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Literary Analysis of Theme
Remember reading "The Lottery" and "The Possibility of Evil" by Shirley Jackson? Learners can experience and analyze the tension, themes, and human experience found in these pieces through reading and class discussion. They use...
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A Study of Cross-Cultural Connections
Ninth graders analyze connections between Asia and Europe in the pre-Renaissance period. They identify and analyze elements of Japanese and Chinese culture similiar to that of feudal Europe.
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Postcards to the Troops
Students write postcards to the troops in Iraq. After listening to letters written by troops in Iraq, students discuss ways the troops are helping America and how they should show their support. Students use a postcard template and...
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Good Enough To Eat
Students are introduced to the five food groups. In groups, they place different foods into the correct section of the Food Pyramid. Using different types of technology, they create one page of a class ABC book sharing what they know...
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Painted Dreams
Third graders explore the importance of art in Haitian culture by analyzing the cause and effect within the story, "Allie's Basketball Dream." They examine all the aspects of the story and characters including their goals, dreams,...
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Gray Whales
Explore the majestic grey whale while deepening your understanding of animal adaptations. Grey whales from head to toe are specifically designed to fit their environment. Learners will examine the ways in which the flippers, head, body,...
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Laurence Yep's Dragonwings
Students read independently the novel, "Dragonwings," by Laurence Yep and make connections between a text and the world. They summarize, paraphrase, analyze and evaluate skimming and scanning techniques when reading a novel. Each student...
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Latino Literature: Poetry
Under construction, this lesson focuses on Canto Familia, a collection of poetry about Gary Soto's experiences growing up in California's Imperial Valley. Representative of the experiences of many Latinos, the poems also address themes...
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Characteristics of Anne Frank
Eighth graders read selected passages from The Diary of Anne Frank. Working in pairs, 8th graders determine what qualities and characteristics they would assign to her from their selected diary entry.
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Dancing Opposites (Size)
Students create movements that illustrate opposites. In this opposites activity, students discuss what opposites do for writing and relate to dance. Students make movements based on their opposites.
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Elements of a Story - Plot, Characters, and Setting
Use this SMART board activity with any short story in your unit plan. The SMART board file contains a step-by-step guide to plot diagrams, including an interactive practice page and an assignment. This resource is beneficial for language...
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That Is Not My Opinion!
Being an informed citizen requires distinguishing fact from opinion and understanding persuasion methods. Secondary learners evaluate newspaper editorials. They read opinion pieces, identify the writer's purpose and position on an issue,...
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Say It in French
Eleventh and twelfth graders research and create language-immersion Web-based presentations. They choose a particular theme (family, travel, etc.) to create a webpage on the Internet. They are given a rubric to check their grammar and...
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William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar: Fate Versus Free Will
Students relate legends of lucky objects such as a rabbit's foot and principles of Feng Shui to fate and free will concepts that are expressed in Shakespeare's play, "Julius Casear". In small groups, they redesign the palace of Casear to...
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ELA.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.7
Considering adding more research to your curriculum? Check out this idea. The assignment example, which connects to the Common Core, is written for a lesson on "The Scarlet Ibis." However, you could adapt the bigger idea to almost any...
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LOOKING AT A CHARACTER
Second graders investigate self- and teacher-selected literature (e.g., picture books, nursery rhymes, fairy tales, poems, legends) from a variety of cultures. They re-enact and retell stories, songs, poems, plays, and other literary...
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Analyze This
Students gain practice in the analysis of various types of graphs common in daily life. These examples often use graphic images like charts, graphs, tables, and pictures to supplement learning.
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Vocabulary in the Content Area
Young scholars make connections between new vocabulary words and what they already know by illustrating the words and writing about them.
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That Reminds Me
Students investigate various forms of literature using drawings, sentences, and class discussion. They pick the text to look at to keep student interest. The teacher helps the students use appropriate reading level books. They complete a...
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"Where in the West" Guided Reading Lesson
Students complete a vocabulary chart, review proper/common nouns, discuss and review comparative adjectives and make "self to text" connections before reading. For this language arts lesson, comprehension questions are completed during...
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The Narrative Structure of Ethan Frome
This reading guide poses questions at the beginning, middle, and end of the reading of Ethan Frome. Readers focus on the setting, conflict, and resolution presented in the novel.
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Measure for Measure: Act III Scene I
Read this lesser-known play by William Shakespeare. When you get to Act III, provide your class with this two-page worksheet. First, encourage a self-to-text connection by having individuals record their top 10 priorities. Then, they...
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Endangered Animals
Fourth graders research different endangered animals in media center as part of unit on Earth Day, animals, and environment, create project based around multiple intelligence related to an endangered animal, and produce Powerpoint...
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Building Reading Skills: Fluency
Students practice their fluency skills. In this fluency lesson, students read aloud stories to their peers and they help to coach one another on their fluency, pronunciation, phrasing, and inflection. They discuss what makes a good...