Learn to write an expository essay by providing evidence that supports a thesis, articulating concepts and information correctly and concisely, understanding the significance of different facts and concepts, and writing an expository essay that is well organized.

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Kim explains how to use the themes identified in the primary documents as an outline, and demonstrates how to include those documents in the final essay. [12:44]

Khan Academy learning modules include a Community space where users can ask questions and seek help from community members. Educators should consult with their Technology administrators to determine the use of Khan Academy learning modules in their classroom. Please review materials from external sites before sharing with students.

The Library of Congress takes an in-depth look into the life of Abraham Lincoln through the use of Alfred Whital Stern's collection of Lincoln memorabilia. View letters written by Lincoln as well as various objects from his life. Provides a link to a gallery of objects in the collection. View each item in 360 and read about each items connection to Lincoln. Presents an essay over Alfred Whital Stern's collection and how he was able to collect objects from Lincoln's life.

This lesson is a final step towards supporting students to practice writing an informative/explanatory paragraph conveying complex ideas and presenting information clearly and accurately. Second-grade students can usually write a paragraph with details but need the practice to weave a succinct introductory and concluding paragraph into an essay with a strong main idea and details. This lesson focuses on these crucial paragraphs and includes several videos and pictures of the lesson in action.

This writing lab tutorial offers sound principles for writing papers, beginning with knowing your audience and objective. It covers patterns of organization, outlining, illustrations, writing, abstract, citations, and style.

A tip sheet on how to write and develop an introduction to a research paper.

Contains plans for four 40-minute lessons that teach persuasive writing to elementary students. In addition to student objectives and standards, these instructional plans contain links to PDF handouts and links to sites used in the lessons as well as assessment and reflection activities.

This lesson introduces the comparison and contrast writing, a type of informative writing. [11:46]

The 11th grade learning experience consists of 7 mostly month-long units aligned to the Common Core State Standards, with available course material for teachers and students easily accessible online. Over the course of the year there is a steady progression in text complexity levels, sophistication of writing tasks, speaking and listening activities, and increased opportunities for independent and collaborative work. Rubrics and student models accompany many writing assignments.Throughout the 11th grade year, in addition to the Common Read texts that the whole class reads together, students each select an Independent Reading book and engage with peers in group Book Talks. Students move from learning the class rituals and routines and genre features of argument writing in Unit 11.1 to learning about narrative and informational genres in Unit 11.2: The American Short Story. Teacher resources provide additional materials to support each unit.

In this unit, students will explore great works of American literature and consider how writers reflect the time period in which they write. They will write two literary analysis papers and also work in groups to research and develop anthologies of excellent American stories.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Students read and analyze stories from several 19th-, 20th-, and 21st-century American authors. After researching a time period, they select stories from that period to create an anthology. The readings enhance their understanding of the short story, increase their exposure to well-known American authors, and allow them to examine the influence of social, cultural, and political context.
Students examine elements of short stories and have an opportunity for close reading of several American short stories. During these close readings, they examine the ways that short story writers attempt to explore the greater truths of the American experience through their literature.

GUIDING QUESTIONS

These questions are a guide to stimulate thinking, discussion, and writing on the themes and ideas in the unit. For complete and thoughtful answers and for meaningful discussions, students must use evidence based on careful reading of the texts.

If you were to write a short story about this decade, what issues might you focus on?
What defines a short story? Just length?
To what extent do these stories reflect the era or decade in which they were written?
To what extent are the themes they address universal?

CLASSROOM FILMS

History.com has short videos on the Vietnam War (“Vietnam” and “A Soldier's Story”).

In this lesson, students will continue their analytical essays with a focus on the writing process. They will use the writing group protocol to bring structure to their peer editing groups.

In this lesson, students will have time to continue working on their short essays with support from you and their peers.

This collection uses primary sources to explore the Fifteenth Amendment. Digital Public Library of America Primary Source Sets are designed to help students develop their critical thinking skills and draw diverse material from libraries, archives, and museums across the United States. Each set includes an overview, ten to fifteen primary sources, links to related resources, and a teaching guide. These sets were created and reviewed by the teachers on the DPLA's Education Advisory Committee.

This collection uses primary sources to explore The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin. Digital Public Library of America Primary Source Sets are designed to help students develop their critical thinking skills and draw diverse material from libraries, archives, and museums across the United States. Each set includes an overview, ten to fifteen primary sources, links to related resources, and a teaching guide. These sets were created and reviewed by the teachers on the DPLA's Education Advisory Committee.

In 1845, the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, and Written by Himself was published. In it, Douglass criticizes directly often with withering irony those who defend slavery and those who prefer a romanticized version of it.

An infographic is provided to help students with writing essays. Explicit information about essay writing steps are included. Essay mistakes relative to the content and style are articulated, along with features specific to essays.

Contains plans for four lessons that teach students to write effective "hooks," or beginnings, to their writing. They read the introductions of fiction passages and analyze the techniques they use before applying these techniques in their own writing. In addition to objectives and standards, this instructional plan contains links to sites used in the lessons as well as assessment and reflection activities.

This video tutorial discusses how narratives are organized including beginning, middle, end and types of organizational patterns. It is 1 of 2 in the series titled "Narratives: Organization." [10:06] W.11-12.3c Narrative Org

This video tutorial discusses how to select a topic for a narrative and how to use a narrative in an essay. [7:59]