826 Digital provides educators with more than 60 free, ready-to-use lesson plans and short writing prompts for writers of all ages.

Whether you’re teaching a class of thirty or parenting a growing writer, our lesson plans bring the fun of 826michigan to you. Our lesson plans include information on Common Core alignment for the classroom, and they’re simple enough to try at home! We share some of our favorites here.

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Our Favorite Lesson Plans

Whatever your grade level or genre of choice, we’ve got something here for you! Check out some of our favorite lesson plans and visit 826 Digital to view our entire collection!

For Young Writers

Poems of Praise: Writing Odes

Young poets write odes to praise the people, places, or things they love. Students learn to use a graphic organizer to develop their ideas and move from brainstorming into writing!

Grades 1-2

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Kindness Counts

Students reflect on the difference that acts of kindness make in the world. Students will learn about using vivid details as they write an opinion-based essay on what kindness means to them.

Grades 1-3

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Veggie Stories

Students write vegetable-inspired superhero stories. Students will learn about the elements of a narrative as they brainstorm and develop a superhero story all about veggies!

Grades 3-5

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For Middle-Grade Writers

King Cake Pourquoi Tales

In this yummy lesson, students create a pourquoi tale, or an origin story of a local delicacy. Students will explore the taste and history of a local dish while learning about sensory details and narrative elements.

Grades 4-8

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Whining Effectively; Or, How to Persuade Your Parents

In this lesson, students learn to write so persuasively that no parents will be able to resist them! Students will learn about providing examples and evidence to create strong persuasive essays.

Grades 5-6

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The Science of Superpowers

In this superlesson, students explore a wide range of STEM and poetry concepts as they isolate DNA, design airplanes, and build secret lairs. This four-session lesson combines hands-on science learning with poetry in many forms.

Grades 5-8

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For Advanced Writers

A Poem Mix Tape for Road Trips

Students use free writes, writing games, cheesy pop songs, and revision strategies as they journey through the process of writing a poem. Students will learn how poems start and end, and make some discoveries along the way!

Grades 7-9

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Map Your Street and Tell Us Its Story

Using written and visual mediums, students will tell stories about their neighborhoods and create maps to document how places change with time. Students will reflect on the history of their community and the role they play in shaping its future.

Grades 8-12

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The Great College Essay Project: Write Your Way In

This lesson supports college-bound students as they write compelling personal statements for consideration for college admissions. Students will be guided through the brainstorming process to develop and revise an excellent rough draft.

Grades 11-12

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Writing About Justice

Essential Words: Letters of Gratitude to Essential Workers

In this lesson, students of all ages reach out to essential workers and return their acts of service with a personalized letter of thanks. Students will learn to think about purpose and audience as they develop and organize their writing.

Grades 4-12

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The Pandemic and Creative Communities

This lesson supports students as they process change in their everyday lives, helping them to identify the creativity of their community. Students will learn how to process big life events and use those events as inspiration for a personal narrative, elegy poem, or freestyle writing.

Grades 7-12

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Social Justice Poetry: Listening to the Trees

Students examine the relationship between poetry, politics, and current events while writing social justice poetry. Students will move through the steps of brainstorming, developing, and revising to write about issues of justice that are important to them.

Grades 8-12

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Downloadable Lesson Plans from 826 Digital

Our Favorite Lesson Plans

For Young Writers

Poems of Praise: Writing Odes

Kindness Counts

Veggie Stories

For Middle-Grade Writers

King Cake Pourquoi Tales

Whining Effectively; Or, How to Persuade Your Parents

The Science of Superpowers

For Advanced Writers

A Poem Mix Tape for Road Trips

Map Your Street and Tell Us Its Story

The Great College Essay Project: Write Your Way In

Writing About Justice

Essential Words: Letters of Gratitude to Essential Workers

The Pandemic and Creative Communities

Social Justice Poetry: Listening to the Trees