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Lesson Plan
Writing Fix

Writing Fix: The Wacky Advertisement (With Disclaimer) Activity

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
Inspired by Barry Lane's book 51 Wacky We-Search Reports, in this cross-curricular lesson students learn how to summarize properly.
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Graphic
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: I Can Classify and Summarize Information [Pdf]

For Students 2nd - 8th Standards
A graphic organizer is provided to help students classify information in a nonfiction piece. Then students will write a summary of the information contained in the graphic organizer.
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Lesson Plan
Other

Curriculum Associates: Determining Theme or Central Idea [Pdf]

For Teachers 4th - 6th Standards
In this reading comprehension lesson unit, students are guided in learning how to find the main theme or idea of a text and understanding how details in the text convey that. Includes lots of exercises and examples, as well as...
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Website
Other

Ccss Literacy E Handbook: Informational Text: Summarize

For Students 4th Standards
A short explanation of how summarize an informational text. Click on the Model link to see an example summary with explanation.
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Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Prairie Changes [Pdf]

For Teachers 4th
"Prairie Changes" is a one page, nonfiction passage about the changes in the prairie over time and the effect it has on plants, animals, and habitats. It is followed by an open-ended question which requires students to provide evidence...
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Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: American Explorers [Pdf]

For Teachers 2nd - 4th Standards
"American Explorers" is a one page, non-fiction, reading passage about the Lewis and Clark Expedition. They traveled from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean with the help of Native Americans and made maps along the way. It is followed by...
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Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Prairie Ecology [Pdf]

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
"Prairie Ecology" is a one page, nonfiction passage about the tallgrass prairie ecosystem and how it works using three animals: the skipper butterfly, ground squirrel, and the bison It is followed by an open-ended question which requires...
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Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Traveling West [Pdf]

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
"Traveling West" is a one page, nonfiction passage about pioneers traveling west in wagon trains. It is followed by questions which require students to provide evidence from the story; it includes underlining the most important...
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Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: A Garden in Lawndale [Pdf]

For Teachers 4th
"A Garden in Lawndale" is a one page, non-fiction, reading passage about an eighth grade class who planted a garden in a vacant lot by their school and maintained it to improve their neighborhood. It is followed by constructed-response...
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Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

Depaul University: Center for Urban Education: Chicago Changer, Jane Addams[pdf]

For Teachers 4th
"Chicago Changer, Jane Addams" is a one page, biographical passage about Jane Addams, Chicago's first changer. She helped poor people and immigrants to find homes and learn English. It is followed by an open-ended question which requires...
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Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Chicago High Schools [Pdf]

For Teachers 4th
"Chicago High Schools" is a one page, nonfiction passage about Chicago high schools, including a variety of specialty high schools and the basic requirments met by all of their high schools. It is followed by an open-ended question which...
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Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Plants and Places [Pdf]

For Teachers 4th
"Plants and Places" is a one page, nonfiction passage about how plants fit the types of environment they live in such as cactus like hot, dry weather and live in Arizona. The state flowers fit the climate of the states. It is followed by...
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Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Space Food [Pdf]

For Teachers 4th
"Space Food" is a one page, nonfiction passage about how astronauts prepare and eat food and clean up afterward to stay healthy. It is followed by an open-ended question which requires students to provide evidence from the story; it...
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Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Early Chicago Environment & People [Pdf]

For Teachers 4th
"Early Chicago Environment & People" is a one page, nonfiction passage about the Native Americans who lived in what is now Chicago. It explains how they lived and how Chicago got its name. It is followed by constructed-response...
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Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Letter to the Mayor [Pdf]

For Teachers 2nd - 4th Standards
"Letter to the Mayor" is a one page, nonfiction letter written to the mayor by 2000 school children in Chicago. In the letters, the children addressed issues such as trash, gangs, computers, playgrounds, and safer streets. After reading...
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Unknown Type
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: The Chicago Journey [Pdf]

For Students 4th - 5th
"The Chicago Journey" is a one page, fictional passage about a clild and his mother hurrying to catch a train to hear an acceptance speech from an election (Obama). It is followed by questions which require students to provide evidence...
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Unknown Type
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Prairie Keepers [Pdf]

For Students 4th - 5th Standards
"Prairie Keepers" is a one-page, nonfiction passage about how the prairie was saved from total destruction and the efforts of the Department of Agriculture to rebuild the prairie. It is followed by questions which require students to...
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Handout
Other

Kid Bibs: Effective Use of Textbook Features

For Students 3rd - 8th Standards
Here, parents and teachers can find tips for helping young readers understand the expository writing found in textbooks.
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Unit Plan
Scholastic

Scholastic: Johnny Tremain

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Come and discover more about the novel, "Johnny Tremain," by Esther Forbes. This site features a discussion guide, writing prompt, vocabulary builder, extension activity and more.
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Activity
Writing Fix

Writing Fix: Acrostic Summaries [Pdf]

For Students 1st - 9th Standards
Summarize any subject you'd like with these acrostic poems. Examples are provided. [PDF]
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Unit Plan
TES Global

Blendspace: Summarizing

For Students 3rd - 7th Standards
A twelve-part learning module with links to videos, images, websites, and text about summarizing a text.
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Unit Plan
Other

Pocantico Hills School: "Charlotte's Web"

For Students 3rd - 8th
This site, created by a second grade class at Pocantico Hills School, provides a very brief review of "Charlotte's Web," including very brief chapter summaries, and a game identifying quotations from the book. There are some helpful...
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Website
BBC

Bbc: Cbbc News Round Special: China

For Students 3rd - 8th
This is a wonderful, image-packed introduction to China for younger students. Read short summaries about Chinese history, culture, and government, and then take a virtual tour of Chinese landmarks; learn about Chinese New Year, the signs...
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Unit Plan
The Dirksen Congressional Center

Congress for Kids: Elections: Political Parties

For Students 3rd - 5th
Read this brief summary of the two political parties in the United States, and then write about what you know about the parties.

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