Penguin Books
Core Curriculum Lesson Plans for Jefferson's Sons
Thomas Jefferson lived a controversial life. A series of lesson plans shares information about Jefferson's Sons, a novel about the infamous founding father. Discussion questions and other tasks explore different points of view and cover...
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Running Out of Time: Vocabulary Strategies
Review concepts and terms after reading Running Out of Time. Learners each come up with a few terms that they think are important and then participate in a list-group-label exercise, paying close attention to the two main years featured...
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Bullying and Homophobia
Having difficulty in class broaching controversial issues? This lesson offers several linked online tools to get students engaged in discussion about bullying and homophobia. Coastkid.org offers an interactive scenario activity, which...
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Where the Red Ferns
Where the Red Fern Grows provides the text for a study of the literary elements of plot, character, and setting. Discussion questions and vocabulary lists are referenced but not included.
National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science
A Rose By Any Other Name
In part one, your astronomers read an interview dialogue between a reporter and Dr. Maria Ocasio, the chair of the group that assigns names to celestial objects. The topic in question is Pluto's status. Learners research Plutinos and...
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Native American Legends
Second graders will engage in an in-depth study of Michigan Native American culture comparing and contrasting the culture of today with that of the past. They will also read a variety of Native American literature focusing on the story...
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Small Fish Stick Together
Learners pantomime the book Swimmy. In this philanthropy lesson, students discuss the main character in the text and how Swimmy participated in philanthropic acts. Learners role play the book.
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Creating Life Maps (Elementary, Reading/Writing)
Students create a personal life timeline to better explain how a historical timeline is effective in studying history. They also write a poem about themselves.
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Adventures in Wonderland: A Genre Study
Students explore the concepts of fantasy writing through this nine lessons unit. The unit presents semantic mapping, discussions, comparisons of various works of fantasy, and the opportunity to create their own fantasies.
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O'Connor's Short Stories by Flannery O'Connor
After reading Flannery O'Connor's short stories, provide your high schoolers with these questions. You could use these to prompt higher level thinking for an upcoming test, or provide them as essay prompts.
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Latin American Film
Learners critique, discuss, and identify characters in a film about Latin America. In this Latin America lesson plan, students watch the film and discuss the film and everyday life.
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Comprehension
Fifth graders study comprehension. In this writing lesson, 5th graders remember what they read and write an introduction for a character from a novel just read including a good description of that character.
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Giving An Oral Book Report
Students study techniques used to give an oral book report. They read their book, plan their thoughts, and write their report. Students present their book report to the class.
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Lesson Plan on Korea
Students participate in a lesson about ancient pottery making in Korea. The time of the research goes back to the 12th century. They read a story and study the attributes of characterization that the author uses.
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To Be or Not to Be: A Marriage of Civil War Descendants
Learners examine primary documents related to the burning of Chambersburg during the Civil Way. In this Civil War era history lesson, students study numerous primary documents relating to the burning of the town of Chambersburg. Learners...
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Metis
Fourth graders examine the Metis culture. In this Metis living lesson, 4th graders read Things I did Last Summer by Martin Shulman and discuss the life of the main character, Bonnie. Students recreate their favorite scenes of the story...
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Purim, Jewish Leaders, And The Roles We Choose
Students participate in the Jewish holiday of Purim. They are concerned with the idea of changing an identity for one day. The focus of this study is upon leadership as the students role play different leaders and make decisions to model...
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Comic and Film Strip Writing
Students write a funny story and illustrate it in a comic strip. In this comic strip lesson, students study comic strips and determine the plot of each story. Students then write a short story and illustrate it using a comic strip...
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Faces of the Family
Pupils and teachers share their individual concept of families to begin the lesson. As they read different pieces of literature, they keep a journal of the activities and problems each main character gets into. To end the lesson, they...
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Day Seven - Bible Love Makes the World Go Round - Corinth
Students examine passages in the Bible and identify characteristics of love. In this Bible study lesson students compose poems or narratives about love, complete a written activity and engage in discussions.
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Cubby Bear's Big Responsibility
Students continue their examination of character by being introduced to the concept of responsibility. As a class, they are read a story and identify when the main character was being responsible. They share wha they are responsible...
Orange County Department of Education
Black Cowboy, Wild Horses
Fifth graders read the selection Black Cowboy, Wild Horses and identify characteristics of self-discipline shown by story's main character, Bob Lemmons. Students then identify some of their own traits of self-discipline and reflect upon...
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Hands Poem
Learners create a "Hands" poem for the author/character in a reading selection.They make inferences for reading selection and back up inference by citing specific lines in text. They relate author's or main character's experiences to...
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Details and Observations IQ or the Eyes Have it
Fourth graders study Chaucer as a master of details. Then, they create a short story linking unrelated details into a logical plot with a clear setting and established characters. This lesson has some excellent worksheets attached!