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Myths, Folktales & Fairy Tales
Students relate the myth genre to history and culture. In this myths instructional activity, students compare culture in the past and present. Students answer critical thinking questions and discuss the unique characteristics of the...
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Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
Fourth graders participate in a play to work on seeing events from a different perspective. Some of them are reporters, some cameramen and women, and others are interviewed. They put themselves in the shoes of the people in the book...
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Science Fiction Lesson Plans
Students can explore a literature genre through science fiction lesson plans.
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Red, White, and Blue Notes
Students explore the history of major American music genres. Then, through mock radio shows, students examine the distinguishing features of each genre and how each has changed throughout the years.
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Rock Around the Map
Students research the geographical histories of various musical genres and make maps that note important places in music history. They Write geographical biographies about one of their favorite musical artists.
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Folktale Quilt
Students read several selections of folktales from different historic periods and different cultures. Then they incorporate a folktale theme into a modern day story, using elements that parallel those from the original version.
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Globe Trotting Cinderella
Students explore the fairy tale genre of literature. In this Cinderella lesson, students read fairy tales and discuss their attributes and cultural background. Students examine and write their own fractured fairy tales.
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Comparing Fiction and Nonfiction
Fifth graders compare and contrast an informational article with a fictional story. They read the story "The Contest" as a class, and discuss the different types of literature genres. Next, they complete a vocabulary worksheet and a...
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Resources for Teaching Women Writers
Twelfth graders explore, discuss and experience a wide variety of texts from around the world written by women. They analyze the different genres covered and view a lot of unique point of views from different female perspectives. Topics...
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Discovering Ourselves in Literature and Life
Students read literature and view other media to discover how print and non-print texts answer the thematic question: Who am I? students compare the ways ideas are presented, and create their own portfolios or personal Web pages...
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Salvaged Pages: Writing as a Response to Literature
Students discuss the topic of the Holocaust. Before reading and discussing Elie Wiesel's "Night", they complete an activity giving them a different perspective on the event. They read diaries and journal entries of children and write a...
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What Do We Owe To Thoreau?
Learners use this design as an electronic reading and writing guide to Henry David Thoreau's famous essay, "On Civil Disobedience." They use activities to familiarize students with the political issues of Thoreau's time. Comprehension...
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Portraits Visual and Written: Louisa May Alcott and Samuel Clemens
Learners discover the life and work of an American author, either Samuel Clemens or Louisa May Alcott. In this study of visual and written portraits instructional activity, students take a look at the authors through four different...
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Interactive Timeline
Young scholars examine the development of ragtime music and its relation to jazz. They participate in an online Interactive timeline and read about the history of ragtime music, listen to examples of music, and in small groups create...
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Scrapbook of Evidence
Students read three different genres of fiction. They create a story map and brainstorm possible collage inclusions. Each student prepares a minimum of two scrapbook page entries for each text or passage. Students write beside each...
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In the Middle - Middle School Poetry
Students analyze and interpret poems. In this poetry lesson, students are read poems aloud, discuss the meanings in groups, and complete two worksheets after listening to the poems. Links to the worksheets and discussion questions are...
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"Night": A Study in Compassion and Courage
Students read the novel, "Night" by Elie Wiesel. Using excerpts from the novel, they complete a performance and literary technique objective. In groups, they finish handouts to give them more information on the Holocaust. They compare...
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One Story, Many Tales
Students compare and contrast Cinderella stories. In this folktale lesson, students discuss the attributes of the genre and then read and research different cultural versions of the tale. Students present their findings to their classmates.
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The New Fant-"Asia": Contrasting Animated and Live-Action Filmmaking
Learners consider different stories and story-telling techniques of animated and live-action filmmaking, write proposals for animated films, and storyboard individual scenes.
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The Shakespeare Crowd
Students study the life and times of Shakespeare. They read and analyze one of his plays and use the Internet and videos to gain an understanding of how Shakespeare engaged his audiences, then and still today.
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50th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education
Students examine a poster of Brown v. Board of Education and discuss what the important details are. They read the story behind the poster and court case. They role play different sections of the case such as the court case or Linda...
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Finding Nonfiction Features
Young scholars review the differences between a fiction and non-fiction book. In groups, they use different non-fiction books to identify the eleven features that distinguish it from a fiction book. To end the lesson, they create a...
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Science Fiction Literature
Students identify the elements of science fiction literature. They write and illustrate a science fiction story using real and exaggerated science. In addition, they read their stories aloud in small groups.
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Art of Ancient Civilizations
By studying the art of ancient civilizations, students can learn about the history and traditions of different cultures.