Students use an essay by de la Peña as a model for writing their own literacy autobiography.

Laurie Halse Anderson, the New York Times-bestselling author who is known for tackling tough subjects with humor and sensitivity, was born on this day in 1961.

After reading O'Brien's story "A True War Story" from The Things They Carried, students choose a powerful event from their own lives and map it using the Timeline Tool. They then create a fictional version of this event.

Students compare and contrast two views of the Holocaust from different authors. Students may also research stories of other survivors who may or may not be published and create a presentation on this survivor.

Students brainstorm a list of the ills of society, research a topic of their choosing, and then prepare an annotated bibliography of texts that address the topic.

Students learn about Rachel Carson, explore different environmental websites, and write a Diamante Poem about a particular habitat.

In celebration of Keats' birthday, students write stories that include some characters from Keats' books and practice using collage techniques with the Collage Machine.

Students write their own "Junie B." stories, based on the Junie B. Jones series, after brainstorming issues they've experienced during the school year.

Students watch an excerpt of an interview with Tan and apply some of her principles to writing a story of their own.

Students use the Multigenre Mapper interactive to explore Macaulay's use of multiple genres by composing original multigenre texts.

Students explore their own roots by interviewing family members and use their family history to write a fictional account of their roots.

Students brainstorm a list of human rights issues, research their group's issue in depth, examine the way journalists cover a story, and create articles for a classroom newspaper.

Using one of Numeroff's books as a model, students use the circle plot structure as a culminating project for a unit of study completed in the classroom.

Each student chooses a book that is special and writes a short story about why it deserves special mention. Students can plan the pages of their own stories and then make a Stapleless Book or use the ReadWriteThink Printing Press.

Students visit a quotation attributed to Emerson and identify the definition of success. Students then use the Postcard Creator to write a note to a person that they feel is successful.

Students read and respond to an essay by Baldwin, commenting on the contemporary resonance of his ideas.

Students watch a short video about Erdrich's love of books and write their own memory piece.

Students choose a small aspect of their lives to develop into a story, poem, or brief essay inspired by Cisneros' work.

Students review Scieszka's tips for encouraging young people to read and then create their own, sharing ideas with adults in their community through a letter.