The following mini-lessons were created by middle grades preservice teachers in RE 3150 (Language Arts in the Middle Grades). The mini-lessons on this particular page are craft mini-lessons. Craft mini-lessons are those that address techniques, styles, genres, authors, and works of literature (In the Middle, Atwell 1998)
| Make Your Point Using Dialect | a lesson on dialect | Jessica Epley | Word doc. |
| Literary Genres | a lesson that allows students to become aware of the various genres and share them with the class | Johnny Morris | Word doc. |
| Science Fiction - Genre | a lesson to introduce students to the genre of Science Fiction Literature together with appropriate and real-life parallels for relating its study to future technological advances and corresponding ethical implications
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Patty Blair | Word doc. |
| Effective Feedback | a lesson to help students learn how to help their peers by giving good feedback | Emily Hyatt | Word doc. |
| What Are Graphic Novels? | a literary craft lesson introducing students to the genre of graphic novels |
Caroline Bond | Word doc. |
| Brainstorming | a lesson to help students develop ideas for "Free Write Friday" | Amber Robinson | Word doc. |
| "Oh no, not poetry" | a lesson to help students examine expressive, critical, and/or informational communication | Vic Wilcox | Word doc. |
| Getting Started | a lesson to get students thinking about writing about issues of social justice | Carrie Goodnight | Word doc. |
| Revision and Edit Methods | a lesson to teach students how to revise and edit with self and peer |
Amanda Holley | Word doc. |
| Capturing the Moment | a lesson on the importance of description | Amy Wilkins | Word doc. |
| Self-Conferencing | a lesson for middle grades students on conferring with yourself | Amanda Huffman | Word doc. |
| Character Development | a lesson to help students understand the importance of character development in popular writing and in their own writing | Allyson Purser | Word doc. |
| Focusing Content in Poetry | a lesson that directs students to focus content in poetry | Casey Robinson | Word doc. |
| Setting | a lesson on how setting can by used in a story | Jeanie Boyette | Word doc. |
| A Picture of Many Words | a lesson to encourage students to learn to write descriptively | Gloria Batz | Word doc. |
| Similes and Metaphors in Poetry | a lesson about how similes and metaphors are used to create imagery and eloquence in poetry
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Cheri Maynard | Word doc. |
| Making Sentences Better/Excellent | a lesson designed to help students write more descriptive sentences | Chris Turner | Word doc. |
| Transition Words | a lesson to help students use transitional phrases correctly and effectively (to add logical flow to their writing) | Joyce Jarrard | Word doc. |
| Editing Versus Revision | a lesson to teach sixth graders the differences between editing and revision | Suzanne Ingram | Word doc. |
| Painting Vivid Word Pictures | a lesson to help beginning writers see the importance of using a whole "pallet" of colorful words when they write 1. Set of pictures to use with lesson as a PowerPoint presentation or overhead transparencies |
Marshia Shutt | Word doc. |
| On the Spot: Public Speaking/Discussion Drama | a lesson to help students become more comfortable with public speaking through the activity of discussion drama | Kathy Jhugdeo | Word doc. |
| Clarity in Writing | a lesson to teach students that good application of grammar and language usage can make their writing clear to their audience | Aaron Bridges | Word doc. |
| What Makes a Main Character | a lesson to set the groundwork for the readings a student will be assigned and any readings a student does outside of class | Adam Pyles | Word doc. |
| Rhyme Scheme | a lesson to familiarize students with the concept of rhyme scheme in poetry and understand its importance and use |
Rachel Wood | Word doc. |
| Guidelines for a Persuasive Paper | a lesson to help students refine their understanding and use of argument | Joseph Mark Warner | Word.doc |
| Alliterations | a lesson to introduce students to the concept of alliteration and allow them to practice alliterations themselves | Amy Steelman | Word doc. |
| Bookmarking: Effective Note-taking | a lesson to teach students a valuable and effective way of taking notes before, during, and after their reading | Kate Pascoe | Word doc. |
| Using Flashbacks to Enhance Writing | a lesson to expose students to the definition and examples of flashback, as well as having the students start an ongoing list of flashback transitions | Nancy Knox | Word doc. |
| Genres | a lesson to introduce students to the genres of writing | Meredith Hendery | Word doc. |
| Says Who? A Lesson in Point of View | a lesson to teach students how important point of view is while reading various types of genres | Lauren Johnson | Word.doc |
| Put Some Spice in it! | a lesson to show students how prepositional phrases can vary consecutive sentences that start with the same word and to show students how varying their words/phrases can improve their writing to make it more interesting and inviting to read | Lisa Clontz | Word doc |
| Symbolism and Poetry | a lesson to teach the concept of symbolism in serving to introduce elements of abstract thinking | Donna Miller | Word doc |
| Giving
an Effective Booktalk |
a lesson in which students will learn the elements that make up a good Booktalk and how to covey these elements effectively to their audience | Jane Crouse | Word doc |
| a lesson in which students will be able to interpret and evaluate a picture and work together in a group in order to contribute to the writing of a paragraph | Shawn Reavis-Long | Word doc | |
| Making Transitions: Writing Research and Non-Fiction | a lesson to teach students that as writers of research and nonfiction, it is their responsibility to give the reader linguistic cues and to set up logical expectations within the piece |
Susie Overwyk. | Word doc |
| Let’s Spice It Up | a lesson to show students how a variety of sentences can make a piece of writing come alive and flow better | Melinda Kennedy | Word doc |
| Endings and Conclusions | a lesson to help students employ a wide range of strategies as they write to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes | Felicia Burgess | Word doc |
| Creating an Interesting Title | a lesson to help students brainstorm and create more interesting titles for their writing | Elizabeth Rudicill | Word doc |
| Fiction Genres | a lesson to enable students to identify types of fiction as they select books for reading | Debbie Epps | Word doc |
| Hyperbole | a lesson to define hyperbole, examine how it is used in literature, and discuss how students can use it to enhance their writing | Celine Ellison | Word doc |
|
How to Write a News Article (“straight” news or “hard” news) |
a lesson that provides students with a basic method for writing news articles,
understanding objective informational writing, and organizing factual information
in a style used for news writing
|
Tina Annas | |
| Effective Writing, Support and Elaboration | a lesson to emphasize support and elaboration as elements of effective writing | Amber Strack | Word doc |
| a lesson to help students distinguish and translate between news stories and narratives
|
Adrienne Early | ||
| Show, Don't Tell | a lesson to help students recognize descriptive words in writing and how to use descriptive words in their own writing | Ryan Thomas | Word doc |
| Name that Tone | a lesson using music to teach students the meaning of an author's tone | Anna Spence | Word doc |
| Say What? | a lesson to show students how to use context clues to determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary in their reading | Anna Spence | Word doc |
| Genres | a lesson to help students recognize the different genres in reading and the characteristics of each genre | Charlee Nall | Word doc |
| a lesson where students develop their own list of writing territories to help them find topics on which to write | AnnaMarie Head |
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| A Fiction Writer's Decision | a lesson to explore and analyze information from a variety of sources | Chandra Patton | Word doc |
| Having a Conference with Yourself | a lesson to help students revise their own drafts | Cynthia Barnett | Word doc |
| Show Me, Don't Tell Me | a lesson to help students write descriptive paragraphs | Melissa Cook | Word doc |
| Metaphorically Speaking | a lesson about how to recognize metaphors in poetry and then apply them in writing | Matthew Leggat | Word doc |
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