Sixth graders read, revise, and then write a friendly letter. Start by reading a sample letter you've written to your class. Then have each writer reminisce on the first day of school. Point out how different letters offer different...

The stated focus of this unit that uses The Scarlet Letter as the anchor text is to, "explore the role and impact religion had on the establishment of the American colonies and its continued influence throughout the formation of the...

What were the effects of the Great Depression on the people who lived through it? As the culmination of an informative writing unit that introduces writers to the "skills, practices, and routines" of informative essays, individuals...

The Scarlet Letter is the anchor text in a four-week unit that examines Hawthorne's novel through the lens of the intolerances found in a supposed civilized society. In addition to their reading, class members watch clips from TV shows,...

Newspaper in Education (NIE) Week, celebrated annually during the first full school week in March, recognizes the accomplishments of NIE programs across the country and around the world. Take part in the celebration with the lessons and...

Close up your study of Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science with a letter-writing assignment. Pupils prepare by journaling and sharing with a partner. They then compose letters that focus on a big idea from the...

This compelling plan based on the letters in the book Dear Miss Breed engages readers in learning what it was like for Japanese Americans following the attacks at Pearl Harbor. After reading the letters, young scholars will partake in...

Study word choice and connotation in advertising. Readers examine campaign ads, both negative and positive, from the 2006 mid-term election. They read and discuss an article and analyze a campaign of any candidate they choose. Finally,...

After analyzing and evaluating news summaries found in the New York Times "Week in Review" section, middle schoolers study the steps for summarizing a news article briefly and accurately. They write two news summaries: one on a newspaper...

Analyze the motivation, purpose, and value of letters to the editor by examining letters written in response to the violence at Columbine High School. For homework, middle and high schoolers write their own letters to the editor about an...