How can learners evaluate research sources for authority, accuracy, and credibility? By completing readings, discussions, and graphic organizers, scholars learn how to properly evaluate sources to find credible information. Additionally,...

Contains plans for four 50-minute lessons that ask students to use their five senses for poetry prewriting. In addition to student objectives and standards, this instructional plan contains links to PDF handouts and sites used in the...

Learn how the sense organs are structured and how they function to provide you with five senses.

Learners will be given double-sided counters/dots to complete this activity. They will take five counters in their cupped hands (or a cup), shake them around, pour them onto the desk. Next, they count how many counters are yellow and how...

An article about the Declaration of Independence which covers the selection of the Committee of Five, Jefferson's writing, the presentation to Congress for approval, the problems in drafting, and the final changes which were made....

One step you might want to take in revising a draft is to examine the organization of your paper and decide if and how the organization needs to be adjusted. This handout offers five strategies for examining and reorganizing your draft....

You mean I have to write my story again, have someone check to make sure it's right, and fix my mistakes? In this lesson, students will peer edit each other's writing. They will use their five-star checklists (included) to make sure they...

In this lesson, the book entitled A Mink, a Fink, a Skating Rink: What Is a Noun? (Words Are Categorical), written by Brian P. Cleary, is used as the mentor text. After learning the basic definition of noun, a person, place, thing, or...

This is a PDF of a persuasive writing assignment for the short story "Lamb to the Slaughter" by Roald Dahl. It asks the students to watch a linked video clip of the closing argument by Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird and apply...

Contains plans for five lessons that use Ernest Hemingway's "Cat in the Rain" and Raymond Carver's "Little Things" to teach about minimalist fiction. After studying these texts, students try to write their own minimalist fiction. In...

Contains plans for five 50-minute lessons that ask students to create time lines of their own family and life histories. In addition to objectives and standards, this instructional plan contains links to PDF handouts and sites used in...

Inspired by the interactive plot ideas here, writers will create an original three-paragraph adventure story. First, each writer will create an original adventurer. Next, each writer will place the adventurer in a brief, organized...

In this instructional activity, the writer first writes a personal decalogue (a list of ten personal beliefs) about something important to him/her. The writer then creates a decalogue for a fictional character they will invent and...

This series of 12 downloadable activities teach students some basics of story writing, using books or videos from the PBS "Arthur" series as a springboard. Activities include creating story maps, asking questions about characters and...

This multi-day jigsaw activity engages students in summary writing. Students will work in small groups after direct instruction and write short summary paragraphs. Students will refer to the 'Five Rules For Writing a Summary' chart for...

Contains plans for five lessons that teach extended metaphors using Richard Wilbur's poem "The Writer." In addition to objectives and standards, this instructional plan contains links to sites used in the lessons as well as assessment...

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...

Students explore Chinese culture while creating unique pieces of calligraphy with watercolor paint. This two-part lesson plan includes an assessment rubric and a list of sources to use as a reference.

Contains plans for five lessons that develop research skills in primary learners by having them create their own question and answer books. In addition to objectives and standards, this instructional plan contains links to sites used in...

This PDF article explains five different patterns of organization to help students select an organization that matches the purpose of their writing so that the audience can more easily follow along. The patterns are sequential, spatial,...

Contains plans for five 50-minute lessons about four books by Leo Lionni. In addition to student objectives and standards, these instructional plans contains links to PDF handouts and links to resources used in the lessons as well as...

Contains plans for five 50-minute lessons that ask students to compare and research information about animals from fiction and nonfiction texts. In addition to student objectives and standards, these instructional plans contains links to...

Contains plans for five lessons that teach about cause and effect relationships using Trinka Hakes Noble's books about Jimmy and his boa constrictor. In addition to objectives and standards, this instructional plan contains links to...

This writing lesson is fashioned after Harry Potter's encounter with a communicative boa constrictor at the zoo. Inspired by Rowling's original idea, young scholars will be asked to create a three-part story about an original magical...