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Regarding the Fountain: Questioning Strategy—Cubing
Look deeper into the text with a reading strategy based on asking critical thinking questions. While reading Reading the Fountain by Kate Klise, learners think of questions that help them describe, compare, associate, analyze, apply, and...
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Become a Detective
Learners participate in a simulation where they act as detectives to locate a missing item using questioning and prediction techniques. Then they read a portion of a story, write a prediciton paragraph, and then finish reading the story.
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Mystery Constellations
Fourth graders predict constellations each month. In this astronomy lesson, 4th graders are presented with two constellations every month, and guess what they are as clues are given.
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Poems that Tell a Story: Narrative and Persona in the Poetry of Robert Frost
Pupils read and discuss poems by Robert Frost. Students collaborate in small groups to draw inferences about speakers' character and motives and to gather evidence supporting those inferences.
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Chocolate and Ice Cream Across the Curriculum
Sixth graders in a special education class discuss excerpts of two stories and read biographical information on the authors. In groups, they read the full text of both stories and try to solve the mystery as they read. They practice...
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???The Hell of Mirrors??? by Edogawa Rampo
Students read and analyze the story "The Hell of Mirrors," by Edogawa Rampo. They watch a video excerpt, answer discussion questions, construct a periscope, complete handouts, define key vocabulary terms, take a quiz, and write a book...
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Break the Pentomino Code!
Students read and analyze the book, Chasing Vermeer. They discuss the main story elements, analyze how pentominoes are important to the story, use a pentomino code to decipher a message, and create a secret code of their own.
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Archeology: Weapons of the Texanos
Students develop archaeological context skills through a simulation which places them in the year 2500. After listening to the teacher read, "Weapons of the Texanos," they record what they think the weapon is. Next, in groups, they...
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What Really Happened?
Students read about the settlers in one of the first American colonies. They brainstorm ideas about what they think happened to the settlers. They write their version of what happened at Roanoke Island Colony.
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Critic's Choice
Third graders read three to five genres and choose one as a favorite. They write an essay persuading the class to read the genre. This lesson serves as a nice introduction to different styles of literature.
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Chocolate Chaos
Second graders demonstrate the ability to examine the elements of a story (theme, plot, setting, mood) and characters, by discussing and writing about each. They have fun with chocolate related activities and enjoy reading about some...
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ReQuest and Motor Imaging with My Side of the Mountain
Fifth graders read "My Side of the Mountain." They create a pantomime using vocabulary words from the story. Students create three questions about the reading. They discuss the passage they read and act out words to help them better...
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Children's Literature Across the Curriculum Ideas-Polar, The Titanic Bear
Students read Polar, The Titanic Bear by Daisy Corning Stone Spedden. They complete a variety of cross-curricular activities surrounding this true story of a toy bear that survived the sinking of the Titanic. Included are reading, art,...
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I Can Comprehend What I Read
Students practice asking themselves questions as they read to help increase comprehension. In a large group, they discuss the typical format of a story and create a list of possible questions to ask themselves. They individually read...
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Whatever Happened to Virginia Dare?
Students determine what happened to the lost colony of Roanoke. In this colonial America lesson, students complete a classroom activity about Virginia Dare and write essays that address the legends of the lost colony.
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Amelia and Eleanor Go For a Ride Lesson Plan
Students study Amelia Earhart and Eleanor Roosevelt. In this biographical lesson, students read Amelia and Eleanor Go For a Ride. Students write their own biography, create a timeline of events from the book, and write a story based on...
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Authors of the Past and Present
Learners research a chosen author. In this authors lesson, students pick one author from the list provided, do research, and write a paper.
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Chickenfeed by Minette Walters
Students read, analyze and discuss the novel, "Chickenfeed," by Minette Walters. They assess the theories of tell me a story, take a letter and is truth stranger than fiction? Each student reviews the synopsis and explore how dialogue...
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Mood and Tone
Learners describe their current mood in several complete sentences. They compare their moods with moods set by authors through the tone of their writing. Students read a teacher prepared handout about mood/tone of writing. They write...
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Creepy Crawlies
Students participate in several insect-themed activities. They read stories on bugs, write stories about insects with student-made illustrations, sing bug-themed songs, design creepy crawlies with typical insect characteristics and make...
National First Ladies' Library
The Sport of Kings: Horse Racing in America
Pupils examine the history of horse racing. They discuss their experiences with horse racing and conduct Internet research. They select a topic related to the history of horse racing, write and present a report, and read and summarize a...
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Greco-Roman Origin Myths
Students explore myths that explain the world, recognize some characters of Greco-Roman mythology and their symbols, and Make personal connections to the theme by writing and drawing a myth of their own.
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A Day at the Ancient Olympics
Students examine how athletes from various ancient Greek city-states behaved at the Olympic Games. They conduct Internet research, take notes on a worksheet, and write a screenplay for a television drama about the Olympic Games in...
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The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo
Students complete vocabulary and reading activities for Paulo Coehlo's The Alchemist. In this reading and vocabulary instructional activity, students review vocabulary for the text and read sections of the story. Students answer...