In this activity, students learn what a formal argument is. Then they read a sample argument, “End Animal Dissection in Schools,” and answer short response and multiple choice questions about the reading. 

In this assignment, students read example claims to identify what makes them effective. Students then read an example argument about advertising and answer questions identifying claims, opposing claims, and counterclaims.

In this activity, students read about supporting claims with reasons and evidence. They learn how reasons support claims and about the different types of evidence they can use in their writing. Lastly, they read an example argument and answer multiple choice questions.

In this assignment, students focus on the qualities of effective support. Students read examples of reasons and evidence that are logical, relevant, and sufficient. Then students practice identifying logical reasons and evaluating evidence.

In this activity, students learn how word choice, syntax, and transitions can help create a coherent argument. They evaluate several passages for cohesion, learn ways to organize their writing, and then practice revising example arguments for coherence.

In this assignment, students read about common persuasive techniques and how these are used in writing. Then students read two example arguments and answer multiple choice questions. They also revise passages to add persuasive techniques.

In this activity, students learn how formal style and tone make an argument stronger. They read about the characteristics of formal style and answer multiple choice questions. Finally, students complete revisions of sample passages to practice what they learned.

In this assignment, students read about what makes a conclusion effective. They read two sample arguments and answer multiple choice questions evaluating conclusions. They also write a conclusion paragraph for one of the sample arguments. 

Quick Write Argument: The theme of this collection of skills lessons is Making a Difference. Each assignment focuses on something people can do to make a positive difference in the world. In this assignment, students activate their prior knowledge about this theme by thinking of a problem in the world that is important to them. They write a one-paragraph Quick Write Argument aimed at convincing others to care about this issue. This short assignment helps students prepare for the skills lessons by considering the theme and beginning to write in the Argument genre.

Duration: 20 minutes

Persuasive Letter: In this assignment, students read the Student Sample, “Dear Mr. Sandler,” a Persuasive Letter written by a sixth-grade student. Then they write their own two- or three-paragraph Persuasive Letter to a Hollywood producer about one thing they would like to see changed in movies, using the Student Sample as a model. Students focus on the skill of introducing a claim. Before writing, students complete graphic organizers to analyze the introduction and claim of the Student Sample and plan their Persuasive Letter.

Duration: one class period

Persuasive Speech: In this activity, students read “World Hunger Is on the Rise for the Third Year in a Row,” an informational article about the problem of world hunger. Then they write a two- or three-paragraph Persuasive Speech aimed at convincing a group of wealthy donors to support the cause of ending world hunger, using the selection as a source of information. Students focus on the skill of supporting a claim with valid reasons and relevant evidence. Before writing, students complete graphic organizers to identify reasons and evidence from the text and plan their Persuasive Speech.

Duration: one class period

Op-Ed: In this activity, students read “Are We Living in the Plastic Age?” an informational article about the problems associated with humans’ widespread use of plastic. Then they write a four-paragraph Op-Ed for a student newspaper to persuade students to do something about the plastic problem, using the selection as a source of information. Students focus on the skills of organization and using transitions to connect their ideas. Before writing, students complete graphic organizers to review information from the article and plan their Op-Ed.

Duration: one class period

Brief Argument: In this activity, students read “A Horseman in the Sky,” a short story about a soldier during the American Civil War. Then they write a three-paragraph Brief Argument about the main character’s actions. Students focus on the skill of acknowledging and refuting a counterclaim. Before writing, students complete graphic organizers to review information from the story and plan their Brief Argument.

Duration: one class period

New Concluding Paragraph: In this assignment, students read the Student Sample "Dear Teachers," a persuasive letter written by a seventh-grade student. Then they write a New Concluding Paragraph to the letter. Students focus on the skill of writing a strong conclusion that summarizes the argument, adds support to it, and ends with a call to action. Before writing, students complete graphic organizers to review the key points made in the Student Sample, evaluate the strength of the original conclusion, and plan their New Concluding Paragraph.

Duration: one class period

In this activity, students learn what an informative text is. They read a sample text, “Surprises in 'Eleven,'” and answer short response and multiple choice questions about the reading analyzing the author's craft.

In this assignment, students learn how evidence can help them identify a thesis statement. They also learn to keep the task, purpose, and audience in mind as they develop their informative texts.

In this assignment, students learn what makes an effective introduction and conclusion. They read three sample essays and answer multiple choice questions evaluating introductions and conclusions. They also practice writing their own. 

In this activity, students read about the different types of elaboration. Then they read and evaluate sample passages. Finally, students practice choosing elaboration for sample thesis statements.

In this assignment, students read about how different types of graphics and multimedia can enhance an informative text. Students practice choosing the correct elements for different informative passages.

In this activity, students read about organizational strategies and signal words. They also learn what transitions and formatting are, and how these can help create an organized informative text. 

In this activity, students learn how formal style and tone make an argument stronger. They read about the characteristics of formal style and answer multiple choice questions. Finally, students complete revisions of sample passages to practice what they learned.

In this activity, students learn how expressive language makes an informative text stronger. They read two sample essays and practice evaluating descriptive language. Students also practice revising for precise language.

Quick Write Explanatory Paragraph: The theme of this collection of skills activities is Modern History. Each reading selection focuses on events or people from the 19th or 20th century. In this activity, students activate their prior knowledge about this theme by choosing what they consider to be the most important event of the 20th century. They write a Quick Write Explanatory Paragraph about this event and what we can learn from it. This short activity helps students prepare for the skills activities by considering the theme and beginning to write in the Information genre.

Duration: 20 minutes

Article Introduction: In this activity, students read the introductory paragraphs from three Student Sample essays about The Great Depression. Then they write their own Article Introduction, using the strongest Student Sample as a model. Students focus on the skill of introducing a topic, which includes hooking the reader and providing appropriate context. Before writing, students complete graphic organizers to analyze the Student Samples and plan their Article Introduction.

Duration: one class period

Literary Analysis: In this activity, students read an excerpt from the first chapter of The Mysterious Affair at Styles, a murder mystery by Agatha Christie. Then they write a Literary Analysis of the selection, examining how the author uses narrative techniques to create suspense. Students focus on the skill of analyzing a text. Before writing, students complete graphic organizers to analyze the selection and plan their Literary Analysis.

Duration: one class period

Job Description: In this activity, students read the poem "O Captain! My Captain!," written by Walt Whitman after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln in 1865. Then they write a Job Description explaining the qualities a strong president should have. Students focus on the skill of developing a topic with details and examples. Before writing, students complete graphic organizers to analyze the poem and plan their Job Description.

Duration: one class period

Travel Article: In this activity, students read "Take a Look Inside These Presidential Homes," an informational article about the homes of various U.S. presidents. Then they write a Travel Article about their hometown. Students focus on the skill of organizing their writing clearly, including using headings. Before writing, students complete graphic organizers to analyze the selection and plan their Travel Article.

Duration: one class period

Book Report: In this activity, students read the Student Sample, "The Old Man and the Sea," a literary analysis by an eighth-grade student. Then they write a Book Report about a book they've read. Students focus on the skill of using appropriate tone, style, and language. Before writing, students complete graphic organizers to analyze Student Sample and plan their Book Report.

Duration: one class period

Students practice grammar and syntax skills through this Sentence Combining activity. Research shows the importance of authentic practice in grammar and sentence composition. By creating a single sentence that summarizes the information, incorporates details, avoids repetition, and produces an effective, interesting sentence, students learn important foundational grammar and syntactic skills. Choose one or more prompts to give students practice at simple sentence combining. Level 1 features prompts with two or three sentences that require simple combining tasks.

Students practice grammar and syntax skills through this Sentence Combining activity. Research shows the importance of authentic practice in grammar and sentence composition. By creating a single sentence that summarizes the information, incorporates details, avoids repetition, and produces an effective, detailed sentence, students learn important foundational grammar and syntactic skills. Choose one or more prompts to give students practice with different content. Level 2 includes activities with 4 sentences at a moderate level of complexity. The first prompt provides a model for students to follow with an area for them to write in their own response.

Students practice grammar and syntax skills through this Sentence Combining activity. Research shows the importance of authentic practice in grammar and sentence composition. By creating a single sentence that summarizes the information, incorporates details, avoids repetition, and produces an effective and detailed sentence, students learn important foundational grammar and syntactic skills. Choose one or more prompts to give students practice with different images and themes. Level 3 includes prompts with five or more sentences and more advanced content.

Assign this Graphic Organizer to students before assigning the Sentence Combining activity, or after assigning the activity, as a follow up. When using the Graphic Organizer, students can practice combining sentences using the text they're reading in class. Applying sentence combining to authentic text will help students develop strong foundational grammar and reading comprehension skills.

Students practice grammar and syntax skills through this Sentence Combining activity. Research shows the importance of authentic practice in grammar and sentence composition, even for upper grade students. By creating a single sentence that summarizes the information, incorporates details, avoids repetition, and produces an effective, interesting sentence, students learn important foundational grammar and syntactic skills. These sentence-combining prompts focus on Black History Month. Choose one or more prompts to give students practice with different people and events to expose them to this foundational skill while celebrating important historical concepts. Level 1 features prompts with two or three sentences that require simple combining tasks.  One prompt features a Model Sentence to help students as they work. 

Students practice grammar and syntax skills through this Sentence Combining activity. Research shows the importance of authentic practice in grammar and sentence composition, even in the upper grades. By creating a single sentence that summarizes the information, incorporates details, avoids repetition, and produces an effective, detailed sentence, students learn important foundational grammar and syntactic skills. These sentence-combining prompts focus on Black History Month. Choose one or more prompts to give students practice with different people and events to expose them to this foundational skill while celebrating important historical concepts. Level 2 includes activities with 4 sentences at a moderate level of complexity. One prompt provides a model for students to follow with an area for them to write in their own response.

Students practice grammar and syntax skills through this Sentence Combining activity. Research shows the importance of authentic practice in grammar and sentence composition, even in the upper grades. By creating a single sentence that summarizes the information, incorporates details, avoids repetition, and produces an effective and detailed sentence, students learn important foundational grammar and syntactic skills. These sentence-combining prompts focus on Black History Month. Choose one or more prompts to give students practice with different people and events to expose them to this foundational skill while celebrating important historical concepts. Level 3 includes prompts with five or more sentences and more advanced content. 

These sentence-combining prompts focus on Women's History Month. Choose one or more prompts to give students practice with pioneers of the women's movement and in other areas. This will expose students to foundational skills while celebrating important historical figures. Students practice grammar and syntax skills through this Sentence Combining activity. Research shows the importance of authentic practice in grammar and sentence composition, even for upper grade students. By creating a single sentence that summarizes the information, incorporates details, avoids repetition, and produces an effective, interesting sentence, students learn important foundational grammar and syntactic skills. Level 1 features prompts with two or three sentences that require simple combining tasks.  One prompt features a Model Sentence to help students as they work. 

Students practice grammar and syntax skills through this Sentence Combining activity. Research shows the importance of authentic practice in grammar and sentence composition, even in the upper grades. By creating a single sentence that summarizes the information, incorporates details, avoids repetition, and produces an effective, detailed sentence, students learn important foundational grammar and syntactic skills. These sentence-combining prompts focus on Black History Month. Choose one or more prompts to give students practice with different people and events to expose them to this foundational skill while celebrating important historical concepts. Level 2 includes activities with 4 sentences at a moderate level of complexity. One prompt provides a model for students to follow with an area for them to write in their own response.

Students practice grammar and syntax skills through this Sentence Combining activity. Research shows the importance of authentic practice in grammar and sentence composition, even in the upper grades. By creating a single sentence that summarizes the information, incorporates details, avoids repetition, and produces an effective and detailed sentence, students learn important foundational grammar and syntactic skills. These sentence-combining prompts focus on Black History Month. Choose one or more prompts to give students practice with different people and events to expose them to this foundational skill while celebrating important historical concepts. Level 3 includes prompts with five or more sentences and more advanced content. 

In this activity, students learn what a narrative is. Then they read a sample narrative, “Relatively Speaking,” and answer multiple choice questions about the reading. 

In this assignment, students focus on establishing narrative context and identifying effective hooks. Students read about the importance of establishing context and different techniques they can use in their writing.

In this assignment, students read about point of view, narration, and how these influence character development. They answer multiple choice questions and practice revising passages to explore different points of view or narrators.

In this activity, students learn about transitions and story arc. They read three example narratives and practice revising passages for transitions and identifying plot stages.

In this assignment, students read about common narrative techniques (dialogue, pacing, and reflection) and how these are used in writing. Then students read four example narratives and answer multiple choice questions to identify and evaluate techniques.

In these activities, students learn how precise, vivid language makes a narrative stronger. They read passages to identify strong word choice, practice choosing precise words, and revise for figurative language.

Narrative Quick Write: The theme of this collection is Unexpected Discoveries. In this activity, students activate their prior knowledge about this theme by writing a Narrative Quick Write about a time when they learned a new skill or accomplished a goal that was important to them. They narrate how they got interested in the skill or goal, what failures or struggles they experienced along the way, and how they finally mastered it. This short assignment helps students prepare for the Skills Activities by considering the theme and beginning to write in the Narrative genre.

Duration: 20 minutes

Historical Fiction Beginning: In this activity, students read “Code Talkers and Con Men,” an informational article about members of the Navajo Nation who developed a secret code language and special U.S. Army troops who helped fool the Germans during World War II. Then they write the beginning (one or two paragraphs) of a historical fiction story based on the topic of the article. Students focus on the skill of introducing a narrator and characters, which includes engaging and orienting the reader by establishing a context and point of view. Before writing, students complete graphic organizers to analyze the selection and plan their Historical Fiction Beginning.

Duration: one class period

Nonfiction Scene: In this activity, students read "From Scratch," a fictional story about an immigrant girl adjusting to her new life. Then they write a two- or three-paragraph Nonfiction Scene about a meal in which they show some kind of conflict. Students use the selection as a model for their focus skill—using narrative techniques. Like the selection, students use dialogue, pacing, and description to develop their characters and convey experiences and events. Before writing, students complete graphic organizers to analyze the selection and plan their Nonfiction Scene.

Duration: one class period

Short Story: In this activity, students read "Smooth Sailing," a fictional story about a boy and his father on a sailing trip. Then they write their own four- or five-paragraph Short Story in which someone overcomes a dangerous situation or challenge. Using the selection as a model, students focus on the skills of sequencing events to create a story arc and using a variety of transitions to show shifts in setting or time. Before writing, students complete graphic organizers to analyze the selection and plan their Short Story.

Duration: one class period

Descriptive Paragraph: In this activity, students read the Student Sample, "Dust Storm," a fictional narrative of a family during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s. Then they write a Descriptive Paragraph about a real weather event or natural disaster that they or someone they know experienced. Using the Student Sample as a model for sensory language and descriptive detail, students focus on the skill of using precise words and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events. Before writing, students complete graphic organizers to analyze the Student Sample and plan their Descriptive Paragraph.

Duration: one class period

Journal Entry: In this activity, students read the informational article "Colorado Construction Crew Unearths 66-Million-Year-Old Triceratops Fossil." Then they write a Journal Entry based on the events described in the article, from the perspective of one of the key figures involved. Students focus on the skill of providing a strong conclusion that follows from and reflects on the narrated events. Before writing, students complete graphic organizers to analyze the selection and plan their Journal Entry.

Duration: one class period