Students will read a description of and passage from L. Frank Baum's work, characters' descriptions, questions, vocabulary, definitions, text excerpts, and a writing prompt. Students will write short answers, quotations to support a main idea, and an essay. This resource supports English language development for English language learners.

Students will read a description of a conclusion and a passage about Hawaii. Students will then write a conclusion for the passage. This resource supports English language development for English language learners.

Students will read a passage about the U.S. census and write a conclusion for the passage. This resource supports English language development for English language learners.

Students will read a description of and passages from one of President Kennedy's speeches in 1962. Students will then write a conclusion for the speech. This resource supports English language development for English language learners.

Students will read a noun and a thesis statement, and use them to write an introduction to an essay. This resource supports English language development for English language learners.

Students will read a description of various types of leads for introductory paragraphs. Students will then read two thesis statements and write two different kinds of leads to go with the the thesis statements. This resource supports English language development for English language learners.

Students will read a description of an introductory paragraph, as well as two topics and ideas for main points. Students will then write introductory paragraphs incorporating the topics, ideas, and thesis statements. This resource supports English language development for English language learners.

Students will read a description of various types of leads to include in introductions. Students will then read two thesis statements and write two different leads for each statement. This resource supports English language development for English language learners.

Students will read a description of introductory paragraphs, as well as topics and main points. Students will then write introductory paragraphs that include the topics, main points, and thesis statements. This resource supports English language development for English language learners.

Tapping existing texts for models is one of the best strategies for writer’s workshop. This lesson examines types of leads in prominent young adult literature and asks students to search for great leads and then try their own hand at writing leads. Students rank several leads from novels as they are read aloud, and then discuss their rankings. Working in small groups, students read alternative leads from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. They then act as a marketing group to select the best lead. Next, students create two new leads for a novel, using different strategies for each. Finally, students apply this process to their own writing, working in pairs to create two alternative leads to something they have written.

In this lesson, students participate in learning clubs, a grouping system used to organize active learning events based on student-selected areas of interest. Guided by the teacher, students select content area topics and draw on multiple texts—including websites, printed material, video, and music—to investigate their topics. Students then have the opportunity to share their learning using similar media, such as learning blogs.

In this lesson, students will evaluate other students' arguments, building a culture of achievement, collaboration, and open mindedness.

In this lesson, students will work on computers to revise and rewrite their essayas.

In this lesson, students will use feedback from others to revise and improve their essay.

This lesson combines a lesson on genre with an opportunity for students to write and experience how genre changes a situation. Students first share what they know about letters and discuss books that feature letters. They then compare and contrast letters written for different purposes and situations. Then, by examining letters in selected picture books, students see how genres have flexibility and can be used in different situations. Next, they practice this flexibility with genres by writing a story using a series of letters to tell the story—using a book they have recently read, rather than creating one of their own, so that they can see the effect of genre choice. Finally, students make final revisions to their letter-stories and share them with the class.

The following series of activities for the classroom allow students to explore and interact with poetry by writing letters to poets.

In this lesson, students research Old West figures using both electronic and print sources. They then use an online tool to compile and organize reading notes, research, and related ideas. The information that is gathered is then presented in a student-constructed driver’s license that includes who, what, when, where, and why they are important in United States history. This activity offers an alternative to the traditional research paper, as well as an opportunity for students to share their projects with their classmates.

This teacher's guide for Lion Island: Cuba's Warrior of Words by Margarita Engle contains information about the book, discussion questions and prompts, activity suggestions including a readers theater, and ways to connect the themes in the book to other subjects.

In this lesson, students will brainstorm "crimes" committed by characters from that text. Groups of students will work together to act as the prosecution or defense for the selected characters, while also acting as the jury for other groups. Students will use several sources to research for their case, including the novel and internet resources. All the while, students will be writing a persuasive piece to complement their trial work.

This teacher's guide for Little Green by Chun Yu includes background information on the Cultural Revolution, discussion questions, activities, writing practices, and collaborative exercises.