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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"The Block": Romare Bearden's and Mine

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students study Bearden's style of collage and create their own collage that reflects their neighborhood. They are read "The Block" and poems about neighborhoods and write one about theirs.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Choosing Plymouth - Pilgrim Study Unit

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Young scholars identify the principal physical features the Pilgrims considered when choosing the location of Plymouth. They create a postcard to send to a friend in Europe as if they were a Pilgrim; illustrating one aspect of the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cricket Times

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students design a class newspaper all about their study of crickets, including illustrations and various sections of the newspaper, like sports, jokes, articles, food, and reviews. Students create a plan to design a cricket from food...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

An Explication of Death

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders, in groups, analyze portions of William Cullen Bryant's poem, "Thanatopsis." They present their analysis to the class and discuss the meaning of the poem as a whole. They also identify the poetic elements present in the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Similes, Metaphors, and Personification

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders explore figurative language, specifically focusing on similes, metaphors and personification. They work on the web to identify poems that demonstrate simile, metaphor, and personification, then analyze how it enhances...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Draw It!

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Pupils follow directions to make two- and three-dimensional shapes. Focusing on polygons, they use the shapes to solve real-world problems and review with the class. They read two of Shel Silverstein's poems and discuss the arrangements...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Australian Aboriginal People: A Fun Introduction

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scholars read from a book of poems titled, "Ann the Goanna," and discuss the concept of indigenous people with the teacher. Students answer questions about specific poems read, using a final poem titled, "Reconciliation" to discuss...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Comparison of Multicultural Literature

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Young scholars read and compare/contrast three different cultural versions of "Twas the Night Before Christmas." Using handheld computers, they read eBook versions of each version, complete a BooksLog, and write and illustrate a modern...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

I am Special and You are Special Too #9

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders will explore the rhythm and rhyme of poems to understand the basic elements of poetry.  In this poetry and literary lesson plan, 8th graders relate their love for rap music to poetry.  Students will discuss...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Box O' Love

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students create a Valentines Day poem using an empty cereal box as their canvas.  In this poetry lesson, students create their poems using rhyming words and create sentences. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Ode to the Bluebonnet"

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders create an acrostic poem using the word "bluebonnet" They brainstorm adjectives and descriptive phrases for the bluebonnet and its habitat. They read The Legend of the Bluebonnet, by Tomie de Paola. students integrate...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Where We Come From - A Culturally Responsive Writing Lesson

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students create a group poem. In this poetry lesson, students make a cultural poem titled "We Come From." They share their poems using the document camera and SMARTboard. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Visualization

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students practice visualization as a strategy to increase reading comprehension. They practice while the teacher reads a poem to them before reading a poem silently to themselves. Next, they practice making mental images while reading a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Outer Space Creature

For Teachers K - 4th
Students read poems by Shel Silverstein about planets and outer space. As a class, they compare and contrast his descriptions to actual facts which have been discovered through explorations. They write a description of an outer space...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson Plan for Granny Will Your Dog Bite and Other Mountain Rhymes

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders practice choral reading of poetry.  In this creative literature activity, 6th graders incorporate elements of performing arts into their choral readings of various poems.  They discuss musical instruments, facial...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students complete activities for the autobiography of Maya Angelou. In this autobiography lesson, students write a journal entry about their life and discuss the morphology of the word autobiography. Students use active reading...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Recycle! Recycle! Recycle!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate recycling and reusing. They view an online video, create an recycled art collage using picture files in Inspiration software, and write a choral poem about recycling.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Declaration of Independence and the Constitution

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders read a rewritten version of the Declaration of Independence, create a set of pictures illustrating the Preamble of the Constitution and create a version of the Declaration of Independence in the form of a song, a poem,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fr ie n d s h ip, Self-esteem

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students brainstorm examples of activities that show friendship and illustrate them and explain below each picture what is happening. They hear a poem about friendship, watch a commercial about it, write a book about it and now they are...
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Unit Plan
Curated OER

A Hodgepodge of Literature

For Teachers 2nd
Students complete multiple lessons to study various literature including poetry, fiction, tall tales, and phrases. In this literature lesson, students complete six lessons about poetry, fiction, and idioms.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Analysis of Character in a Short Story

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders examine a character from the short story, John Steinbeck's, "Flight." students respond to questions about the story and illustrate the character's journey.
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Lesson Plan
Teacher Vision

The First Thanksgiving - Pilgrim Study Unit

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Young scholars explain the origins of Thanksgiving. As a class, they list all the meanings, stories, and images that come into their minds when they hear the word "Thanksgiving." After reading about Thanksgiving, pairs of students create...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Jazz Scenes of the Harlem Renaissance

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students identify and connect themes of selected nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and art to Harlem Renaissance jazz. They compare and contrast historical and fictionalized versions of the jazz scenes of the Harlem Renaissance. They...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine the life and works of Theodor Seuss Geisel. In groups, they compare and contrast the stories, characters and illustrations he used. They complete a book review on one of the books and share them with other students in...