Anybody can write a body paragraph! Pupils analyze the development of ideas in a body paragraph from a model essay. Next, using what they've learned, they draft the body paragraphs of their My Rule to Live By informative essay. 

Three lessons and one at-home connection explore 12 professions. In the first lesson, scholars examine an online map that displays all 12 careers alongside a video. Lesson two challenges class members to choose two of those careers to...

Students complete a Web Quest on How to Write a Mystery. They listen to or read a short mystery story and discuss its elements. They write an outline of a mystery story using all of the elements.

Students read, write, discuss and appreciate the autobiographical writings and statements of themselves and others. They write their autobiographical response to the question the other writers dealt with.

The class gets creative after listening to a short story containing a definitive structure. They are required to think about character, relationship, and setting, while attempting to show rather than tell, in their writing. Dialogue,...

Students examine several writings from both locals and Peace Corps volunteers from several African countries. Students reflect on how the writer's interactions with water are presented through the material. Students write their own pieces.

Students work in groups to brainstorm and generate a list of Halloween characters, descriptive terms, and action words. Individuals choose a pre-determined writing prompt to enter into a Word document and complete the story using the...

Students are responsible for producing works for, coordinating (with the teacher?s assistance) and mounting an exhibition to be presented at a parent-teacher open house. They examine literature by Henry David Thoreau and other writers....

Students recognize the writings of a prominent American writer. They analyze written text making connections to personal prior experience. Students discuss in small and large groups their findings. They organize ideas in writing using...

Eighth graders read through, interpret and discuss the Declaration of Independence. They review the 4 main parts of it and add notes to their graphic organizers. They also read about and discuss the writers of the Declaration and...

In this writer's resource worksheet, learners edit and proofread their own writing and that of their peers as they 11 marks listed on this sheet. Meanings and examples accompany each mark.

Through grand conversation, help scholars identify issues that harm the Earth and find solutions on how to solve them. After voting—on what your class deems the most important problem—stretch writing muscles with a problem-solution...

How would you feel if you were on trial for murder—and you were only 16 years old? Put yourself in Steve Harmon's shoes before reading Monster by Walter Dean Myers. Kids listen to music that fits the theme of the book before...

Expose young readers to a new genre of fiction with a short reading passage. After learning about fables, children identify the main idea and supporting details in preparation for writing a short summary. Read the text as a class,...

Show your class how fascinating a text can be by asking them to focus on interesting facts they learned while reading. There are boxes for six facts as well as one large box where pupils can record the most important fact from their...

Inspire your investigators with fun stationery. On the page is colorful, detective-related clipart, lots of lines for writing, and a space to write in a title.

Middle schoolers are asked to identify the alliteration used in John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Address, Emily Dickinson's "May-Flower," and a passage from Robert Lewis Stevenson's Kidnapped.

Students, as a class, brainstorm a list of possible jobs in the community to explore. Working in teams of two (writer and photographer), students choose their interview assignments-e.g., preacher, principal, basketball coach, postmaster,...

Students are introduced to the definition of "flashback" in that writers use it when they want to reveal to readers something that happened in the past. Then Students write a short story using a flashback scene and then move back to the...

Middle schoolers use clustering/mind mapping techniques to generate ideas, graphically represent inferences, organize their conclusions and write a report that presents conclusions the writer has reached, and facts substantiating those...

Students examine what life was like for slaves from the point of view of ex-slaves. They use resources from the Federal Writers' Project which took place in the mid- 1930's. They look at the importance of religion, the different status...

Twelfth graders explore their social, cultural and political surroundings. They explore the responsibility and power individuals have as writers. In groups, 12th graders examine the works of Henry David Thoreau. After spending time...

Students use different types and lengths of sentences. They write with an insight of the stylistic aspects of composition. Students use precise language including adjectives, adverbs, action verbs and specific details that convey the...

Students examine the changing leadership roles and qualities of writers, journalists and editors in public life. They view short video clips by prominent journalists and read about various journalists in history.