English Language Arts Hands-On Activities

Expository Writing Bell Ringer Warm-Ups: 50 Digital Info Writing Activities

Created by
iTeach & iWrite

These 50 Expository Writing Time Filler Warm-Ups are exactly what your reluctant or struggling writers need to improve their informational writing skills. You’ll get access to both a PowerPoint presentation and a Google Slideshow with 10 weeks of no-prep digital bell-ringers.

4th - 6th Writing, Writing Essays, Writing Expository

Also included in: Writing Warm-Ups Bundle: 200 Bell Ringers for Info, Opinion, Narrative & Grammar

Persuasive Essay Outline Task Cards: Ready to Use Opinion Essay Outlines Gr. 4-6

Created by
iTeach & iWrite

Are your 4th, 5th, or 6th-graders struggling to generate and organize their thoughts when writing opinion pieces? Written in a Star-Dash-Bullet outline method (aligned with Step Up to Writing), these differentiated persuasive essay outlines task cards remove the stress of a blank page.

4th - 6th Writing, Writing Essays, Writing Expository

4 Dialogue Activities to Practice Punctuating Dialogue in 3-6 Narrative Writing

Created by
iTeach & iWrite

Help students understand, write, and punctuate dialogue with confidence! This dialogue activities grammar and narrative writing resource gives students multiple, scaffolded opportunities to understand what dialogue is (and is not) and practice using it effectively in narrative writing.

3rd - 6th Creative Writing, ELA Test Prep, Grammar

Also included in: Narrative Writing Unit Activities Bundle for Gr. 3-8: SBAC and CAASPP Test Prep

Narrative Writing Unit Activities Bundle for Gr. 3-8: SBAC and CAASPP Test Prep

Created by
iTeach & iWrite

If you’re teaching a narrative writing unit in grades 3–8, this Narrative Writing Activity Bundle has everything you need to help students plan, draft, elaborate, and polish their creative writing stories with confidence.

3rd - 6th Creative Writing, Writing, Other (ELA)

Narrative Writing Mini Performance Task ELA SBAC Test Prep Gr. 3-6: SPACE

Created by
iTeach & iWrite

Prepare for the SBAC test performance task with a journey through the stars! This Narrative Writing Mini Performance Task is designed to mimic the format and rigor of the CAASPP or SBAC end of year state test while keeping students engaged with a "Grand Tour" of our solar system!

3rd - 6th Creative Writing, ELA Test Prep, Writing

Narrative Writing Mini Performance Task ELA SBAC Test Prep: HELPFUL ROBOTS

Created by
iTeach & iWrite

Prepare for the SBAC test performance task with a high-tech rescue mission! This Narrative Writing Mini Performance Task is designed to mimic the format and rigor of the CAASPP or SBAC end-of-year state test while keeping students engaged with the world of Helpful Robots.

3rd - 6th Creative Writing, ELA Test Prep, Writing

American Revolution Spies Narrative Writing Performance Task ELA SBAC Test Prep

Created by
iTeach & iWrite

Prepare for the SBAC test performance task with a high-stakes mission into the shadows! This Narrative Writing Mini Performance Task is designed to mimic the format and rigor of the CAASPP or SBAC end-of-year state test while keeping students engaged with the world of the Revolutionary War.

3rd - 6th Creative Writing, ELA Test Prep, Writing

Writing Warm-Ups Bundle: 200 Bell Ringers for Info, Opinion, Narrative & Grammar

Created by
iTeach & iWrite

Whether you need quick, fast-paced bell-work routine to start the day, or low-prep, student-approved writing activities you can stretch into full mini-lessons, this Writing Warm-Ups bundle is exactly what your reluctant or struggling writers need to improve their grammar and writing skills.

3rd - 6th Creative Writing, Grammar, Writing Expository

Sentence Fragments Grammar Activity Fix Fragments in Texts: Level 1 Grades 3-5

Created by
iTeach & iWrite

If your upper-elementary students struggle to write in complete sentences, you’ll love the Red Pen Grammar Crime Scene: Sentence Fragments activity. In this printable and digital activity, students read 10 different crime scenes paragraphs to apprehend incomplete sentence fragments.

3rd - 5th Grammar, Writing, Other (ELA)

Also included in: Fragments and Run-On Sentences Bundle: Grammar Activities & Practice 4th-6th Gr.

Run-On Sentences Grammar Activity Find & Fix Run-Ons in Texts Level 1 Grades 3-5

Created by
iTeach & iWrite

If your upper-elementary students struggle to write in complete sentences, you’ll love The Grammar Police Traffic Patrol: Run-On Sentences LEVEL 1 grammar activity. In this printable and digital room transformation activity, students step into the shoes of Traffic Patrol Officers.

3rd - 5th Grammar, Writing, Other (ELA)

Also included in: Fragments and Run-On Sentences Bundle: Grammar Activities & Practice 4th-6th Gr.

Fall Digraphs I Spy Centers & Activities| Sh Ch Th Wh Ph I Spy Hidden Picture

Created by
Step Strong Learning Co.

Make fall phonics practice fun and engaging with this Fall Digraph Hidden Word Hunt! Students will search the fall-themed pictures to find hidden words, read and write digraph words, and then extend their learning with read, draw, and write activities. It is Science of Reading Aligned as well with o

Kindergarten - 2nd Phonics & Phonological Awareness, Phonics & Phonemic Awareness, Reading

English/ELA/ESL Creative Writing, Sequencing & Cause-and-Effect Activities

Created by
Frenchified

Turn creative writing for your ELA/ESL/English classes into an engaging logic challenge with these Story Steps communication activities!Each story gives students a starting point and an ending point—but what happens in between is entirely up to them. Students must create four logical events that con

Not Grade Specific Creative Writing, Short Stories, Writing

English/ELA/ESL Creative Writing, Sequencing & Cause-and-Effect Activities

Created by
Frenchified

Turn creative writing for your ELA/ESL/English classes into an engaging logic challenge with these Story Steps communication activities!Each story gives students a starting point and an ending point—but what happens in between is entirely up to them. Students must create four logical events that con

Not Grade Specific Creative Writing, Short Stories, Writing

Learn the Alphabet Coloring Pages for letters A-Z for Pre-K, K, 1st, 2nd grade

Created by
Mindfully Creative Kids

Are you looking for a fun and creative way to help students learn the alphabet? My resource is a great activity for in class or homework. This bundle contains the letters of the alphabet and is also a fun art activity that encourages students to either choose from 7 colors, choose colors of their ow

Preschool - 2nd Visual Arts, Reading, Writing

I can learn the alphabet and my numbers worksheets, Pre-K, K, First grade

Created by
Mindfully Creative Kids

This bundle has colorful worksheets that are a great way for students to learn, write and practice the alphabet and their numbers. Each worksheet contains colorfully illustrated bubbles for each letter of the alphabet and the numbers 1 to 30. This activity is great for morning work, homework or fun

Preschool - 1st Balanced Literacy, Reading, Writing

The Great Gatsby Character Analysis Mini-Unit | Literary Analysis & Writing

Created by
Plotting Something

Once students know the characters well enough to move beyond first impressions, this mini-unit helps them turn what they notice into literary analysis.Students choose one major character—Jay Gatsby, Daisy Buchanan, Tom Buchanan, Jordan Baker, Myrtle Wilson, or George Wilson—and look closely at motiv

9th - 12th Literature, Writing Essays

Greek Roots Vocabulary Activity | Word Study Project & Gallery Walk

Created by
Plotting Something

Give Greek roots a purpose beyond memorizing a list. In this secondary ELA word-study activity, each student becomes the class expert on one Greek root, builds a word family, studies how the root contributes to meaning, and creates a clear Root Profile to teach classmates.Students then use a gallery

8th - 12th English Language Arts, Literature, Vocabulary

Antigone Greek Mythology Background Project | Allusions Research & Presentations

Created by
Plotting Something

Give students the mythological background they actually need for Sophocles' Antigone without turning the unit into ten unrelated mythology reports. In this collaborative research project, groups investigate one focused topic, teach the class the most useful background, and then students keep using a

9th - 12th English Language Arts, Literature

Also included in: Antigone Bundle | Greek Tragedy, Mythology, Context & Analysis

STRANDED! A Survival Simulation for Lord of the Flies | Pre-Reading Activity

Created by
Plotting Something

Give students a reason to think about survival, leadership, rules, fear, and group dynamics before they ever meet the boys on the island.STRANDED! is a two-day pre-reading simulation for Lord of the Flies that asks students to build an island society, make difficult choices, and respond when their p

9th - 12th Literature, Novel Studies, Reading

Also included in: Literature Pre-Reading Simulations Bundle | Critical Thinking Activities

First Day of School Activities | All About Me + Letter of Introduction | ELA

Created by
Plotting Something

Start the year with two getting-to-know-you activities that feel appropriate for secondary students and give you information you can actually use.Students begin with a quick All About Me page covering interests, learning preferences, and attitudes toward reading, writing, and discussion. They then w

9th - 12th Writing, Classroom Community

The Fall of the House of Usher Unit | Edgar Allan Poe Reading Guide & Quizzes

Created by
Plotting Something

Teaching “The Fall of the House of Usher” is difficult for one simple reason: students cannot analyze what they cannot follow. Poe’s prose is dense, the plot is strange, and the story’s best ideas only land when students know what is actually happening.This 8–9 day guided-reading unit gives students

9th - 12th Close Reading, Literature, Reading

Also included in: Edgar Allan Poe Unit Bundle | Background, The Raven & House of Usher

Antigone Bundle | Greek Tragedy, Mythology, Context & Analysis

Created by
Plotting Something

Give students the background they actually need to enter Sophocles’ Antigone, then bring them back to the text for allusions and post-reading analysis.This four-resource bundle combines Greek theater and tragedy background, story-specific pre-reading context, a collaborative mythology/allusions proj

9th - 12th Literature, Writing, Drama

Edgar Allan Poe Unit Bundle | Background, The Raven & House of Usher

Created by
Plotting Something

Teach a complete Edgar Allan Poe sequence with three coordinated resources that move from author background into close reading of “The Fall of the House of Usher” and “The Raven.” Together, the resources provide approximately 2½–3 weeks of instruction for grades 9–12, depending on class length and h

9th - 12th Literature, Poetry, Short Stories

A Doll's House Pre-Reading Activity | Ethics & Moral Dilemmas | Ibsen

Created by
Plotting Something

Before students begin A Doll's House, give them a chance to wrestle with some of the ethical questions they will encounter in the play - without telling them how those questions connect to Nora.Students respond to eight short scenarios involving secrecy, forgery, debt, loyalty, control, marriage, re

9th - 12th Literature, Reading, Drama

Also included in: Literature Pre-Reading Simulations Bundle | Critical Thinking Activities