures and persuasive essays to investigate the layout and the information presented. Young scholars then...
Curated OER
Activity 5: Creative Writing/Expression About Child Labor
Students research child labor using Internet resources. They present the information in a creative writing piece and post it on Chalkboard.
Curated OER
Crazy Critters Creative Writing
Young scholars brainstorm animals with unusual characteristics such as a giraffe with a short neck or a zebra without stripes. They write paragraphs about their animals and work in peer editing groups to refine their stories.
Curated OER
Description and Modifying: What's On Your Plate?
Learners create a food product and an advertisement promoting it. In this description and advertising lesson, students read children's book for inspiration and discover advertising techniques. Learners complete their ads and...
Curated OER
Creative Writing Lesson Plan
Students practice recognizing the elements needed to produce a piece of creative writing and become aware of those elements in their own original pieces of writings. In groups, they creatively write a new story utilizing all the major...
Curated OER
The Personal Touch: a Lesson in Expository Writing
Shake hands with all of your class members, sending a different verbal message as you go along. Give them practice in expository writing by having them describe the handshake and how it makes them feel. This is an exploration of...
Curated OER
A Little Mystery and Intrigue in Writing Short Detective Stories
Students read and analyze the twelve short stories in the novel "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes." They create their own detective that has to solve a new kind of crime, and write and edit a short story with their original detective as...
Curated OER
Marvelous Mysteries
Fifth graders explore mystery stories. For this reading and writing lesson, 5th graders complete a planning guide for an original mystery. Students use the writing process to create a mystery story.
Curated OER
¡Mira, mira!
Fourth graders photograph their families and aspects of their homelife, write about their photographs, and create "family albums" to share with the class. They applied syntax and paragraph construction to their writing when the photos...
Curated OER
Editing to Eliminate Fragments
Students practice their writing skills. In this writing revision lesson plan, students read the provided writing samples and make corrections to the sentence fragments that are evident in each of them.
Curated OER
The Mail Race
Young scholars create friendly letters and surveys to other schools. In this letter writing lesson, students format friendly letters to other school and request a reply. Young scholars chart the replies on a map and share information...
Curated OER
Beginning, Middle, End in Paragraph Writing
In this descriptive writing worksheet, students use the titles to each page to write a beginning, middle, and ending paragraph for each title. Students write 5 stories.
Curated OER
"Write-a-Letter-to-the-Teacher" Book Report
Students practice writing a friendly letter to the teacher as a method of reviewing a book. They write a three paragraph report on a book that they read in friendly letter format.
Curated OER
Awesome Outlines to Organize Writing
Fourth graders practice writing outlines. Using worksheets imbedded students get lots of practice enhancing their skills writing outlines
EngageNY
Illustrating: Geography Icon
For the final step of the performance task for this unit, class members will create an illustration to go with the paragraph on their bookmark. After looking at models, guide pupils toward recognizing the criteria for an effective...
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Around Town: Neighborhood and Community: Challenge Activities (Theme 3)
Here is a unit consisting of activities designed to challenge your scholars. The extended learning opportunities include planning a celebration, making a presentation to the class, poster making, writing poetry, a problem-solving...
Curated OER
Invent a Holiday
Who wouldn't want to create their own holiday? Use the 12 elements of a holiday to have learners of all ages create their own holiday. These days, it seems like we make any excuse for a holiday! Consider having some fun with your kids...
K12 Reader
Adjectives Add Interest
A world without adjectives would be a sad place indeed! Make sure adjectives stay around by teaching your class about what they are and how using them can make a boring story truly interesting. Learners put this idea into practice by...
Curated OER
Heartsongs Poetry by Mattie Stepanek
Use Mattie Stepanek’s Heartsongs book of poetry to inspire young poets to write about their own lives, experiences, and feelings. After reading the introduction to Mattie’s book, in which he talks about himself and his reasons for...
Curated OER
J. Peterman Descriptive Writing Assignment
Twelfth graders hone descriptive writing skills by making a J. Peterman Catalogue. They bring to class a favorite piece of clothing or jewelry item and create their own description of it. They accompany each description with a hand-drawn...
Curated OER
Character Traits
Using a three-column chart labeled "Character," "Action," and "Trait," pupils analyze the traits of several characters from a short story. The lesson is designed for a SMART board, but a teacher could easily do the lesson without the...