Cluster 1: Text Types and PurposesArchived

This WebQuest is designed for 6th grade students. Students will work individually or in pairs to explore interactive websites and answer the questions on their Task Sheet. This is designed as an introduction to Earth's spheres (Hydrosphere, Atmosphere, Cryosphere, Biosphere, Geosphere) and how these spheres interact to support life on our planet.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will conduct a controlled experiment to determine the effect Florida's limestone has on the pH levels of Florida's water and soil. Students will compare limestone's effect to that of other rocks and minerals found naturally in Florida. At the end of this investigation, students should be able to articulate the effect limestone has on the pH of water in Florida, the importance of this phenomenon, and a basic understanding of the process by which limestone affects pH levels in water.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will explore chosen outdoor careers and how the careers connect to certain climates based on temperature and precipitation. The guiding question states "How might you use evidence from weather data and dot plot displays to allow you to identify which location's climate would be best for your career and why?" Students will collect data online and display the data using dot plots on posters with analysis using the mean. Students will engage in collaboration throughout. A power point is included with all necessary resources.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will read Langston Hughes’ short story “Thank You, M’am,” analyzing the impact of plot and character in developing the story’s theme. After reading the story, students will use details gathered from the text to write a narrative that predicts/portrays what would occur if the characters met again.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will view a video about climate change, read and analyze a short story depicting the effects of climate change, and write their own narratives sending a message to their readers about the impact of climate change.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson students will be exploring how radiant energy causes the temperature of different Earth materials to rise at different rates. Students will observe that this difference in temperature has direct effect on air movement. Students will reach to conceptual understanding of future trends.

Type: Lesson Plan

This final lesson in a three-lesson unit guides students carefully through the entire process of writing an essay based on the concept of freedom and using text evidence from four sources - the poems "Words Like Freedom"/"Refugee in America" and "Sympathy," the nonfiction text "Nelson Mandela Reflects on Working toward Freedom" and the folk tale "The People Could Fly." The lesson consists of a review of the two previous lessons in the series, four days of organizing thoughts and getting teacher and peer feedback on each step in the essay, and producing a final copy. An assignment sheet, detailed organizer for students who need extra support, and rubric are all provided. Students must have completed lessons #1 and #2 in this series to complete this lesson.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, students will analyze data to decide what blender to use, the number of times the recipes are used and the total ingredients needed.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

This close reading lesson focuses on identifying theme in the short story, "The Scribe" by Kristin Hunter. The lesson incorporates information on the Great Depression and allows students to make a cross-curricular connection between history and language arts. Students will define unfamiliar words using context clues, analyze story elements, and identify stated and implied themes.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will conduct three close readings of an excerpt from A Corner of the Universe by Ann M. Martin. This lesson will engage students in a thought-provoking text that will challenge students to explore how a character's point of view can influence how events are described and shape a text. In conjunction with point of view, students will have opportunities to use context clues to define selected vocabulary words within the text. Upon completion of the close reading activities, students will practice their narrative writing skills by creating an original dialogue between the main character and her mother. A rubric specific to the writing task is included along with guided reading questions and sample responses.

Type: Lesson Plan

This two-day lesson, "A Picture's Worth A Thousand Words: From Image to Detailed Narrative," by Traci Gardner, is provided by ReadWriteThink.org, a website developed by the International Reading Association, the National Council of Teachers of English, with support from the Verizon Foundation.

In the lesson, students view an image that tells a story and brainstorm the possible event or situation the image illustrates. Each student then writes a narrative from the point of view of one of the characters, revealing the character's thoughts/feelings and the events that led up to the image or the events that will follow.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, students will research a list of companies to invest in through purchasing stocks. Students will calculate the amount invested and readjust their investment choices.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

This lesson prepares students for a summative assessment in which they co-author a narrative modeled after Choose Your Own Adventure stories. After reading one or more adventure stories, the teacher will facilitate discussion of the second person point of view while helping students identify the story's literary elements including setting, character, plot, and conflict. Students will then meet in literature circles to brainstorm ideas for their own group Choose Your Own Adventure story. Web authorizing software needed if wanting to post on the web. Groups create their own websites. Parts of the story can be hyperlinked to each other and uploaded to the internet. Graphic organizers, links to online Choose Your Own Adventure-style stories, and a rubric for students to conduct self-assessment are provided in this web resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, the purpose of this lesson is to provide students with the opportunity to solve real-world problems using addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of multi-digit decimals. They will write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students develop a procedure to select a cell phone based on qualities they think their parents value in a cell phone. Students present their solution in writing to a marketing company, who wishes to use the results to market cell phones to parents of elementary students.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will practice identifying the main idea and supporting details of a text, and then synthesizing this information into an expository summary.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, given a tight budget, students need to find the number of people that can be hired to film a soda commercial. Students will make the selection using a table that contains information about two types of extras. Experienced extras earn more money per hour than novice extras; however, novice extras need more time to shoot the commercial than experienced extras. In addition, students will select the design that would be used for the commercial taking into account the area that needs to be covered and the aesthetic factor.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

Let's Ride! is a model-eliciting activity that asks students to use pluses and minuses to indicate if eight models of 4-door sedans meet specific standards based on gas mileage, seating capacity, warranty, and type of engine. The students then have to rank the cars and indicate their top four choices.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will compare two characters from the novel, The View from Saturday, analyzing how many of their physical and emotional needs were met by the time the story ends. This determination will be reached by using Abraham Maslow's "Hierarchy of Needs" as a guide. Students will also explore the influence of gender on how many human needs are reached in someone's lifetime. As a summative assessment, students will compare two characters from the novel, identifying the needs each character fulfilled and interpreting their findings in the form of a written analysis. Students will use their analysis and comparison as the basis for an informal class debate.

Type: Lesson Plan

The students will create a package list for a travel company. They must use all operations with decimals as well as compare decimals.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will debate the issue of whether a character was justly punished for his violation of a school rule: standing in respectful silence during the national anthem. They will assume the identities of administrators, teachers, parents, and students while arguing the issue in a mock PTSA meeting held in a school library or auditorium. In preparation for the debate, students will be asked to speak and write from the perspective of a character, stating their opinions in a slanted or biased way in both a newspaper article and persuasive paragraph using text evidence to support their perspective.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students read James Thurber's short story "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty." They will read closely to analyze text structure. The lesson will culminate with them creating their own daydreams for Walter Mitty.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this MEA students will continue to explore and discuss the problems faced when soil is weathered and eroded away. Through the activity they will explore one of many solutions to this issue. They will also gain more perspective on the importance of considering the choices they make daily and how every choice can and does affect the environment.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, the purpose of this lesson is to solve real-world and mathematical problems. Students will also use operations with multi-digit decimals to solve problems. They will write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. Students will engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

Fancy Fractions Catering Company will be hosting a party and need your help to make it happen! Your help is needed to find out how much of each ingredient is needed to feed 200 people and the most economical way of doing this (Brand name brands or store brand). You also have the option of omitting up to three ingredients from the recipe.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

A traveling baseball team coach is asking a group of engineers to provide a travel plan from Boston to Jacksonville, Florida with the hopes of attending Major League baseball games along their route. The students will design the route on a large US map highlighting their travel plan and submit the map and a written rationale of their plan.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this MEA, the students will compare data to decide which school would be the best for a couple's son who is transferring into the county.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this MEA, the students will be able to convert measurements within systems and between systems. They will be able to use problem solving skills to create a process for ranking orange juices for a Bed and Breakfast.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will explore what makes a passage poignant by analyzing an important chapter from the historical fiction novel, The Slave Dancer, by Paula Fox. In cooperative groups, they will use their knowledge of figurative language, conflict, theme, and characterization to identify a passage that has high emotional impact, while better understanding one of the most tragic human experiences: the journey along the Middle Passage during the slave trade. As culminating assessments, students will present their group's textual analysis to the class and write an extended response to the text.

Type: Lesson Plan

An environmental conservation group is asked to plant vegetation on existing sand dunes in South Florida to reduce the erosion of the dunes. Group members must decide which vegetation is best to plant.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, students are asked to develop a procedure to fit the most amount of rectangular prism plant packages on one sheet of cardboard, using nets and surface area.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will be asked to analyze a given set of data to determine the best storm window treatments for a local company to use when building a new homes. Students will be asked to write a letter to the company explaining how they ranked the storm window treatments.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson tied to English/Language Arts Standards, students receive support as they read a complex informational text about the effects of hurricanes. The teacher facilitates a close reading and writing a response-to-text.

Type: Lesson Plan

This lesson is based on teaching 6th graders the art of assertively communicating in argumentative writing. They will use the topic of "Banning Cell Phones in Schools" to practice identifying a topic, exploring the PROS and CONS of the topic, identifying arguments and then supporting those arguments with details and evidence. They will write in the form of an argumentative letter and the culminating activity will be a presentation to the principal of their school, who is considering banning cell phones in the school.

Type: Lesson Plan

The goal of this three day exemplar is to give students the opportunity to use the reading and writing habits they've been practicing on a regular basis to explore the historic Great Fire of Chicago. By reading and rereading the passage closely combined with classroom discussion about it, students will explore the historical truths related to poverty, city construction, and city services that led to the disaster. In this reading, students learn about historical disasters, but they may not fully comprehend causes or how human actions, nature, or even luck contributed to them, rendering history a flat subject to be memorized rather than explored. When combined with writing about the passage and teacher feedback, students will better understand the dangers inherent in cities and the government role in mitigating that danger.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students create their own definitions of a child and a tween and use their definitions to guide their reading of the short story "Eleven" by Sandra Cisernos. After collecting text evidence, students will develop their own argument about the point of view of the narrator in the story through discussion and writing. In the closing activity, students will also write a found poem.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this multi-day lesson, students will become familiar with The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey. In addition to taking ownership of the habits by tracking their own Personal Bank Account, students will work collaboratively to conduct brief research and create a presentation on one of the habits. After sharing their multimedia presentations with the class, students will determine which one is most important to them personally. Students will write a response to explain how that habit can provide a positive personal impact.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will write narratives correctly, using all parts of the plot diagram-characters, setting, rising action, climax, resolution. They will also be able to recognize the elements of a story in other forms of narratives such as novels and films.

Type: Lesson Plan

Learn how to define and identify claims being made within a text. This tutorial will also show you how evidence can be used effectively to support the claim being made. Lastly, this tutorial will help you write strong, convincing claims of your own.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Learn several different strategies to help organize your writing in this interactive tutorial. You'll practice several different ways to introduce and organize ideas in your informative writing. These strategies include compare and contrast, classification, cause and effect, and definition. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Learn how to set up your story through the elements of exposition. In this interactive tutorial, you'll practice setting up your story idea by establishing the characters, setting, and conflict.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Learn how to state your claim effectively in this interactive tutorial. This argumentative writing lesson will also teach you how to capture readers' attention using "grabbers" before stating your claim.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

This collection of teaching ideas offers multiple activities to support rich classroom discussions on Dr. King and the events of the Civil Rights Movement. Writing, WebQuests, and other extension ideas are included in this resource.

Type: Teaching Idea

Wordless picture books can help students who struggle with writing narratives. In this teaching idea,"Creative Writing Through Wordless Picture Books" by Dr. Laurie A. Henry through ReadWriteThink.org, students verbally create stories to accompany wordless picture books. They then transfer their stories to writing by first attaching sticky notes to pages and later combining the sticky notes to form the complete narratives. This teaching idea also links to an online interactive story map, which might be helpful for students as they work to generate story ideas.

Type: Teaching Idea

Use this interactive tutorial to improve your expository writing skills. This tutorial asks you questions about the qualities of expository writing and provides feedback on your responses. Finally, you will write a short paragraph and judge your own writing using the tutorial's criteria for effective expository writing.

Type: Tutorial

In this tutorial from PBS, students will explore the power of personification in non-fiction while analyzing an author's treatment of his subject in a documentary on cowbirds. They will be able to read informational text, learn and practice vocabulary words, and explore content through videos and interactive activities as they begin to understand how this work uses human motives and emotions to tell the cowbird's story.

Type: Tutorial

In this interactive lesson from PBS, students will read informational text, learn and practice vocabulary words, and explore content through videos and interactive activities as they begin to recognize and understand the relationship between symbolism and one's sense of identity.

Type: Tutorial

In this tutorial you will practice using supporting details. Each practice gives you a main idea and three possible details. Your job is to choose the detail that best supports the main idea. Each question gives you feedback on why your answer is correct or incorrect.

Type: Tutorial

Tru Confessions is the story of Tru, a teenager whose brother Eddie has special needs. Tru writes in her journal about her wish to find a cure for Eddie and to have her own television show. In this unit, students will examine factors that influence how families, classmates, and people in the community perceive and interact with children with developmental disabilities as they work to summarize key details and events from the text, analyze ways in which the author unfolds the plot, and explain how the author develops the point of view of the narrator and discuss how the text’s characters change.

Type: Unit/Lesson Sequence

This is a sixth grade unit using the collection of short stories in "America Street: A Multicultural Anthology of Stories" by Anne Mazer. Students will examine point of view, multiple perspectives, character development, and setting in these varied texts. This unit includes a complete packet with graphic organizers, a pacing guide, and an assessment with answer key and possible student responses.

Type: Unit/Lesson Sequence

This sixth grade unit is based on the mystery novel Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett. Students will analyze clues and motives, study plot, and make predictions while learning about the artist Johannes Vermeer. It includes a complete packet with creative activities, graphic organizers, a pacing guide, and an assessment with answer key and possible student responses.

Type: Unit/Lesson Sequence

This is a sixth grade unit on the sci-fi novel A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle. Students will examine the characteristics of scientific and futuristic fiction including vocabulary, setting, and plot development. This unit includes a complete packet with graphic organizers, a pacing guide, and an assessment with answer key and possible student responses.

Type: Unit/Lesson Sequence

This is a sixth grade unit on the verse novels Keeping the Night Watch by Hope Anita Smith and Chess Rumble by G. Neri. This unit explores narrative and lyric poetry, figurative language, author's purpose, voice, and symbolism. It includes games, graphic organizers, and a complete student packet, and includes a pacing guide and assessment with sample student answers.

Type: Unit/Lesson Sequence

This is a sixth grade unit on the verse novel Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate. This unit explores narrative and lyric poetry, figurative language, author's purpose, voice, and symbolism. It is rich with games, graphic organizers, and a complete student packet and includes a pacing guide and assessment with sample student answers.

Type: Unit/Lesson Sequence

This is a sixth grade unit on the mystery novel Sammy Keyes and the Hollywood Mummy by Wendelin Van Draanen. Students will analyze characters, study the plot, make predictions, and draw conclusions to solve a mystery in this forensic-themed unit. This unit includes a complete packet with graphic organizers, a pacing guide, and an assessment with answer key and possible student responses.

Type: Unit/Lesson Sequence

This is a sixth grade unit on the mystery novel Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief by Wendelin Van Draanen. Students will analyze characters, study the plot, and make predictions in this forensic-themed unit. This unit includes a complete packet with graphic organizers, a pacing guide, and an assessment with answer key and possible student responses.

Type: Unit/Lesson Sequence

This is a sixth grade unit using the short stories in The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros to identify point of view, interpret a character's perspective, and utilize plot elements to retell a story. This unit includes several graphic organizers, an assessment, and an answer key with sample responses.

Type: Unit/Lesson Sequence

This is a sixth grade unit on Laurence Yep's autobiography, The Lost Garden. Students analyze author's purpose and the key characteristics of an autobiography. This unit contains a student packet, pacing guide, and an assessment with answer key and sample student responses. In addition, this unit includes instructional techniques such as a PIES chart, a T chart, and more!

Type: Unit/Lesson Sequence

This sixth grade unit on Rosa Parks is a thorough examination of an autobiographical novel and includes the study of author's purpose, main idea, and fact and opinion. It includes a student packet, graphic organizers, a pacing guide, and a unit assessment with sample responses.

Type: Unit/Lesson Sequence

This is a sixth grade unit on the mystery novel "The Westing Game" by Ellen Raskin. Students will analyze the character's motives, identify clues to solve the mystery, make predictions about the conclusion, and identify 'red herrings'. This unit on detective fiction includes a complete packet with graphic organizers, a pacing guide, and an assessment with answer key.

Type: Unit/Lesson Sequence