Middle School Writing-Expository Handouts

This includes two Articles "How do hurricanes form? A step-by-step guide" and "How Do Hurricanes Form?" plus a graph titled "Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale" . After reading these sources students are given a prompt for an expository essay on how hurricanes are formed. Includes a outline sheet that can be easily filled out in Google Docs as well as a rubric. This product works great in any digital classroom. This is editable in Google Docs. You must have Google Drive to use this product! You may sign up for Google drive for free Visit here for help with Google Drive

This handout provides a thorough and clear explanation of how to properly embed quotations within a paper. The handout will introduce students to the three methods they should be using to introduce textual evidence. It offers a lucid account of how to properly punctuate quotations, how to properly alter quotations, and how to properly cite evidence from different literary genres (novel, plays, poems, etc).

Tired of reading papers in which students repeat the exact same phrases to introduce a series of quotations? Tired of reading papers in which students contextualize evidence by writing, On page 34, it says, "blah blah" ?? Look no further! I developed this resource after listening to my talented English colleagues chat about their shared frustrations over how students frame quotations in their papers. If the teachers at your school are facing similar frustrations, then you might find this handout to be helpful.

As it turns out, there are only three strategies that writers employ when embedding quotations in a paper. This handout explains when and how students should use each of the three strategies:

1. Block Quotations: The best technique for framing a long quotation is to use a block quotation. The examples in this handout will model not only how to punctuate a block quotation but also how to follow up with analysis by picking out key words from the quotation and unpacking their significance.

2. Clause-and-Colon Method: The best technique for framing a mid-sized quotation is to introduce the quotation with an independent clause followed by a colon (:). The examples in this handout will model the grammatically correct way to use a colon to set up a quotation.

3. Integration-of-Keywords Method: The best technique for framing shorter quotations is to integrate the quotations into the writer's own sentences. The examples in this handout demonstrate how to integrate quotations seamlessly into the flow of one's sentences.

Here's my suggestion for how to use this handout. What I'd recommend is that you distribute this handout to your students before you distribute your next writing assignment. After reading and discussing each of the three methods, you might announce that all students will be required to utilize both the "clause-and-colon method" and the "integration-of-keywords method" at least once in their next papers. Should you do that, I promise their papers will improve!

My store is called “Rigorous Resources” because all of the materials prioritize rigorous content over decorative graphics. While there are plenty of sellers whose lessons feature beautiful design elements, my resources promise to improve students' writing by equipping them with practical skills used by published academic writers.

The previews for my resources provide direct access to several pages of exemplary materials. Hit the green “Preview” button to see exactly what you’ll get. . . .

This 3-page document will come to you in two separate formats: a Word doc *and* a PDF. Because the Word doc is editable, you'll be able to costumize the resource to suit the skill levels of your students — year after year! If you don't have Microsoft Word, you'll still be able to access the resource as a PDF — which is easy to navigate and quick to print.

If there's anything I can do to support your amazing work in the classroom, please don't hesitate to get in touch. Thank you for choosing “Rigorous Resources”!!

Happy teaching!

Adam Jernigan, Ph.D.

adamjernigan@gmail.com

P.S. Don't forget to click “follow” for email updates on new products by Rigorous Resources. New products will be 50% OFF for the first 24 hours!

Feel free to check out these other resources on writing:

How to Write a College Application Essay

How to Write an Analytical Essay

How to Write an Poem Analysis Essay (AP Lit FRQ 1)

Figurative Language Stations

• 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.

Prepare students for informational, on-demand assessment writing with fourteen factual prompts that address everyday issues. Includes: Prompts: Driving Economy Fashion Global Warming Health Technology School Science Space Sports Lined extra handout paper for writing Themed graphics Help students overcome writer's block and fear of testing with these informational, on-demand prompts. Meets CCSS.

This is a 32-page set of worksheets to help grade 6 students practice the R.A.C.E.S. Writing Strategy. The R.A.C.E.S. Writing Strategy (Restate, Answer, Cite, Explain, Summarize) is a method that students can use to write meaningful responses to questions about a written text.

For each week in the WonderWorks Interactive Worktext for Grade Six, there is one question for students to answer using the R.A.C.E.S. Writing Strategy. Please note that students must have the WonderWorks Interactive Worktext for Grade Six in order to answer the questions in these worksheets.

Engaging Writing templates for boys and girls!

Fifteen fun front and back templates!

A fun border design for each template:

1. Spooky Spiders
2. Horses
3. Pandas
4. Safari Animals
5. Woodland Creatures
6. Sweet Desserts
7. Junk Food
8. Frogs
9. Gorillas and Bananas
10. Puppies
11. Naruto
12. Princesses
13. Harry Potter
14. Aliens
15. Butterflies and Flowers

This 3-page form asks students to specifically rate their performance on the 6 components of effective effort on a given essay: TIME, FOCUS, RESOURCEFULNESS, USE OF STRATEGIES, USE OF FEEDBACK, and COMMITMENT. This product is modeled after teachings from The Skillful Teacher by Jon Saphier, Mary Ann Haley-Speca, and Robert Gower and encourages a growth mindset in students. I provide this form to my students every single time I assign a paper and am always pleasantly surprised at how honest they are in their responses, especially as the incentive for guessing their grade is 2 bonus points! ____________________________________________________________________________ Also, check out this great lesson plan for teaching Effective Effort by Language Arts Excellence: ⭐Effective Effort Lesson Plan ____________________________________________________________________________ ⭐Click to Follow Language Arts Excellence⭐

Inspire your students with our Leaf-Themed Writing Paper! Perfect for fall-themed activities, this fun apple-shaped design will make writing assignments more engaging. Featuring clip art leaves around the main shape, you can easily choose from six different line styles to suit your students' needs. Each style is also available with or without name and date lines for added convenience.

Free Apple Writing Paper!

Find Pumpkin Themed Writing Paper Here!

Check out my store for more themed writing paper!

This includes two Articles "The History of Narcissistic

Personality Disorder" and "Selfies, Facebook, and Narcissism: What's the Link? Exploring the link between Facebook and Narcissism" plus a graph titled "College Students' Narcissistic Personality Inventory Scores 1982-2006" . After reading these two articles students are given a prompt for an expository essay on narcissism. There is also an outline sheet included for students to use in order to help them organize their essay. Plus a rubric for easy grading of final essay.

***** Check out my other Writing Resources*****

Counterclaim and Rebuttal

Interactive Essay Writing Flipbook

Argumentative Essay

Writing Thesis Statements

Essay prompt and articles: Hurricanes

Essay prompt and articles: Colonization in Africa

NEW IN 2021: Rigorous! Thought-provoking! Discussion-Based! This 45-page EDITABLE poetry curriculum promises to elicit dynamic engagement from all students without compromising on intellectual rigor. The literary devices quizzes, discussion prompts, and analytical writing assignment will challenge your students to dig beneath the surface of the text and generate profound interpretive insights!!

Here are some highlights from this 45-page curriculum:

• 10 Poems by Langston Hughes: The 10 poems in this mini-unit feature Langston Hughe's BEST works of poetry: "The Negro Speaks of Rivers," "Mother to Son," "I, Too," "Theme for English B," "Let America Be America Again," "Harlem," and more. The poems are split between two homework packets, each of which features 5 poems. Each homework packet is followed by a classroom packet with discussion questions and quizzes related to the poems. (12 pages)

• Discussion Questions: This bundle features a list of discussion questions for the first poem in each of the homework packets. The discussion questions will ensure that every class discussion starts on a productive note. Every discussion question is grounded in concrete textual details and challenges students to arrive at lucid interpretive insights! The questions lend themselves to a range of different pedagogical uses: 1) to focus students’ thinking prior to beginning a discussion, 2) to prompt in-class writing, 3) to assign written reflections for homework, etc. Guaranteed to elicit student engagement and foster deep thinking! Answer keys included. (12 pages)

• Quick Writes: The quick writes give students an opportunity to capture and refine the best ideas generated in the discussion. Quick writes can also help reticent students to gather their thoughts so they'll feel ready and eager to contribute. (3 pages)

• Literary Devices Glossary: A glossary with definitions and examples of the various types of figurative language, imagery, stanzas, and syntactic devices. Many teachers already have a glossary of literary devices, but I'm providing this in case you need one. (2 pages)

• Literary Devices Quizzes: Open each class with a quiz of 10 questions to assess whether your students can accurately identify the literary devices used in the poems from the homework packets: metaphor, personification, symbolism, imagery, alliteration, etc. Answer keys included. (4 pages)

• Analytical Writing Assignment: Challenge students to take their interpretations one step further by writing an analytical paper on a poem of their choice. The assignment sheet contains detailed instructions for how to generate a formalist analysis of a poem (analyzing how the poem's formal features contribute to its meaning). This kind of formalist analysis is exactly what students are asked to generate on the AP Literature exam! Sample paper included. (3 pages)

The entire 45-page unit will come to you in two separate formats: Word doc *and* PDF. Because the Word doc is fully editable, you'll be able to modify the resource to suit your teaching style and/or the skill levels of your students — year after year! If you don't have Microsoft Word, you'll still be able to access the entire unit as a PDF file, which is easy to navigate and quick to print!

Because I believe that teachers should be able to see exactly what they'll be getting before they purchase, the preview for this resource allows viewing accesses to 30 pages. Click on the green "preview" button to see exactly what you’ll get. . . .

Thank you for choosing “Rigorous Resources”!!

Happy teaching!

Adam Jernigan, Ph.D.

adamjernigan@gmail.com

P.S. Don't forget to click “follow” for email updates on new products by Rigorous Resources. New products will be 50% OFF for the first 24 hours!

Show your students exactly how it should be done with this handy guide. Clear instructions, examples, and a page for their own notes!

This free resource goes perfect with the All Things English for Middle and High School Students book!

And check out these other resources!

• Defending Disney Villains
• Revising & Editing Workbook
• Revising & Editing for Group Lessons
• Bell Ringers for the Semester
• Everything Writing

Veteran’s Day Bundle

This three packet activity bundle has more than 50+ handouts to help students define, understand, and discuss the importance of Veteran’s Day.

Packet 1: Veteran’s Day Thank You Cards (English and Spanish)

Product Description

Pages: 23

Instill gratitude for our Armed Services with these 20 Veteran's Day Thank You Cards. Write a note of thanks, color images, fold, and give to make a veteran smile!

Includes a mix of English and Spanish gratitude phrases, black and white images to color, and one blank card for students to create their own Veteran's Day message. Highlights each branch of the Armed Services: Army, Marines, and Navy. Includes female and male armed services members.

Use as across curriculum government/history/social studies and ELA lesson, to practice fact-based letter/note writing skills, develop social skills, learn more about U.S. history, practice vocabulary, and meet local veterans in your community. Contact your local Veteran's of Foreign Wars (VFW) for a list of veterans in your area.

Packet 2: 30 Veteran’s Day Activities

Product Description

Pages: 32

30 activities to celebrate Veteran's Day! Coloring, lists, poems, writings, and more...for using critical thinking skills to learn about a national holiday.

Includes:

Democracy is...
Freedom is...
Liberty means...
The eagle is representative of...
Veteran's Day Speech
Map for listing no. of veterans/naming veterans
10 Ways to Thank a Veteran
Make your own dog-tags
Many faces of soldiers
Many roles of soldiers
What Veteran's Day means to me...
Thank you to a Veteran
My Message to a Veteran
Decorate the tombstone of a fallen soldier
Veteran Acrostic Poem
A Veteran's Poem
My favorite branch of armed services
My Pledge for Peace
Veteran's Day Maze
Veteran's Day Word Search
Women's roles in the Armed Services
How many words can you make from "veteran"
What will you do on Veteran's Day?
From a soldier's point of view: What Veteran's Day means...
The War Wall--fill in to make and display your own war wall

30 activities to help students acknowledge, appreciate, celebrate, and honor veterans and what the special day means.

Packet 3: Get Fit Action Story: A Veteran’s Day Celebration

Product Description

Pages: 15

What is Veterans Day? When does it fall each year? What kinds of celebrations honor our veterans? Students get an introduction and definition of Veterans Day, plus why it is different than Memorial Day. Then, get ready to join the parade! Play ball, watch fireworks, and thank a veteran for serving!

Get Fit Action Stories combine reading, sight words, listening, speaking, directions, and physical education into one assignment. It's a fun, physical learning adventure!

Action Words included:
1. salute
2. clap
3. Miss America wave
4. struts
5. moves a scepter up and down
6. twirl
7. toss
8. catch
9. plays a violin
10. toots a horn
11. beats a drum
12. pedal
13. flip hamburgers
14. toss salads
15. swing bats
16. hit homeruns
17. yells, “Ewwwww” then “Awwwww”
18. “Thank you!”
19. salute
20. “Happy Veterans Day!”

This three packet activity bundle with over 50+ handouts will encourage discussions, increase understanding, and reinforce meaning of Veteran’s Day.

This is a 33-page set of worksheets to help grade 4 students practice the R.A.C.E.S. Writing Strategy. The R.A.C.E.S. Writing Strategy (Restate, Answer, Cite, Explain, Summarize) is a method that students can use to write meaningful responses to questions about a written text.

There are 13 pages of worksheets which cover the following topics:

* Introduction

* Restate

* Answer

* Restate and Answer

* Cite the Text

* Explain

There are also 20 pages for students to practice the R.A.C.E.S. Writing Strategy. Each page has a short paragraph of text followed by one question for students to answer using the R.A.C.E.S. Writing Strategy.

The written texts included in this set of worksheets are related to world history.

More Worksheets for the R.A.C.E.S. Writing Strategy

This 3-page form asks students to specifically rate their performance on the 6 components of effective effort on a given essay: TIME, FOCUS, RESOURCEFULNESS, USE OF STRATEGIES, USE OF FEEDBACK, and COMMITMENT. This product is modeled after teachings from The Skillful Teacher by Jon Saphier, Mary Ann Haley-Speca, and Robert Gower and encourages a growth mindset in students. I provide this form to my students every single time I assign a paper and am always pleasantly surprised at how honest they are in their responses, especially as the incentive for guessing their grade is 2 bonus points! ____________________________________________________________________________ Also, check out this great lesson plan for teaching Effective Effort by Language Arts Excellence: ⭐Effective Effort Lesson Plan ____________________________________________________________________________ ⭐Click to Follow Language Arts Excellence⭐

This is an informational handout to help students who have problems writing effective introduction paragraphs. ***** Check out my other Writing Resources***** Writing Thesis Statements Counterclaim and Rebuttal Writing Graphic Organizers Interactive Essay Writing Flipbook Argumentative Essay Essay prompt and articles :Narcissism Essay prompt and articles: Hurricanes Essay prompt and articles: Colonization in Africa

Need help with organizing cause and effect essays? These 7 charts will guide students through planning and pre-writing cause and effect essays. Step-by-Step graphic organizers with note about cause and effect definitions, paragraph writing tip, and writing challenge to reorganize the essay on each handout.

Excellent for assessment practice, college test prep, standardized test prep, and expository writing. Helps build critical thinking skills. Meets state and federal ELA guidelines.

This is a 33-page set of worksheets to help grade 5 students practice the R.A.C.E.S. Writing Strategy. The R.A.C.E.S. Writing Strategy (Restate, Answer, Cite, Explain, Summarize) is a method that students can use to write meaningful responses to questions about a written text.

There are 13 pages of worksheets which cover the following topics:

* Introduction

* Restate

* Answer

* Restate and Answer

* Cite the Text

* Explain

There are also 20 pages for students to practice the R.A.C.E.S. Writing Strategy. Each page has a short paragraph of text followed by one question for students to answer using the R.A.C.E.S. Writing Strategy.

The written texts included in this set of worksheets are related to world history.

More Worksheets for the R.A.C.E.S. Writing Strategy

Includes prompts for writing informative and argumentative essays. Also includes writing powerpoints, outlines, and rubrics

Expository and creative writings abound with these real life, fact based connections to ELA, history, and science! Fun, creative, and educational, yet uses critical thinking skills to introduce 10 Kids Who Changed the World through coloring format handouts with 20 writing activities. Kids: Ryan Hreljac, Ryan's Well Foundation for clean water for kids Malala Yousafzai, education for girls in Pakistan Ryan White, HIV/AIDS foundation for kids Anne Frank, Holocaust author Louis Braille, inventor of Braille Olivia Hallisey, inventor of new Ebola virus vaccine Jacob Barnett, expanded Einstein's Theory of Relativity & founder of Jacob's Place for kids with autism Cassandra Lin, inventor of process for recycling cooking oil for heat David Zhao, creator of Instruments for Change Alexandra Scott, Alex's Lemonade Stand for kids with cancer Writing Handouts Include: genre explanations advertising blog writing Braille writing brainstorming activities charts for business writing and KWL cause and effect writing diary writing informative writing governmental act writing letter writing listing marketing medical/business flow chart personal narrative writing persuasive writing poetry writing secret code writing service learning project map symbolism using chronological/sequential/time order using transitions Fact Based, Real Life Topics Include: bullying benefits of.... business planning climate change community service communication skills goal setting and meeting goals handicap guidelines and regulations hobbies/talents ethical/moral choices, decisions, and outcomes government acts to improve quality of life influential people in students' lives personal strengths point of view of kids who changed the world sensitive medical topics: Asbergers, autism, bullying, cancer, HIV/AIDS, Holocaust service learning setting up a non-profit organization survival & techniques reflection on school and learning Excellent for across curriculum writing connections, discussions and debates, homeschool, flipped classes, teaching empathy, teaching real life application, introducing career and workforce connections, introducing service learning projects, and student assessment of writing genres and writing skills. Please note that sensitive topics are included in this lesson plan. Unique, unusual, and fun interactive writing assignments! Cooperative learning with an emphasis on social skills! Can be used with Christian based curriculums. Like this format for learning? Then, try: American Revolution Comic Book Writing Galveston Juneteenth Oklahoma Land Rush Texas History 1 & 2 Remember the Alamo Spindletop Gusher

This is a 33-page set of worksheets to help grade 6 students practice the R.A.C.E.S. Writing Strategy. The R.A.C.E.S. Writing Strategy (Restate, Answer, Cite, Explain, Summarize) is a method that students can use to write meaningful responses to questions about a written text.

There are 13 pages of worksheets which cover the following topics:

* Introduction

* Restate

* Answer

* Restate and Answer

* Cite the Text

* Explain

There are also 20 pages for students to practice the R.A.C.E.S. Writing Strategy. Each page has a short paragraph of text followed by one question for students to answer using the R.A.C.E.S. Writing Strategy.

The written texts included in this set of worksheets are related to world history.

More Worksheets for the R.A.C.E.S. Writing Strategy