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Using Writing to Make a Difference
Students change the lesson plan in order to make meaningful writing.
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Photo Talk!
Students communicate with Epals. They write letters with photo exchanges
and create a website for presentations of 3,000 words or less and one photo. They
tell their life stories and illustrate with photos in the target language.
V
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Newcomers Learn Local History
Middle schoolers that are English Language Learners (ELL) work individually and in small groups to conduct research on their community. They compile the results of their research, write a report, and create a presentation slideshow. ...
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Celebrate Dr. Seuss' Birthday!
Celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday and reading by participating in Read Across America day on March 2nd.
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"Sadako And The Thousand Paper Cranes" Literature Study
Students learn about the legacy of Sadako Sasaki, the atomic bomb, and history through a nonfiction literature study.
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"The Giver"- A Novel Study
Here are some resources and lesson ideas to incorporate into a literature study of the novel "The Giver" by Lois Lowry.
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Unleash the Power of Poetry in Your Classroom
Students can gain an appreciation of poetry by being encouraged to express their opinions and ideas.
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Ocean Life
Learners research and identify ocean animals characteristics and life styles using the Internet and books. They create a PowerPoint presentation and an iMovie to present to the class.
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Diversity
Students access prior knowledge of the five senses and relate to students with disabilities. In this people with disabilities lesson, students research and use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast famous people and their...
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iPod Audio Tours
Middle schoolers cooperate in small groups to create an audio tour of a zoo exhibit during a field trip. They record personal reactions, zoo sounds and information learned about the exhibit. They then edit the audio recording and add...
Stanford University
Voices of the Struggle: The Continual Struggle for Equality
As part of a study of the Civil Rights Movement from 1868 to the present, class members examine first person narratives, the Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education, and other significant events in civil rights history. They then...
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Science: Schoolyard Trees
Sixth graders choose specific trees to research while taking a nature walk around the schoolyard. They discuss tree and leaf parts and observe various types of leaves. After writing their reports, 6th graders present them to the class...
The New York Times
Writing to Explain: Creating How-To Scripts and Demonstrations
Excuse me, can you give me directions? Scholars examine and practice technical writing to increase their ability to write directions. They participate in discussion, watch videos, and complete an assignment to create their own directions.
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Habitat Happenings
Pupils examine the characteristics of the Prairie Creek Habitat in Illinois. In groups, they travel between various stations writing haikus and reading brochures. They identify what occurs in each habitat and identify the animals located...
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River Research
Students use the internet to research the streams and rivers found in Illinois. Using the information, they identify and describe the rivers and streams along with the physical characteristics of a river ecosystem. They share what they...
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Poetry and Nature
Young scholars observe an object in nature and record them. In groups, they create a group poem about the same object. They create their own poem based on another object using other their senses to help them. They share their poems with...
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Aquatic Exotics
Students identify and describe the aquatic exotic species found in Illinois. Using the internet, they research the species origins and discover their effects on native species in the area. They discuss how appropriate it is to introduce...
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Easy Street
Students work together to complete a simulation on drought days. As a class, they discuss their results and compare water usage of the past to current numbers. After reading short excerpts, they answer discussion questions and review as...
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Go To The Head of the Cloud
Students pretend they are water droplets traveling through the water cycle. Using their text, they discover the steps in the cycle and the different paths water can take. They write a report about their journey through the water cycle...
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Leach Out and Touch Someone
Pupils discuss how groundwater becomes polluted. In groups, they design and create models of groundwater pollution sources. They demonstrate to the class how the water may become contaminated from local and nonlocal pollution sources.
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Migration Activation
Pupils play the role of migrating birds. As a class, they simulate a migration of birds to one place and back again. They relate their habitat size and changes to their current population numbers. They discover the many dangers of...
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Photosynthesis
Students are introduced to the process of photosynthesis. In groups, they test the effects of the lack of sunlight on plant leaves and compare the results with their hypothesis. They note the characteristics that plants and animals share...
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Alternative Energy Sources
Students recognize that people have various opinions on the use of renewable energy.In this renewable energy activity, students research to find the best uses of renewable energy. Students create an original design for a group...
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A Creative Way of Reporting on Books
By using creative ways to complete book reports, like using cereal boxes, you can motivate students.