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Language Arts - Secondary Curriculum English Language Arts Grades 9-10 (2023)
Lesson Plans

Writing (9-10.W)

Students will learn to write for a variety of tasks, purposes, and audiences using appropriate grammar/conventions, syntax, and style.

Standard 9-10.W.3:

Write narrative texts to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-structured event sequences, well-chosen details, and provide a resolution that connects to what is experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative.
  • Acting Out Student Stories with Robots
    A brief guide to engaging students in narrative writing by having them program robots to act out their stories.
  • Analyzing and Comparing Medieval and Modern Ballads
    Students explore the ballads genre by reading medieval ballads to deduce their characteristics, acting out the ballads, comparing medieval and modern ballads using Venn diagrams, and composing their own ballads.
  • Animating Poetry: Reading Poems about the Natural World
    The purpose of this project is two-fold: first, to encourage students to make the reading of poetry a creative act; and, second, to help students appreciate particular literary devices in their functions as semaphores or interpretive signals. Those devices that are about the imagery of a poem (metaphor, simile, personification, description) can be thought of as magnifying glasses: we see most clearly that upon which the poet focuses our gaze. Similarly, those poetic devices that are about the sound of the poem (alliteration, consonance, enjambment, onomatopoeia, and repetition) can be thought of as volume buttons or amplifiers: we hear most clearly what the poet makes us listen to most attentively.
  • Balance Action in Your Writing with Thoughts and Emotions
    A story with all action and not enough reflection sounds childish and lacks depth. But a story that is all reflective thoughts and emotions can bore a reader and run the risk of not teling a story at all. Today?s mini move will help us think about the see-sawing effect of balancing actions with thoughts and emotions so that our story has the perfect amount of both!
  • Book Reports
    This lesson plan meets the secondary requirements for The Engish Language Arts Standard Reading: Literature Grades 7-12 with the option of meeting the additional standard of Speaking and Listening. This lesson offers specific details with flexibility for implementation in the classroom. Students can work independently or in groups and be able to create their final book project using technology. 
  • Digital Storytelling
    Students create a digital story about their life or a relative's life. This is done while reading a memoir. 
  • How to Paint a Picture with Details in Your Writing
    Often the difference between a drab, lifeless personal narrative and an engaging, lively one is the use of concrete details. In this video, we will learn about how concrete details help us take the guesswork out of reading our narrative while showing our unique voice and perspective.
  • How to Write Complete Sentences & When to Break the Rule
    Writing complete sentences is harder than you might think, and it?s a fundamental writing skill that?s worthy of review. In this video, you?ll learn about what makes a complete sentence, tips for making sure your sentences are complete, and circumstances in which writers break this rule effectively.
  • Parallel Structure Quotes
    In this lesson, students will learn about parallel structure and various types of phrases in writing, as well as how to use Adobe Creative Cloud Express to create visually appealing images that incorporate text. Students will apply these skills by creating images that use parallel structure and different types of phrases in their text overlays. The lesson can be done asynchronously or synchronously and in-person or online. It should take approximately 89 minutes. The author of this lesson is Dany Macias. The image is from Adobe Creative Cloud Express. 
  • The Life and Poetry of Phillis Wheatley
    Phillis Wheatley was born around the year 1753 in West Africa before she was kidnapped and brought to the West Indies where she was enslaved. In 1773, the same year she became free from enslavement, she became the first African American and first enslaved person in American history to publish a book of poems. In this lesson, students imagine that a possible meeting between George Washington and Wheatley in 1776 actually occurred and compose questions for them both. Access to this resource requires a free educator login.
  • Write an If-Then Adventure Story
    Student learn to create an if-then adventure story using Google Applied Digital Skills
  • Writers' Favorite Way to Start a Personal Essay
    Beginning any piece of writing is a challenge, but it is particularly harrowing to begin a personal essay. Many writers use the same strategy: a scene drop. In this video, we?ll look at three mentor texts in which writers use the strategy of dropping readers directly into the thick of the story with pairs of actions. It?s a no-fail way to engage your reader and kick off your personal statement.
  • iPad Lesson- Fairy Tale Book
    This is a lesson plan is narrative writing assessment that uses fairy tales and children's books. 


UEN logo http://www.uen.org - in partnership with Utah State Board of Education (USBE) and Utah System of Higher Education (USHE).  Send questions or comments to USBE Specialist - Naomi  Watkins and see the Language Arts - Secondary website. For general questions about Utah's Core Standards contact the Director - Jennifer  Throndsen.

These materials have been produced by and for the teachers of the State of Utah. Copies of these materials may be freely reproduced for teacher and classroom use. When distributing these materials, credit should be given to Utah State Board of Education. These materials may not be published, in whole or part, or in any other format, without the written permission of the Utah State Board of Education, 250 East 500 South, PO Box 144200, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-4200.