1 Put That on the List : Collaboratively Writing a Catalog Poem Resource Type: Lessons Discipline: Reading Grades: Grades 9–10 Professional Commentary: In these contemporary times, our lives are often driven by lists—to-do lists, shopping lists, wish lists. In this activity, students use that structure to write powerful poetry, modeled after Raymond Carver’s poem “Fear.” Working in small groups, students collaboratively write catalog poems based on such human emotions as anger, guilt, and happiness.... 2 A Trip to the Baseball Hall of Fame: Writing a Persuasive Letter Resource Type: Lessons Discipline: Reading Grades: Grade 8 Professional Commentary: Created by a high school English teacher, this lesson plan is designed to teach high school students some of the basic research skills needed to find information using the internet. The goal of the lesson is to use the Internet to review and gather information and to analyze the techniques used to persuade internet users.... 3 Picking Up the Pieces and Putting them Back Together: Writing Breaking News Resource Type: Lessons Discipline: Reading Grades: Grade 7 Professional Commentary: This resource uses a news article from the New York Times to examine how a breaking news story is constructed. Designated a promising practice, this lesson allows students to predict and sequence the facts and details that must appear in a news story.... 4 All in a Day's Work: Modernizing Herman Melville's Bartleby the Scrivener Resource Type: Lessons Discipline: Reading Grades: Grades 9–12 Professional Commentary: This lesson plan uses a passage from Herman Melville's 1856 tale, "Bartleby the Scrivener: A Story of Wall-street," to encourage literary response and creative writing. Students respond in writing to the short story by creating their own modern versions of the tale.... Resource Type: Content Supports -- Reference materials Discipline: Reading Grades: Grades 10–Postsecondary Professional Commentary: This writer's handbook, published by the University of Wisconsin Writing Center, provides informational outlines and instructional ideas for improving students' writing skills. Designed for use in individual writing conferences, these materials may be adapted for instructional lessons, peer conferences, or intervention sessions.... |