Middle School Lesson Plans

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    • Computer

  • Creating a Short Story
  • In this lesson, students will write a story on the computer. Then, they can illustrate it by using shapes or a drawing program.
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    • Geography

  • Word Scramble - Bodies of Water
  • In this lesson, students will have a word scramble of some of the bodies of water in the world. They will unscramble the letters.
  • Word Scramble - Continents
  • In this lesson, students will have a worksheet of words they have to unscramble to form the continents.
  • Writing a Secret Message - Geography
  • In this lesson, students will select a specific area in geography where they will read and study. Then, they will write a secret message about that area for students to guess. They can read about their area and write their secret message at home, and then present it in class.
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    • History

  • American History Review
  • The purpose of this lesson is to review important events in American history from its discovery to present day.
  • The States and Capitals - Part One
  • In this lesson, students have to write the capital beside the state. This lesson is in two parts.
  • The States and Capitals - Part Two
  • In this lesson, students have to write the capital beside the state.
  • Writing a Biography - Helen Keller
  • Students will write a biography of Helen Keller. This lesson will take more than one class period. You can have them do the research during a class period, and then have them write their paper at home or during class the following day.
  • Writing a Historical Fiction Story
  • In this lesson, students will choose some period of history and write a fictional story, but the facts of history need to be true.
  • Writing a Short Story - History
  • Students will choose a period of history that they have studied so far and find interesting. Then, they will write a short story with the setting in that period of history. Students can do the research and rough draft of their short story at home, and then they can write the final short story in class.
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    • Language

  • Alphabetizing Words Beginning with R and S
  • Students will learn to put words in alphabetical order. This lesson can also be used for fourth and fifth graders.
  • Commas and Semi-Colons
  • This lesson plan is on commas and semi-colons. I have a study sheet that you can use to explain these punctuation marks. I also have a worksheet for you to use with her students.
  • Finding Misspelled Words
  • This lesson will have a worksheet of words that are misspelled.
  • Humorous Story Featuring Clowns
  • In this lesson, students will write a humorous story featuring clowns in a circus setting.
  • Periods, Question Marks, and Exclamation Points
  • This lesson includes punctuation marks such as periods, question marks, and exclamation points. I have a study sheet and worksheet for you to use with the students.
  • Using a Thesaurus
  • In this lesson, students will learn to use a Thesaurus. They will have a worksheet of words that they are to look up and find other words that they can use in place of the given words. They will also write sentences for each new word.
  • Vocabulary Songs
  • This procedure allows students to learn vocabulary in an alternate way, one that is less threatning yet still provides the repition needed to learn new vocabulary. It also provides students a chance work with their musical intelligence.
  • Writing - Story Ideas
  • Students will write a short story using one of the ideas listed in this lesson plan.
  • Writing a Descriptive Paragraph
  • For this lesson, students will write a descriptive paragraph on the topic of their choice from the list I provided in this lesson.
  • Writing a How-To Paper
  • For this lesson, students will write a how-to paper on a topic that I have listed in this lesson plan.
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    • Literature

  • Comparison and Contrast - Two Short Stories
  • For this lesson, students will write a comparison and contrast paper about two short stories they read by Edgar Allan Poe. This can also be done in class and as a homework assignment.
  • Essay on Themes
  • In this lesson, you will write an essay on a theme of The Call of the Wild by Jack London.
  • Figurative Language - Part Two
  • In this lesson, students will write a paragraph for each term they wrote definitions for in Part One.
  • Figurative Language - Part One
  • Students will look up Figurative Language terms and write the definitions of each term and sentences.
  • Giving an Oral Book Report
  • In this lesson, students are to give a book report on their favorite book. They will also submit a written book report. This lesson will take more than one class period. It depends on how many students you have
  • Guess the Author - Using Pseudonyms
  • In this lesson, students will write a descriptive paragraph about themselves without revealing their physical description. They will sign their papers with a pseudonym so that nobody will know their identity except for themselves. This will take more than one class period to complete.
  • King Arthur - How He Became King
  • This lesson is about King Arthur. It covers the section, "The Winning of Kinghood," in the book, "The Story of King Arthur and His Knights" by Howard Pyle.
  • Understanding Flashback
  • Students will write a short story using flashback to see if they understand how to use the term.
  • Understanding the Elements of Fiction
  • This is a lesson plan on the elements of fiction. Students will have a study sheet and a worksheet to do independently.
  • Writing a Biography - Mark Twain
  • Students will write a biography of Mark Twain. This lesson is for middle school age students, but fifth graders could do this, too.
  • Writing A Fable
  • In this lesson, students are to write a fable.
  • Writing A Summary - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
  • Students will select a topic from a list I have included in this lesson. The topics include short stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. This lesson will take more than one hour because the students will have to read the short story and then write a summary about it.
  • Writing a Tall Tale
  • In this lesson, students will read a tall tale. Then, they will write a tall tale of their choice. This lesson will take more than one class period to do. You can have the students read the Tall Tale at home and write their paper in class.
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    • Other

  • An Amusing Speech
  • In this lesson, you will tell the students they are to think of an amusing speech and tell it to the class. This speech will be about an amusing event in their lives.
  • Essay - What Does Thanksgiving Mean To Me?
  • In this lesson, students will write a Thanksgiving Day Essay. They will answer the question: "What Does Thanksgiving Mean To Me?"
  • Finding Words - Christmas Is The Season To Give To Others
  • In this lesson, students will find words in the following phrase: Christmas is the season to give to others.
  • New Year's Eve Worksheet
  • In this lesson, students will write a list of goals they want to do for next year. They will also write down how they want to accomplish those goals. This lesson plan can be used for high school students, too.
  • What Does Christmas Mean To Me?
  • In this lesson, students will write a Christmas Essay. They will answer the question: What Does Christmas Mean To Me?
  • Word Scramble - Occupations
  • This is a word scramble on occupations. Students will unscramble the letters and spell the words correctly.
  • Writing A Thanksgiving Day Story
  • In this lesson, students will write a Thanksgiving Day Story using some or all of the words included in the worksheet. These stories can be fiction or non-fiction (Personal Essays).
  • Writing About A Christmas Day Celebration
  • In this lesson, students will write about a Christmas Day Celebration they had with their family. They will write their stories in first person.
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    • Reading & Writing

  • Compare and Contrast Two Books
  • Students will read two books and write a comparison and contrast paper on their views of the two books. They can discuss a specific element of fiction such as plot, theme, characters, or others.
  • Creative Outline for Your Short Story or Book
  • This is a lesson on writing an outline for a short story or book idea that students would like to write. Students will also write a short story.
  • How To Take Notes
  • Students will learn how to take notes while they are reading their textbooks.
  • How to Write a Summary of a Book
  • Students will read a book and learn how to write a summary of a fiction book. This lesson will take about an hour to discuss what to do and to choose a book. Then, students can read their book and write their summaries. You may assign this for homework.
  • Learning About Editing
  • Students will write a short story in any genre for their homework assignment. After that, they will bring their stories to class the next day. They will exchange their stories and learn about editing.
  • Learning About Evaluation
  • Students will have a non-fiction assignment for homework. They will write two papers on two different topics and hand them in the next class period. Their names should be on their papers. The teacher will pass out the papers to other students and have the students evaluate the work of the two papers.
  • Writing A Character Sketch
  • In this lesson, the students will write a character sketch.
  • Your Future Occupation
  • This lesson could be used with fourth and fifth grade students as well as with middle school. Have students think about their future occupation and write a story with them as the main character in a work situation.
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    • Science

  • Learning About Birds
  • This lesson is about the different types of birds. Students will look up the different types of birds and write a summary about their favorite kind of bird.
  • Learning About Kinds of Trees
  • This lesson is about the different types of trees. Students will look up the different types of trees and write a summary about each one.
  • Learning About Thunderstorms
  • In this lesson, students will write a summary about some aspect of thunderstorms. This may take more than one hour because the students need to do the research and then write their paper.
  • Learning About Weather
  • Students will choose some aspect of weather such as tornadoes, hurricanes, snow, hail, floods, or another type of weather and write an essay.
  • Writing A Short Story - Weather
  • This lesson plan is an additional assignment from the lesson plan: Learning About Weather. Students will write a short story on the weather they chose in the lesson plan on Learning about Weather.
  • Writing About an Invention - Science
  • Students will think of something they would like to invent and write a how-to paper on that invention.
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    • Social Studies

  • Africa - Comparison and Contrast Paper
  • For this lesson, students will write a comparison and contrast paper about two places in Africa.
  • Changing Your City
  • Students will write a one to two page paper on what they would like to change in their city and why they believe those things need to be changed.
  • Learning About Africa
  • In this lesson, students will write about a location in Africa. They will choose a place and write a short story featuring them as the main character. The short story would be about something they would do in their setting if they lived there.
  • Learning About Asia
  • Students will learn about Asia. Then, they will write a summary of the important facts they learned about the continent.
  • Making a Travel Folder
  • In this lesson, students will select a place in the United States they would like to visit. Then, they need to do some research about the area. After that, they will write a travel folder about the place they selected.
  • Social Studies - Guessing Game
  • In this lesson, students will look up information in their social studies book on a specific place they have enjoyed studying. They will write down important facts present the clues to the class so the other students can guess the name of the place.
  • The Renaissance Period - People
  • For this lesson, students can choose one person and write a paper about that person. They can choose from Michelangelo, Galileo, Martin Luther, and Leonardo da Vinci.
  • The Underground Railroad
  • This project will allow students to explore the underground railroad and abolitionsit movement using their own talents and desires. The list of projects allows students to think about and apply the information that are finding. This lesson also allows for differing levels of Bloom's taxonomy to be used.
  • Why I Like _________?
  • In this lesson, students will write a persuasive essay on why they would like to visit a particular place in the United States and why they think others should see that particular place. In their essay, they should use the title I have for this lesson and fill in the blank: "Why I Like ______________?"
  • Writing a Fantasy Story - Time Travel
  • Students are to write a fantasy story about how they were in the present day setting and suddenly traveled back in time to the time of the Oregon Trail. This will take more than an hour because they have to gather their information and plan their short story. You might have them gather their information in class and write their short story at home.
  • Writing a Weather Report or Weather Forecast
  • In this lesson, students will write a weather report or a weather forecast in some country or a place in the United States.

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