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Interpreting a Symbol
Analyze the symbols in the book, Only You Can Save Mankind in a fun science fiction activity. After investigating the symbols from the book, middle schoolers jot down any details they recall about objects or idea. Next, they brainstorm...
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Predicting a Mystery's Solution
Sixth graders explore the genre of mystery. In this language arts instructional activity, 6th graders predict the solution to a mystery based on the text. Students read a text and predict the solution.
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Identifying Clues to Help Solve a Mystery
Students investigate clues in mystery novels. In this genre study lesson, students read the book Sammy Keyes and The Hotel Thief and use the 5 W's to answer questions about the mystery. Students draw conclusions using the details from...
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Textual Analysis: Forensic Science Files: Handwriting Analysis
Learn to analyze handwriting samples in a textual analysis instructional activity. Middle schoolers complete a textual analysis procedure based on the text Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief. They also provide supporting evidence for their...
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Historical Effects
Students listen as teacher role plays how major events impact our lives. In this history instructional activity, students complete guided and independent practice activities about how the Gold Rush impacted characters in Riding Freedom....
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What's the Main Idea?
Learners explore poetry. In this main idea in poetry lesson, students read poems from Words with Wings, thenidentify the main idea and complete a "Main Idea Mania" worksheet.
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Lesson 3: Voice
Examine the "voice" of Ganwar, a character in "Ganwar Speaks!" from Home of the Brave. Middle schoolers identify and discuss dialect, description, and tone. They then work independently to analyze voice and complete worksheets. An...
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What are the Main Ideas?
Prior to beginning Rosa Parks: My Story by Rosa Parks, model for your class members how to determine the main idea of a text. Exercepts from another story are provided to use for the demonstration. The focus then shifts to Rosa Parks'...
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Mysterious Plot Problems
Students solve 3 riddles given by the teacher and discuss how solving a mystery is like solving a riddle. In this language arts lesson, students watch as the teacher records problems in a detective story. Students record questions...
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Genre Lesson: Short Story
Stories from Sandra Cisneros' The House on Mango Street provide sixth graders with an opporltunity to identify the elements of a short story. After several modeling exercises, readers use the provided worksheet to recording information...
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Relationship Between the Protagonist and Antagonist
Young scholars read Hansel and Gretel, and discuss the conflict in the story, while determining who the protagonist and the antagonist are. For this fiction lesson, students chart the conflict in the story they have just read.
Read Works
Writing Compare and Contrast Essays
Practice writing compare and contrast essays in your class by starting out with a Venn diagram. A sample that can be expanded upon is provided here. After your writers have completed the guided practice, have them write individual essays...
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Analyzing Relationships
Fifth graders analyze relationships between characters in a story. In this language arts lesson, 5th graders use photographs of family and friend to discuss relationships. Students read a story and discuss the relationships they identify...
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Genre Lesson: Realistic Fiction
Students explore the elements of realistic fiction. In this genre study lesson, students discuss connections they have to characters in their favorite show or movie. Students hunt for realistic fiction elements in a text and complete the...
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Deciding Theme
Fifth graders explore the theme of a story by identifying the effects of a character's decision. In this theme study lesson, 5th graders refer to the events in The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Students discuss as a whole class how...
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Character's Motive
Why do people commit crimes? Middle schoolers investigate characters' motives for committing a crime in a character analysis lesson. First, they read the book Chasing Vermeer and identify the suspects. They then record the details about...
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Identifying Symbols
Identify symbols within text and explain what they mean. Sixth graders examine Home of the Brave and identify recurring pictures in the text and discuss what they mean. They then choose a symbol from the text and explain what it means...
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Lesson 3: Voice
Explore voice in writing with the story Chess Rumble. After examining the character's voice to understand the character better, sixth graders analyze and discuss the dialect, tone, and descriptive language used. A good way to focus on...
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Fact and Opinion
Sixth graders discuss the terms "explicit opinions," and "implicit opinions," from a text. In this literacy lesson, 6th graders analyze the author's techniques to find explicitly stated opinions. Additionally, students complete a...
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Predicting a Mystery's Solution
Who killed Sam Westing? Model for your class members the components of a good prediction, and how to use these components to predict a mystery's solution. Class members use what they have learned to craft predictions while reading Ellen...
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Organizing Information into an Outline
Learners explore outlines. In this nonfiction comprehension and study skills lesson plan, students complete a traditional outline for the book Animal Homes by Ann O. Squire following guided instruction as the teacher models gathering...
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Predicting Based on Character Relationships
Students read a book. In this making predictions lesson, students learn how to make a prediction in a story and discover how character relationships can help in their predictions. Students read a story stopping to make predictions.
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Identifying Author's Purpose in a Newspaper
Fourth graders read the newspaper and identify the author's purpose. For this language arts lesson, 4th graders read two sections of the newspaper and analyze the characteristics of each section. Students explain in writing how they know...
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Categorizing Texts According To Author's Purpose
Young scholars categorize books into the 3 different kinds of author's purpose. In this author's purpose lesson plan, students categorize them into the categories of entertain, inform, and persuade.