You know you need to teach more writing, but writing assignments can be such a pain to explain and an even bigger pain to grade.

And by pain I mean scratch your eyeballs with a fork soaked in vinegar pain.

These 8 simple writing assignments require little explanation, include student ready graphic organizers and instructions, and come with handy answer keys and rubrics to make grading a cinch.

They can be adapted to just about any piece of literature you're reading and are great for substitute teacher lesson plans.