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Guess Who?
First graders write riddles about each other using descriptive words. They try to guess who the person is when the riddle is read aloud.
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Use Literature to Teach Tolerance
Students listen as teachers read a different book or a different passage that focuses on the theme of tolerance. Students then write a paragraph each day to tell how that day's book/passage taught them the importance of tolerance.
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Papa Interviews
Working in teams of two, middle schoolers conduct interviews by playing the role of a reporter and Hemingway. They research their parts, write the interviews, and perform them for the rest of the class.
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Extraordinary Women in the Great Plains
Eighth graders write what they predict were the roles women played in the Great Plains. Using the internet, they research and identify the roles they did play and use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast their predictions to the...
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Literature: Yoshiko Uchida Unit
Sixth graders read the books, The Invisible Thread: An Autobiography by Yoshiko Uchida and Baseball Saved Us by Ken Mochizuki about Japanese Americans during World War II. They hold discussions, take quizzes, and write essays about the...
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Louisa May Alcott
Young scholars examine the life of author Louisa May Alcott. In groups, they analyze the book "Little Women" discovering why she worte it and identifying the characters and settings. They use the internet to examine how the books can...
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Searching for a New Home
Learners investigate pilgrims. In this pilgrim lesson, students read the book If You Sailed on the Mayflower and identify the path from England to Holland on a map. Learners write in a journal about how they would feel if they were a...
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Freedom's Children
Learners role play a story from from Freedom's Children: Young Civil Rights Activists Tell Their Own Stories. In this segregation activity, students work in a literary circle to create a role play to present to the class. Each student in...
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Experimenting with Sound
Students explore physical science by completing a worksheet. In this sound perception lesson, students collaborate in small groups to research sound properties on the Internet and in libraries. Students conduct a listening experiment by...
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You Name It!
In this proper nouns instructional activity, learners are timed to write as many movies, songs, books, cities, and countries as they can. Students get points for the correct words they write.
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Resolution or Revolution?
Third graders learn appropriate strategies to resolve conflicts and potentially dangerous and/or threatening situations by engaging in role playing situations.
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Inclusion/Exclusion
Young scholars explore the time and culture of the Inuit people. They view the play Ice Wolf and discuss its importance. Students discuss the feeling of being included and excluded. They write brief stories about a real experience or...
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"The Tiger Who Came to Tea"
Students complete various activities related to the book "The Tiger Who Came to Tea" by Judith Kerr Collins. They participate in a shared reading activity, list the foods from the story, write and read sentences in speech bubbles, and...
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Musical Alphabet
Students play a musical Alphabet game after listening to the book "Alphabet Letters" by Rolando Merino in this Language Arts lesson plan for early-elementary classrooms. The lesson plan includes an idea on how to evaluate student...
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Earning an Income
Fourth graders study the role of money in society and define how to earn an income. In this human capital activity, 4th graders read the book Shoeshine Girl and discuss it. Students discuss various economic concepts and complete the...
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What's "In" There: A Study of the Inner Planets - Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars
First graders identify and explore the four inner planets. For this planet science lesson, 1st graders watch a PowerPoint about the planets. Students read the book Our Solar System and discuss the inner planets. Students create a book...
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Children of Long Ago
Students complete pre reading, writing, during reading, and interdisciplinary activities for the book Children of Long Ago. In this reading lesson plan, students complete journal entries, answer short answer questions, have discussions,...
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What's the Point? A Lesson on Point of View
Fourth graders read the book, Good Dog by Alexandra Day. In this writing lesson, 4th graders re-write the story from a chosen character's point of view. This lesson can be used with many other wordless picture books.
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Forest Activity: The Forest as Inspiration for Literature
Pupils analyze the role of the forest in literature. They read various literature selections, analyze the role the forest played as a setting, character, or symbol, and complete a writing activity.
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Genre Jeopardy
Students play a Jeopardy game in which the questions are about different genres. They can use this activity as a review before a test.
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How to Be a Good Friend
Pupils brainstorm and illustrate the dos and don'ts of friendship as a book or classroom display. They discuss how friendships work and the rules people follow to make them work.
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Identifying Dinosaurs
Students investigate basic information about dinosaurs. They listen to the book, "My Visit To the Dinosaurs," explore various websites, take an online quiz, and play an online dinosaur game.
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Integrated Social Studies and Music Lesson
Fourth graders study the Civil War. They listen to and study the songs, 'Yankee Doodle Dandy' and 'When Johnny Comes Marching Home.' They play 'Yankee Doodle' on their recorders and write in their reflection journals about their...
National First Ladies' Library
Riding the Underground Railroad
Young historians explore the underground railroad and life as a slave during the Civil War. After internet research, they discuss the hazards of travel as a slave and the benefits of freedom. Individually, students write a short story...