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Nomination Speech
Students research and American author and nominate them for an award. They determine significant accomplishments of their author's career and life. They access the Biography Resource Center and research their author.
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Biographical Research Paper
Students choose a subject for a biographical research paper. They use books, the Internet, encyclopedias and articles to gather information on a determined subject then follow a rubric to write a research paper.
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Painting Portraits with Words
Students examine how an exhibition of an author's writings can become a portrait or biography of that author . They work in small groups, analyzing various poems by Yeats.
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Poet Naomi Shihab Nye
Students read and analyze poetry by Naomi Shihab Nye. They define stereotypes, view and discuss a video interview with Nye, present an oral reading of a poem, and write a persuasive letter to an author.
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Literature: Isabel Allende
Students watch and respond to a Bill Moyers Now video on the Chilean author, Isabel Allende. They brainstorm a list of recent events that might inspire writers and choose one to write about in poetic, diary, or short story form.
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Celebrate A People!
Students explore African-American students literature as an integral building block in empowering all students to a better awareness when reading and writing. They use as a productive Social Studies tool for overall understanding of the...
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Back to the Classics
Students closely examine chamber music as it has changed from the Middle Ages to today. They work in small groups to research the composers, instruments and typical presentation in 5 time periods. They write biographies and share their...
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Rock Around the Map
Students research the geographical histories of various musical genres and make maps that note important places in music history. They Write geographical biographies about one of their favorite musical artists.
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Behind the Cover
Students develop questions they would have liked to ask an author about their written works. They read an article about their forefathers and research a back story to a written work of their choice. They create posters to illustrate the...
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Elvis
In this excellent music and history lesson, 1st graders watch movies and listen to music sung by Elvis Presley, then draw and write as if they were a famous singer. This entertaining and inventive lesson has a terrific assessment...
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Tennessee Williams: Exploring the American Dream
Young scholars read and analyze selections of Tennessee Williams' work. They write journal responses, conduct Internet research, perform various scenes from one of Williams' dramas, and create a presentation.
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Story Dolls
Young scholars express themselves through art and writing at the same time in this lesson. Students create paper doll versions of themselves. Young scholars write a biography of their dolls.
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People behind the Civil Rights Movement
Learners identify the people actively involved in the Civil Rights Movement. In this United States History lesson, students watch the video "Eyes on the Prize" then participate in a class discussion about the video. Learners also select...
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Lift Every Voice and Sing
Students analyze sculpture, poetry, and music to gain an understanding of historical events. In this critical thinking skills lesson, students take a closer look at African-American history as they examine "Lift Every Voice and Sing'"...
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All About Me Poem
Eighth graders write a poem that introduces them to their class. In this poetry writing lesson, 8th graders use the format for the 'All About Me Poem" to write a poem about themselves and use it as get-to-know-you activity.
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Chuck Close Up Close
Students practice the art of storytelling using realistic art. They pick one illustration of a character in the book and create a story about the possible life he lived. The important details that are needed is the name, occupation,...
Read Works
Famous Inventors Alexander Graham Bell: You Rang?
Scholars read a brief informational text about the famous inventor, Alexander Graham Bell and his invention of the telephone, then show what they know by way of eight questions—six multiple choice and two short answer.
Alabama Department of Archives and History
Clotilde, The Last Slave Ship
The Clotilde was the last known ship to bring slaves from Africa to the United States - good riddance! Dive into the details of the ship, its cargo, origin, and route, and learn about the future of the Africans on board with a...
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Maniac Magee Lesson Plan
Fifth graders read Jerry Spinelli's, Maniac Magee, which focuses on homelessness, illiteracy, and racism. They research Jerry Spinelli's biography and other works using the Internet, and write an on-line book review of Maniac Magee.
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Comprehension: Understanding "sequence"
Second graders read the story The Broken Bed and then sequence the story in their own words. In this sequencing lesson plan, 2nd graders also write narrative with a specific beginning, middle, and end.
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Art as Storyteller
Students examine how paintings tell stories. They read biographies about artists, analyze paintings, research and write the art history of a painting, write a creative story based on the painting, and create a painting in the artist's...
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Talkin' About My Generation
Students research notable figures from their generation and write a research paper illustrating the various figures' impact and influence on their generation in terms of language, leisure and politics.
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Picture Lincoln
Students analyze Alexander Gardner's photograph of Abraham Lincoln and complete related activities. In this Abraham Lincoln lesson, students describe Abraham Lincoln as he is presented in Gardner's photograph. Students read a biography...
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The Powhatan Indians' English Boy
Sixth graders write a historical fiction narrative. In this interdisciplinary lesson plan, 6th graders read the historical fiction Henry Spelman: The Powhatan Indians' English Boy. Students write a piece from the point of view of the...