12th Grade Writing-Expository Activities

Engage Your Students with a Thoughtful September 11 Quotes Analysis Assignment

Students will read through 17 quotes from 911 (including those from Barack Obama, Joe Biden, etc) and choose one quote they connect to and complete an in depth analysis. The PDF copy of the article is embedded in the google doc, and is also included separately.

What's Included:

• Comprehensive Analysis Worksheet
  Guide your students through a deep exploration of significant quotes from September 11. The worksheet prompts them to think critically about the context, literal and figurative meanings, emotional impact, and historical significance of their chosen quote.
• Two-Paragraph Writing Assignment
  Students will write two well-developed paragraphs that analyze their quote and reflect on its importance in understanding the events of September 11. This activity strengthens their analytical and writing skills.
• Detailed Rubric
  Ensure clear expectations with a rubric that covers content understanding, depth of analysis, personal reflection, proofreading, and mechanics.
• Class Discussion Component
  Foster meaningful conversations by encouraging students to share their insights and perspectives with their peers.

I have used this both in my US History and ELA classrooms when discussing 911, and it always results in some great and important discussions.

This resource is for personal use in one classroom only. Please do not distribute

to others or post publically online (within your Google Classroom, etc. is

permitted). If a friend or colleague would enjoy this resource, you may

purchase additional licenses at a discounted price. The information ,activities

and images included are copyrighted. You may not reuse or sell any part of

this resource as your own. 

I would love to hear how you used this resource in your classroom. Please leave your feedback for TeachShare credits towards your next purchase.

To view more of my products, visit my store at Nemo's Nook.

• Do you need help getting your students to understand how text is structured and how authors craft their writing?
• Do you want them to practice aligning ideas and writing their own?

Help your students master paragraph structure with this comprehensive resource designed for middle and high school learners. "Building Strong Paragraphs" focuses on key writing skills such as identifying topic sentences, supporting details, and crafting thesis statements. This ready-to-use packet includes practice worksheets, engaging exercises, and thesis sentence-building activities that will enhance your students' writing abilities.

Ideal for both informational and argumentative writing, this resource walks students through the entire process of constructing well-organized, coherent paragraphs. Whether you're teaching how to develop supporting sentences, transition between ideas, or conclude effectively, this resource covers it all!

What's Included:

• Graphic Organizer for understanding structure
• Identification exercise
• Two Unique Passages per skill: topic sentences, thesis statements, supporting sentences & concluding sentences
• 9 Passages
• 20 Pages
• Available as a PDF and a Word Document

Perfect for:

• Grades 6-10
• English Language Arts (ELA) Teachers
• Writing Workshops
• STAAR Writing Prep
• Argumentative and Informational Essay Practice

Benefits of this Resource:

• Aligned with Common Core Standards and TEKS for writing.
• Great for differentiated learning in classrooms with ELLs and students needing extra practice.
• Supports critical thinking and writing clarity.

Who is this for?

• Middle and High School Teachers: Perfect for educators looking to strengthen their students’ paragraph-writing skills with structured, step-by-step activities.
• ELA Teachers: Aligned with TEKS and Common Core standards, this resource is ideal for anyone teaching informational and argumentative writing.
• Students Preparing for Standardized Tests: Great for test prep, including STAAR writing, helping students improve clarity, coherence, and overall writing structure.
• Special Education & ELL Support: Easily adaptable for differentiated instruction, making it an excellent tool for classrooms with diverse learners, including English Language Learners and students with varying writing levels.
• Homeschool Educators: A valuable resource for guiding students through the fundamentals of paragraph writing at home.

15 famous plagiarism cases and students get to "be the judge"! Fact based handouts with real life cases and research component to build critical thinking, plagiarism, and research skills. includes: 15 Famous People: MLK, Jr. Barack Obama Joe Biden Ray Parker Michael Bolton John Fogerty George Harrison T.S. Eliot Melania Trump Vanilla Ice J.K. Rowling Robin Thicke Jane Goodall Johnny Cash Helen Keller Handouts include: 15 black and white famous people images (optional: color these) Backgrounds of person Plagiarism charges Debates over charges Research component Verdicts of cases Guilty or Innocent boxes Guilty or Innocent evidence t-charts 3 Narrative and Rhetorical Discussion/Writing Prompts on each handout = 45 prompts (each with a "You be the judge..." prompt) Note: Does NOT include copies of lyrics, novels, or speeches due to copyright infringement laws. These are used to enhance students' research skills. Fun, engaging, and educational way to learn about plagiarism and explore real life connections to the topic while using research skills. Excellent for introduction to plagiarism, follow-up to unit, assessment of skills, character building, homeschool, AP/Pre-AP, dual credit, adult learners, ELL/ESL upper level learners, flipped classes, literature centers, building research skills, and real life connections to writing. Provides basic history of famous people. Use with: Having Fun with Plagiarism at: https://www.TeachShare.com/Product/Having-Fun-with-Plagiarism-155008 Plagiarism Quiz at: https://www.TeachShare.com/Product/Plagiarism-Quiz-167314 Follow Educator Helper Blogspot for weekly free products and tips at: http://bethhammett.blogspot.com/

The first version of our Collaborative Story Time has been so popular that we decided to create a second edition to give our valued teachers more options. You do not need to have the first edition to enjoy this one but definitely check it out!

"Collaborative Story Time" is a communal writing activity in which students practice using Freytag's Pyramid plot structure in their own narrative writing. In this activity, each student begins a story inspired by a unique evocative photograph. They are prompted to write the exposition of the tale by introducing the setting and main characters. After the allotted amount of time, the story is then passed to another student who is prompted to write the inciting incident or conflict and begin to detail the rising action. The paper is passed from student to student twice more until the story is resolved. When the stories are finished, the worksheet is returned to the original student who can then make edits and is responsible for producing a final draft.

With this intrinsically engaging activity, each student has the chance to tap into their creativity while applying knowledge of the 7 steps of Freytag's Pyramid. It is a great activity to introduce or reinforce the plot diagram and is perfect for a Friday, a substitute plan, or simply for when students need a creative break without sacrificing learning and hard work. I trust you will find that your students will ask for this activity again and again!

Product Includes:

• 30 unique "Collaborative Story Time" worksheets with evocative photographs (2-sided)
• 1 blank worksheet so that you may include your own picture or photograph

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And because your students will be begging for more of these unique communal writing activities:

⭐ Christmas Collaborative Writing Activity

⭐ Fall Themed Collaborative Writing Activity

⭐ Halloween Collaborative Writing Activity

⭐ Summer Collaborative Writing Activity

⭐ Valentine's Day Collaborative Writing Activity

⭐ Winter Themed Collaborative Writing Activity

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Are you hunting for a FUN way to get your ESL ELL secondary multilingual students using argumentative writing? This argumentative unit includes resources to break down teaching writing and provides examples and aids! This unit is connected to the WIDA KEY USE: ARGUE standards and will help get your expanding and long term ELLs the practice they need to test out of the ELL program!

4 weeks of lessons in this mini unit - NO PREP STUDENT WORKBOOK!

Your Students Will:

• Develop vocabulary
• Analyze text
• Apply knowledge
• Understand the genre of ARGUMENTATIVE WRITING
• Develop skills for the WIDA KEY USE: ARGUE
• Work on developing writing skills
• Use transitions
• Construct final drafts of an argumentative writing piece
• Practice all the parts of argumentative writing
• Use a rubric to guide their writing
• Edit each other's work

This resource is ENGAGING and will have your secondary ESL students excited about writing!

TOPICS:

1) Is Technology Making Us Smarter or Dumber?

2) Are Video Games Helpful or Harmful?

3) Online Learning vs Classroom Learning--Which one is better?

What’s Included:

• Engaging reading passages for SECONDARY ELL ML students
• 62 page printable workbook for students for the whole unit!
• Teacher Slides (Google) to guide and anchor your lessons day by day!
• Writing Rubric
• Teacher Feedback Form
• Digital Writing Template for Students (Google Doc) for rough and final drafts!
• Peer editing resource!
• 3 weeks of lessons that have ZERO PREP
• Writing scaffolds built in
• Linked recordings for the text and vocabulary
• Transition word support
• Structure to prep students for the TELPAS, ACCESS and ELPAC state tests!
• Color coded steps for INTRO--CLAIM--EVIDENCE---REASONS--COUNTERARGUMENT--CONCLUSION/SUMMARY
• Fun engaging topics and graphics for secondary students

Introduce your students to the complexities of Constitutional Law with this engaging and interactive worksheet! Students will step into the shoes of Supreme Court Justices to analyze a fictional First Amendment case.

This a fun activity when teaching about the First Amendment and/or the Supreme Court. This resource has students analyze a "fake" law that has been challenged all the way to the Supreme Court as violating the First Amendment. Students need to decide, based on the facts given and the language of the First Amendment, whether the law is Constitutional.

They also need to write an "opinion" of the Court and present to the class or submit for a grade. I usually have them do this in groups, but could also be done individually as a short assessment.

Features:

• Step-by-Step Instructions: Easy-to-follow guidelines help students navigate the case analysis process.
• Opinion Writing: A structured template assists students in organizing their thoughts and presenting a clear argument.
• Critical Thinking: Encourages students to consider multiple perspectives and develop sound critical thinking and reasoning skills.
• Classroom Ready: Printable PDF format for easy distribution and use in any classroom setting.

(This activity is not necessarily looking for a correct answer, but is looking to assess how well students understand and can analyze the language of the First Amendment based on a given set of facts).

This can usually be done in one 50 minute class period.

This resource is for personal use in one classroom only. Please do not distribute

to others or post publically online (within your Google Classroom, etc. is

permitted). If a friend or colleague would enjoy this resource, you may

purchase additional licenses at a discounted price. The information ,activities

and images included are copyrighted. You may not reuse or sell any part of

this resource as your own. 

I would love to hear how you used this resource in your classroom. Please leave your feedback for TeachShare credits towards your next purchase.

To view more of products, please check out my store at Nemo's Nook.

Get ready for argumentative units with this engaging activity centered around persuasive techniques in rhetorical devices, and logical fallacies.

Teacher students what makes a good and bad argument with a short lesson and 5 practice paragraphs to evaluate for effectiveness. Afterwards, students can practice rhetorical devices in advertisements and analyze why the device was chosen (author's purpose).

ALSO INCLUDED IS AN EXTENSION ACTIVITY where students can get creative and make their own ads.

- Teacher directions

- Grading Rubric

- Student instructions

- Research and Brainstorm document

(no templates for creation are included)

PROVIDED IN WORD/POWERPOINT & PDF

One-page quiz for introduction or assessment to working with citations. Whole group or individual activity that combines technology and how to properly cite research materials.

What is a rough draft? How do you find a topic? How do you get started? How does it work in the writing process? All this is more answered as students work through the rough draft process for writing. Includes: "The first draft of anything is shit!" by Ernest Hemingway (Please review before showing this caption/image) Writers compose in different ways Writing process and overview Reflection activity Methods for starting: Chunk writing,Cluster/Map, Free writing, Outline Let's Practice activity Taking a risk with rough drafts Tips: Using your writing toolbox, taking a break between drafts, and Can you read this? Rough draft strategy slide and begin your rough draft Reminder of writing process for peer workshopping Everything needed to help students understand and begin their first rough drafts!

Students can chart Earth's changes from the beginning of time through the future with this 35 page, interactive timeline for students to make and share. Uses fact-based writing, inferencing skills, interpreting information, research skills, application of knowledge, and writing skills.

Includes handouts/printables of:

Directions

Extra Handout/Video Resources

5 Title pages

5 The End pages

My Earth Timeline page to fill in

Covers time periods:

Beginning of Earth

Compare/Contrast over how Earth was formed

Cambrian Period

Permian Period

Mesozoic Period

Forming of 7 Continents

Stone Age

Ice Age

Neolithic Period

Bronze Age and hieroglyphics

Pyramids/Stonehenge

Iron Age

Hellenistic Period

Roman Period

Byzantine Period

Middle Ages: Classic, Middle, Modern

Renaissance and Reformation

Enlightenment and Age of Reason

Industrial Revolution

20th and 21st Century

What about Earth's future?

A brief overview of Earth's time periods for students to learn about, and review then apply knowledge to complete their books. Can be used for assessment, journaling activities, history/social studies, for celebrating Earth Day, or as overview of unit on how Earth was formed and changed. Requires critical thinking skills for completion.

Have you ever wondered how fake news makes such big headlines? Circular reporting, or false confirmation, is the term used to show how information spreads and becomes truth. This active learning, critical thinking, visual lesson plan and presentation introduces students to how we believe, and how false news spreads, as well as introduces how to define research sources. Students learn about primary, secondary, and tertiary sources for research and writing. Contains upper level current events content; use with appropriate ages and grades. Activities and Lesson Plan Includes: Teacher Lesson Plans with Step-by-Step Discussion Guide Evaluating Valid Information (Dr. Jeremy Dean) Class Poll: Gullible or Skeptical? False Advertisement by April Uno about Phillip Morris (Marijuana) Descartes and Spinoza 17th Century Debate on How We Believe Daniel Gilbert's 1993 Robbery Study Define: Circular Reporting and False Confirmation How False Information is Circulated 1994 Microsoft Hoax Benghazi and False Reporting Examples of False Information Reported as Truth How to Avoid Circular Reporting Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sources (with labeling activity) Re-evaluating Beliefs and Class Poll Discussion Questions on Citing Sources and Social Media Optional Activities: Classic Telephone Game, Class Debate and Jury Trial, Evaluating Websites Excellent for teaching fact-based information, citing sources, propaganda in the news, journalism reporting, beliefs/ethics/morals, AP courses, Dual Credit, Philosophy. Lots of engaging, critical thinking activities for debates and discussions. Meets CCSS ELA.

Can you persuade your group members to let you have the serum to survive the plague? Students use higher level critical thinking skills to convince, debate, persuade, and outwit others to save their lives! 35 pages that includes: Directions Differentiated Project Ideas 24 male avatars 24 female avators Character traits Character flaws Character Reflection Sheet Extra Resources Students choose their avatars, fill out character sheets traits and flaws, and use their bargaining skills to try to survive the deadly plague! Includes whole group option, as well, and other activities for expository writings, oral presentations, and more... Excellent for use in ELA, SS/History,Science, and Life Skills classes. Helpful with units covering character studies, life skills, the Middle Ages, epidemics, major events in history, and more. Meets CCSS.

Students learn to write a thesis statement with this interactive presentation. Comes with: Handouts Examples Individual and group writing activities Peer Workshopping Answer Key Supplemental Resources Easy to understand, implement, and use as introduction, reinforcement, or assessment. Meets CCSS.