Minilessons

How do I use minilessons in my classroom?

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Minilessons

Do you want quick lessons that teach concepts or skills? Each 10-15 minute minilesson presents a concept and engages students in an activity. Minilessons are optimized to display on your interactive whiteboard, smart phone, or anything in between.

Writing
21st Century Skills
Social-Emotional Learning

Adjusting Your Writing Voice

Adjust voice for audience and purpose.

Analyze the Communication Situation

Think of the sender, message, medium, receiver, and context.

Analyzing the Medium of a Message

Improve students' media literacy.

Analyzing with a Cause-Effect Chart

Analyze causes and effects of any topic.

Analyzing with a Line Diagram

Analyze parts of a topic with a line diagram.

Photo of a blue exam book

Analyzing Writing Prompts

Practice studying the parts of a test prompt.

Asking and Answering the 5 W's and H Questions

Teach students to collect key details.

Asking Bigger and Better Questions

Teach students to form better questions.

twin sheep in a field

Avoiding Double Subjects

Help students avoid double subjects.

Choosing the Right Coordinating Conjunction

Learn how to choose precise connecting words.

Closely Read with SQ3R

Closely read with SQ3R.

An image of the planet Venus

Combining Choppy Sentences

Combine sentences for better flow.

Abraham Lincoln

Comparing Myself to a President

Compare yourself to a president.

Comparing with a Venn Diagram

Analyze similarities and differences.

a tree blown over by strong wind

Confusing “Its” and “It’s”

Help students sort out its and it's.

Image of the underground railroad

Correcting Capitalization 1

Correct capitalization.

Plane taking off

Correcting Capitalization 2

Correct capitalization.

California landscape

Correcting End Punctuation

Insert end punctuation in the paragraph.

A tornado in a field

Correcting Subject-Verb Agreement 1

Make subjects and verbs agree in number.

Bison walking on the snow

Correcting Subject-Verb Agreement 2

Make subjects and verbs agree in number.

Creating a Dialogue Journal

Engage in a written conversation.

Creating Command Sentences

Help students build command sentences.

Emergency Medical Response Flowchart

Creating Flowcharts

Chart a process.

Computer Lab Pie Graph

Creating Pie Graphs

Teach how to make a pie graph.

black and white bow tie tuxedo

Deciding When to Use Formal and Informal Language

Match language with purpose and audience.

Developing an Opinion Statement

Develop a main claim.

Illustration of boy writing his name in a frosty window

Discovering Narrative Strategies

Use shared inquiry to develop personal narratives.

Discovering Rules for Their, There, and They’re

Use shared inquiry to learn their, there, and they're.

Stick figure contemplating apples vs oranges

Distinguishing Argumentation from Persuasion

Study argumentation/persuasion.

Drawing a Life Map

Help students gather ideas for narratives.

Elaborating Ideas Using Different Levels of Details

Teach elaboration with levels of detail.

Elaborating Ideas with Compound Sentences

Learn how to add new details to sentences.

Cheeseburger cooking on a flaming grill

Elaborating in a Food Review

Help students practice elaboration.

Cheerleaders at a high school football game

Elaborating Sentences

Add detail to sentences.

Egyptian Deities Cigarette Ad

Evaluating Advertisements

Evaluate advertisements.

Evaluating Sources of Information

Evaluating Sources of Information

Evaluate sources with a checklist.

Evaluating with a Pro-Con Chart

Analyze good and bad with a pro-con chart.

Image of the liberty bell

Fixing Run-On Sentences

Correct run-on sentences.

Picture of Dorothea Dix

Fixing Sentence Fragments

Fix sentence fragments.

illustration of squirrel looking through a telescope

Forming a Focus

Help students write strong focus statements.

Forming a Thesis Statement

Focus on part of your topic.

Forming Pronouns: Possessives and Contractions

Teach possessives and contractions.

girl freewriting

Freewriting for Writing Topics

Have students freewrite for topic ideas.

Searching for Workplace Idioms

Idiom Safari

Find idioms on the Internet.

If I Were a President's Pet

Imagine being a president's pet.

If I Were President

If I Were President

Think about being president.

Young adult writing on a notepad

Keeping a Learning Log

Tips for starting and maintaining a learning log.

Literal Idioms

Use idioms literally in a sentence.

Making the Abstract Concrete

Make Abstract Ideas Concrete

Make concrete representations of abstract ideas.

Aristotle Statue

Making Rhetorical Appeals

Appeal to ethos, logos, and pathos.

Malapropism Mania!

Find and fix malapropisms.

One-Month Miracles

Devise creative solutions for impossible tasks.

Pilots interacting in a plane cockpit

Performing "Systems Checks" of Your Writing

Help students self-evaluate their writing.

Performing a Stop 'n' Write

Pause and reflect on your reading or learning.

Pun-ishing Idioms

Create puns using literal idioms.

Punctuating Dialogue

Teach quotation marks with end punctuation.

Listening and Note Taking

Rate Your Listening

Take a listening survey.

Reading as a Writer

Reading as a Writer

Learn how to discover writing strategies from reading models.

Photo of two young girls sledding

Replacing Dull Verbs with Vivid Verbs

Energize students' writing with vivid verbs.

Illustration of sleeping dog

Replacing General Nouns with Specific Nouns

Identify and replace general nouns.

Selecting Topics

Selecting Topics with the Basics of Life

Use broad subjects to find specific topics.

Stamp of Mark Twain

Sentence Modeling with the Masters

Practice sentence modeling.

Marie Curie Time Line

Sequencing with a Time Line

Use time lines for critical thinking.

Illustration of boy reading giant book

Sharing Fiction with a Partner

Use shared inquiry to read fiction.

Using the Right Word

Spell the Right Word

Practice spelling and usage.

Starting a Journal

Help students begin journal writing.

Photo of a runner crouching at the starting line of a track

Starting Stories: 5 Great Beginning Strategies

Practice five strategies for starting a story.

Summarizing Ideas in a Nutshell

Practice one-sentence summaries.

Thinking About a Process

Prepare students for how-to or process writing.

Gathering Context Clues

Understanding Context Clues

Learn about context clues for vocabulary.

Understanding the Plot Line

Understand the plot line.

Usage Mnemonics

Create memory aids for usage.

Using 5 Critical Thinking Strategies

Use this video to help students think critically.

Response Sheet Example

Using a Peer Response Sheet

Teach students to write peer responses.

Illustration of a flying fish jumping over a boy in a rowboat

Using Anecdotes in Formal Writing

Add a narrative touch to formal writing.

Open book with imaginary landscape

Using Apostrophes in Contractions and Possessives

Use apostrophes with contractions and possessives.

Using Commas in a Series

Use commas in series.

Using Commas in Dates and Addresses

Use commas in dates and addresses.

Rain on a window

Using Commas with Numbers and Interjections

Use commas with numbers and interjections.

Using Context Clues

Learn new words with context clues.

Lights at field

Using Hyphens with Compounds and Fractions

Use hyphens in compounds and fractions.

Colorful fabric from a southwestern rug

Using Numbers

Use numbers correctly.

parallel yellow stripes on road

Using Parallel Structure

Teach students to write using parallel structure.

tennis racket, badminton racket, shuttlecock, tennis ball

Using PAST to Understand Assignments

Teach students to analyze writing assignments.

Using Perspective Shifting to Imagine History

Help students gain a historical viewpoint.

illustration of girl writing and thinking

Using Perspective Shifting to Persuade Readers

Help students see from readers' perspectives.

illustration of girl and boy working together

Using Perspective Shifting to Understand Others

Help students improve empathy.

Gollum paddling in underground river

Using Quotation Marks

Use quotation marks with titles and quotations.

Using Signal Phrases

Smoothy integrate sources in your writing.

an image of the recycling symbol

Using the Right Word

Use the right word.

illustration of a clock character holding a pencil

Using Time-Order Transitions

Teach about chronological transitions.

a line of apples transition from unfocused to focused

Using Transitions to Add Information and Emphasis

Help students add information and emphasis.

Words in the Wild

Words in the Wild

Search the Web for correct usage.

Comparing Apples to Oranges

Would You Rather?

Practice usage with a game.

A GROUP OF MEN AND WOMEN, WITH A GUIDE, WHITEWATER RAFTING ON THE PATATE RIVER, ECUADOR

Writing a "Showing" Paragraph

Help students show instead of tell.

Two ice skaters glide along a frozen river

Writing a 5 W’s Story

Help students write realistic stories.

Writing a Diary of a Famous Figure

Have students creatively narrate.

Kascinski's World Famous Hot Dog Stand Plaque

Writing a Family Story and Historical Marker

Inspire students to write family stories.

Image of plates and silverware

Writing a Four-Star Food Review

Use this prompt to spark students' creativity.

Writing a Historical Dialogue

Create a dialogue with a historical figure.

Writing a List Poem

Learn how to write a list poem.

Dalmatian dog lifts his head up and sniffs

Writing a Tumble-Down Poem

Help students write a free-verse poem.

Vintage symbols of various arts

Writing an Arts & Performance Review

Review a song, dance, poem, or piece of artwork.

smartphone in female hands taking photo

Writing an InstaMemory

Help students narrate and describe.

Creepy old house in the woods

Writing Back-and-Forth Stories

Inspire students to collaborate in writing.

A GROUP OF MEN AND WOMEN, WITH A GUIDE, WHITE WATER RAFTING ON THE PATATE RIVER, ECUADOR

Writing Descriptions That "Show" Instead of "Tell"

Teach students to use sensory details.

Illustration of a notebook and pencil

Writing Freely and Rapidly

Teach student to freewrite for ideas.

Writing: Now how do I get out of this one?

Assign this prompt to spark students' creativity.

Minilessons Writing

Minilessons 21st Century Skills

Minilessons Social-Emotional Learning