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M.C. Bard: Hip-Hop and Shakespeare
What is poetry? Does hip-hop qualify as poetry? Do Shakespeare's monologues qualify as poetry? Class members grapple with these questions as they examine the poetic elements and themes presented in different texts. Groups of four study...
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Connecting with Natural/Open Spaces
Get your class outside, away from the television, and maybe even learning something about nature while they're at it. Individuals will chose an open, natural space to spend time in for several days. Each day they will complete a page in...
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Non-Fiction Read-aloud
Students listen to the reading of a book about the area of science they are currently studying.
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Tooling Around Arizona: Reading Arizona Maps
Students study geography. In this Arizona maps lesson, students develop their map reading skills. They have class discussions and work independently with various copies of Arizona maps to practice those skills. This lesson mentions...
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Did Southern Free Men of Color Fight for the Ideals of the South?
Students explore how to read and interpret various primary and secondary sources and how to use them to draw conclusions about motivations of African American soldiers in the Civil War. They evaluate the quality of primary sources as...
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Discovering Prehistoric Trails
Eighth graders examine prehistoric terrain. In this geography lesson, 8th graders discover necessary resources for settlers. Students work in small groups to create a trail crossing the state of Kansas.
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Cooperative Jigsaw Expert Report of Fables
Students research literary elements of fables. In this literature instructional activity, students analyze literary elements of fables. Students work collaboratively using a jigsaw strategy to analyze literary elements.
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Editing the Conspiracy: Julius Caesar
Students practice close reading skills to edit the text of Julius Caesar as they read. They identify the features of the conspiracy. They discuss use of image of dark and light in the text.
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Speaking Up and Speaking Out: Exploring the Lives of Black Women During the 19th Century
Students learn how to read and interpret various primary and secondary sources and how to use them to draw conclusions about the issues that the authors faced during the nineteenth century. They read historical narratives imaginatively...
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Voting Then and Now
Students consider the impact of the Voting Rights Act as they examine voting practices today. In this voting lesson, students research details regarding the Voting Rights Act and then read a handout regarding voting data from the early...
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Identifying Clues to Help Solve a Mystery
Students investigate clues in mystery novels. In this genre study lesson plan, students read the book Sammy Keyes and The Hotel Thief and use the 5 W's to answer questions about the mystery. Students draw conclusions using the details...
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Text to Self Connections
Students read the story Ira Sleeps Over and write something about the end of the story that they have a connection with in their own life. In this text to self lesson plan, students look for something that helps them relate to the story...
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Comparing Themes Across Texts
Read various texts to compare the themes across each text. Learners write a journal entry describing the most beautiful scenery they've seen and use a map of the United States to locate the Sequoia National Park and Muir Woods. They then...
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Active and Passive Voice: Finding Examples Online
Incorporate technological fluency with a search for examples of active and passive voice in online resources. Discuss how use of active or passive voice influences mood or tone and contributes to author's purpose. List of...
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Height versus Shoe Size
Students find a correlation between a person's height and his/her shoe size. They have access to entering data into lists on a graphing calculator and can complete scatter plots. Students read and interpret a scatter plot and use the...
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Can You Get the Signal?
What is a signal word? Recognizing these words is an important step in both reading and writing formal text. Review a list of signal words (provided and organized into specific categories), and then have your class play a game to...
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Counting on Frank
Eighth graders read a book "Counting on Frank" with a partner. Using the text, they identify eight clues and use their mathematical reasoning in real-life situations. They participate in a game and turn in a notebook in which they write...
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Cartoon Vocabulary
Third and fourth graders complete a vocabulary log which includes a definition, and a sentence that demonstrates the meaning of the word. Then make an illustration that represents the definition of the word. The trick is that they may...
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Theobroma - Food of the Gods
Students discuss the history of cacao and its use in the production of chocolate. They analyze actual cacao pods and record their observations. Finally they create a five minute contour drawing of the cacao pod and seeds.
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Jackie Steals Home
Students draw on their previous studies of American history and culture as they analyze primary sources from Jackie Robinson and Other Baseball Highlights, 1860s - 1960s in American Memory. A close reading of two documents relating to...
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Writing the Newspaper Article
The class reads several newspaper articles and analyze them for purpose, style, tone, length and organization. They interview each other about important events in their lives and write journalistic articles.
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Nahuatl Culture
Middle schoolers read stories, look at maps, and write journal entries to learn about the language and artwork of Nahuatl culture. In this Nahuatl culture lesson plan, students research the Nahuatl culture and present their findings.
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Using Different Kinds of Maps
Third graders explore the landforms and population diversity. They read maps and examine geographic terms. Students create their own map of the United States and answer questions about the location of people. After exploring the map, 3rd...
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Roll Of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Eighth graders read Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry and participate in whole class discussions. They evaluate, analyze, and synthesize information in the text in order to explain character motivation and action. Students produce an essay...