Middle School Writing-Expository Handouts (by date, latest first)

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 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.

For each week in the WonderWorks Interactive Worktext for Grade Five, 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 Five in order to answer the questions in these worksheets.

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.

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 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

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

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.

Celebrate Earth Day with 40 pages of Earth Day related images for writing fact-based poems and prose.

Includes:

5 title pages

Directions with optional activities

30 Earth Day graphics (earth, recycle, alternative energy, pollution, and more!)

5 The End pages

Great for Civics, Government, Social Studies, and meets ELA standards.

Use as:

Individual poems/prose writings

On-demand writing

Practice concepts/skills from mini-lessons

Practice peer workshopping strategies

Publishing opportunities

Celebration of Earth Day

See Educator Helper's other Earth Day products!

Free weekly handout at www.bethhammett.blogspot.com

Do students need help understanding cause and effect? These cause and effect activities offer reinforcement and practice to produce great student essays.Step-by-step and easy-to-follow cause and effect activities include: Relationship Word Chart Fill-in-the-Blank Pearl Harbor Essay Activity 2 Fill-in-the Blank Organizers for Pearl Harbor 2 Cause and Effect Graphic Organizers for Generic History Writing 1 Pearl Harbor Cause & Effect Essay Assignments with Pre-writing 1 Generic History Cause & Effect Essay Assignment/Pre-writing Meets state and federal guidelines for ELA; meets state history guidelines. Help students easily understand cause and effect with this Pearl Harbor/generic history packet with visual graphic organizers. Use for test preparation and standardized test practice.

Ready for a road trip? My Road Trip to the Top Ten National U.S. Parks lets you think about and plan to visit the top ten U.S. national parks:

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Grand Canyon National Park

Yosemite National Park

Yellowstone National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park

Olympic National Park

Zion Canyon National Park

Grand Teton National Park

Acadia National Park

Glacier National Park

35 pages of fact-based fun and interesting facts, such as how many visitors pass through parks and scenic and wildlife information, along with where each park is located. Note park spellings are based on National Park Service website for student research purposes.

Includes:

Directions with Ideas for Implementation and for Assessment

Includes writing prompts, diorama, research ideas, and more...

Research and Writing Components

Math and Science Skills Connections

Info Sheet Handout with Junior Ranger Motto and core values of the

National Park Service

My Road Trip U.S. Map to plot itineraries

My Road Trip Mileage Chart for incorporating math skills

Location of Parks

Established Dates of Parks

Sizes of Parks

Scenic Beauty coloring sheet for each park

Scenic Beauty facts

Fact Boxes to add visitor/researched info

Fun Sheet to List the Top 5 places to visit in each park

Record Yearly Temperatures and Averages (Science)

Best Time to Visit

Best Features

Excellent across curriculum lesson plan that encourages critical thinking and planning skills for a fun U.S. national parks road trip! Students who have visited listed parks can be class experts as the lesson plan progresses.

Meets CCSS.

Need a great accompanying packet?

Try "Dialects of the U.S." at Educator Helper storefront.

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.

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.

The first Friday in June is National Doughnut Day! Celebrate the day with this across-curriculum packet of fun-filled, critical thinking activities. Includes: Advertisement writing and designing Business Planning Handout and Rationale Crossword Puzzle with answers (quick assessment) Doughnut Designing Contest History Timeline Making Donuts Presentation with Research Survey with Chart/Graph and Explanation Vocabulary/Spelling Activity Writing Prompts (Expository) Great way to incorporate CCSS history, economics, home ec, and English skills.

Based on Ray Salazaar's Article, "If You Teach the 5-Paragraph Essay--Stop It", uses College Board and Common Core Standards to guide students through building a well-written persuasive essay. Whether 5-paragraphs or 50-pages,the format works for fact or research based papers. Includes Chart Checklist Definitions Writing Guides Examples Peer workshopping component Extra Resources: Links to Sample Essays... 16 interactive slides to guide students through the research writing process: thesis writing, working with and using background information, evidence supported facts/research, writing an effective conclusion. Helps build critical thinking and writing skills. Can be used with G/T, Pre-AP, AP, developmental/entry college level courses. Everything needed to produce a well-written, researched essay.

High interest, critical thinking, on-demand writing prompts that include research based facts and references for citations. Great for college and career rigor standards with fact-based, textual evidence writings. Use as individual handouts or for whole group prompts. Includes: Aliens Bigfoot Chupacabra Ghosts Lochness Monster Mermaids Mothman Vampires Werewolves Zombies Fun, on-demand expository, informational, or persuasive prompts that stimulate creative, critical thinking writings! Great for discussions and debates, too. Meets CCSS.

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

New standardized tests, such as ACT and SAT, ask students to define the problem, sort through solutions, find the best solution, and explain why they chose their answers. This free graphic organizer will help students with working through the process!

Get students thinking about presidential elections and political campaign promises with 16 handouts that generate higher level learning.The journal-like prompts include historical facts that will have students wondering, "What if.I was president..?" Social issues to write about include:

family issues

government growth

importing goods

internet issues

laws and rules

leadership style

national debt

national security

social security

space exploration

succession

transportation problems

war

world peace

There are sixteen famous presidents, with their greatest accomplishments. Included are: Adams, Bush, Clinton, Cleveland, Coolidge, Eisenhower, Jackson, Johnson, Kennedy, Lincoln, Nixon, Reagan, Roosevelt,Washington

Includes Extra Resources (videos, web-links) and Ideas for Use in the classroom.

Can be used with English, Government, History classes.

Everything students need to know about Abraham Lincoln! And,written in comic book format that comes with a second set of pages that have blank text boxes for students to paraphrase/summarize/research then fill-in facts. Includes: Early Life: Birth, School, Manhood, Death of Mom, Step-Mother Young Adult Years: Employment, Politics Famous Quotes Law License John Todd Stuart, First Law Partner Mary Todd Lincoln & Marriage Four Sons (Birth & Death) Political Timelines Speeches (House Divided, 2 Inaugural Speeches,Gettysburg Address, Last Address) Political Slogans Noah Brooks' reporter's viewpoint Black Hawk War Civil War Ford Theater Death Fun, easy, interactive way to learn facts about Abraham Lincoln, his life and political career. Can be used for ELA, history, social studies, as well as plays, bulletin boards, posters, etc... Meets CCSS fact-based, non-fiction standards.

Have students write their own expository, fact-based newspaper articles and complete their own entertainment reviews with Talkin' Turkey Times. Plenty of templates for students to: draw pictures work on grammar skills work on spelling/vocabulary write themed articles paste related images (great for lower levels/extensions) practice main ideas write headings write titles form topic sentences work on paraphrasing/summarizing develop paragraphing skills work on proofreading/editing Easy to use, and great for bulletin board displays during Thanksgiving. Send home for students to complete with Thanksgiving memories while on holiday break. Great assessment tool and meets Common Core Standards.