Novelinks
The Martian Chronicles: Response Writing
Follow the format of Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles with a journal-writing activity. Readers choose a character and examine the character's life and circumstances through brainstorming, research, and discussion before writing a...
Curated OER
Visible Speech: A Short Course in the Fundamentals of Writing
Introduce your class to various forms of writing. As the title states, this is a short PowerPoint, giving brief, but accurate descriptions of what each type of writing is used for. Pictorial representations are also helpful.
Curated OER
Letter Writing Basics
Students write a business letter with information regarding specific writing mechanics. In this writing instructional activity, students learn to write a business letter and they focus on one area of concern. Students follow a business...
TV411
Whip up a Storm of Writing Ideas
Need a key to unlock writer's block? Introduce your writers to four easy steps that will release them from their mental prison. The brainstorming worksheet, designed to set free their imaginations, even has an answer key.
Curated OER
Active Reading with American History
Explore connections within and between informational texts with this lesson about encyclopedia articles. Middle schoolers write encyclopedia articles focusing on topics in American history. They discuss how to determine credibility...
Building Evidence-Based Arguments: Grade 9
New ReviewHigh schoolers investigate the dilemma of a proportional response with a lesson about the history of terrorism and militant extremists in the United States. As they examine memos from the FBI and speeches from President Bush and Obama,...
Curated OER
Introducing the Memo
Examine the text structure of a memo with this worksheet. Eighth to twelfth graders decide if the purpose of a memo is to motivate an action or to provide information to the reader. They explore new vocabulary and make predictions prior...
Curated OER
Writing a Memo
Viewers examine the correct form to use for an office memo. Designed to be used as part of an adult education curriculum, the presentation ends with a quiz.
Curated OER
Persuasive Writing Lesson Plan: Dress Codes
Students examine the pros and cons of the implementation of public policy matters and the specific issue of dress codes. They develop a list of pros and cons of a school dress code, examine and discuss a local editorial newspaper page,...
Curated OER
Writing Formal and Informal Letters
Third graders write a thank-you note and a formal letter of request that included relevant information, such as a return address, date, inside address, proper salutation, body, closing, and signature. They write an imaginary letter to...
Curated OER
Workplace Communication from Two Points of View
Students explore the significance of communication in the workplace. In this written communication lesson, students review and discuss the attributes of workplace memos prior to writing their own using the provided checklist.
Curated OER
World Smiley Day
In this World Smiley Day lesson plan, learners complete activities such as reading a passage, matching phrases, fill in the blanks, choose the correct word, multiple choice, unscramble the words, sequencing, unscramble the sentences,...
Curated OER
Writing a Letter to Johnny Appleseed
Third graders write a letter to Johnny Appleseed describing how they use technology in their daily life and the advantages and disadvantages of using technology.
PBL Pathways
Medical Insurance
Design a plan for finding the best health insurance for your money. Learners compare two health plans by writing and graphing piecewise functions representing the plan rules. Using Excel software, they create a technical report...
Curated OER
Introducing the Memo
Students explore memos to gather important information. In this memos lesson, students interpret memos and answer questions based on the information. Students define the parts of a memo. Students create their own memos.
Curated OER
Paragraph Building
Build the skills your budding authors need to develop to compose well-structured paragraphs. Give them the topic sheet (included here), and have them write a cohesive paragraph using the ideas listed. Consider having them include two...
Overcoming Obstacles
Taking Action
Introduce the project teams to critical skills they will need to successfully complete their Service Learning project. Groups learn how to use a tracking sheet and write a status memo. They discuss the importance of commitment,...
Curated OER
Organizing One’s Thoughts
Students take a closer look at the organization of written pieces. In this writing skills lesson plan, students examine transitions, repetition, parallelism, and other organizational patterns in writing.
Curated OER
Interpreting workplace memos and notices
High schoolers read company memos and write summary sentences while working as part of a group.
Curated OER
A Conventional Family
Students explore writing techniques by analyzing their own families. In this family values lesson, students view the film "The Incredibles" in class and discuss the different types of modern-day families. Students write about their...
Curated OER
Studying Checks
While on-line banking and electronic payments seem to be the way of the future, next-generation wage earners still need to understand the details of check writing. Here the focus is on the details of the check including what the...
Curated OER
Memo from the Governor
Fourth graders inquire about the history of Florida's capital after receiving a mock memo from the governor.
Curated OER
Business Writing Genres
In this grammar instructional activity, learners, working with a partner, read eighteen sentences to each other filling in an adjective in each blank.
Curated OER
Folktale Unit: The True Story of the Three Little Pigs
Students examine and discuss different perspectives of the Story of the Three Little Pigs. They write a friendly letter, from the wolf to any other character, using the proper letter format.