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Analyzing Features of Consumer Text
Students evaluate consumer information. In this written communication lesson, students read nutrition facts from different foods and determine the foods that have the most healthful benefits.
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Poke and Look Learning Books
Students read Poke and Look Learning Books and complete predicting activities, reading, questioning, and more. In this Poke and Look Learning Books, students do this for 13 different books.
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Summarization Superstars
How do you read when you know you're going to be summarizing a text? Summarize a nonfiction text with your upper elementary schoolers. Your pupils independently read a nonfiction article and write a summary paragraph using the six-step...
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Main Idea in Informational Text
Readers identify main ideas and supporting details using informational texts. In this literacy lesson, they make predictions and read the text to find the main ideas. They use a table diagram to define the main idea and supporting...
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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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Review of Literary Devices
Sixth graders review literary devices. They use both fiction and nonfiction texts to review metaphor, simile, alliteration, imagery, symbolism and personification. This lesson has a scripted guide for the teacher to follow.
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Trash! How Cities Work: Dealing with Garbage in the US and India
Learners identify how different cultures deal with the challenge of trash. Read an excerpt from a chapter book based on real life written from the Southern Indian perspective. Describe the life of a street child in Southern India....
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Go Go Gumbo
Students read the book, "Go Go Gumbo." After looking the front and back cover, students predict what may happen in the story. They discuss strategies for reading unfamiliar words. Students answer questions about the story. Cross...
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Mom Is A Painter
Third graders read the book entitled, "Mom Is A Painter." After surveying the book, 3rd graders predict events in the story. They discuss strategies for decoding unfamiliar words. As a class, students discuss using paint to decorate...
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Animal Communication
Students use three nonfiction selections in order to investigate the concept of animal communication. They use a graphic organizer for the information as it is gathered in the reading.
National First Ladies' Library
Writing (and Rewriting!) History
Middle schoolers differentiate between fiction and non-fiction, discuss historical fiction, which combines both genres, choose historical novel from list and read independently, and write original short stories that combine elements of...
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Language Arts: Plotting Stories
Second graders read the story, "The Foolish, Timid Rabbit," as part of a unit on appearances. After reading with partners, they write their own stories that include elements about some forms of matter from their science studies. Students...
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Myth-try Cards Activity
Students read creation myths to learn various cultural explanations for natural phenomena. They select sharks and write myths to explain physical structures, behaviors or roles in ecosystems. They research the animals to provide...
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The Planet Mars
Fifth graders gain knowledge about Mars and Earth. In this compare and contrast lesson, 5th graders use visual representations of the solar system to observe the characteristics of the planets. Students read fiction and nonfiction...
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Using Text Features
Fourth graders read a nonfiction story that is presented to them with graphic features, and presented to them with only the text. In this text features lesson, 4th graders decide what the benefits of text organizers are and create their...
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Dinosaurs
Students will develop goals for inquiry. They will also improve content area reading and research skills. The context of studying dinosaurs will help learners to distinguish from organisms that live presently and those from the past...
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Leo and the Butterflies
Second graders read a book entitled, "Leo and the Butterflies." They discuss the rainforest and butterflies. Students observe the pictures and predict what will happen in the story. They examine reading strategies for decoding unfamiliar...
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Chinatown Adventure
Students read "Chinatown Adventure" by Laura E. Williams. They read about what the girl and her mother do when they go on their Chinatown adventure, make predictions about the ending, and compare their predictions with what actually...
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Living in an Igloo
Second graders read a book entitled, "Living in an Igloo." After observing the book, 2nd graders predict what will happen in the story. They explore the steps in building an igloo. Students review strategies they can use to decode...
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Chocolate Fever
Fourth graders read and interpret each chapter of the book in small groups through various exercises. Vocabulary lists are given, as well as rubrics, quizzes and activity sheets. Students create their own PowerPoint presentations to...
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Travels With Charley
Fifth graders engage in a literature study that uses a variety of texts in order to maximize their exposure to different reading situations. They examine each book in order to practice skills of reading comprehension. They recognize the...
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Lost Worlds
Students, while using the strategy of identifying the main idea and supporting details, explore the three nonfiction selections of the lost worlds of Machu Picchu high in the Andes Mountains, Great Zimbabwe, and Anasazi. In addition,...
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Short and Sweet
Students summarize nonfiction text. After reviewing the process for reading in order to summarize, students independently read a nonfiction article. They write a summary paragraph using the checklist outlined by the instructor during...
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Summarize Successfully
Students summarize nonfiction text. After reviewing the process for reading in order to summarize, students independently read a nonfiction article. They write a summary paragraph using the graphic organizer outlined by the instructor...