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Unit Plan
Core Knowledge Foundation

Unit 1: Memoir - Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

For Teachers 4th Standards
The memoir, Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson, is the focus of a unit designed for fourth graders. Scholars begin each lesson with a warm-up, then listen to a read-aloud of a section of the book. Pupils complete word work,...
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Unit Plan
1
1
Core Knowledge Foundation

Fables and Stories Tell It Again!™ Read-Aloud Anthology

For Teachers 1st Standards
A read-aloud anthology focuses on fables. Over three weeks, first graders listen to various stories and then participate in lessons that cover story elements, including plot, characters, setting, and personification and explore...
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Lesson Plan
K20 LEARN

OPTIC - A Reading Strategy Recipe: Visual Literacy

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
A visual literary lesson provides learners with OPTIC (Observations, Predictions, Themes, Inferences, Conclusions), a reading strategy to help them understand and interpret visual and written texts. Scholars practice the strategy with a...
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Unit Plan
1
1
Core Knowledge Foundation

Kings and Queens Tell It Again!™ Read-Aloud Anthology

For Teachers K Standards
A royal read-aloud anthology offers a look inside the life of kings and queens. Songs and stories showcase royal characteristics and story elements and boost reading comprehension skills. Discussions highlight the difference between...
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Unit Plan
1
1
Core Knowledge Foundation

Stories Tell It Again!™ Read-Aloud Anthology

For Teachers K Standards
An anthology created for kindergarteners explores classic stories that have been told for generations. Young scholars listen to 10 read-alouds, answer reading comprehension questions, and practice a skill related to the text. Stories...
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Study Guide
Penguin Books

A Teacher's Guide to the Signet Classics Edition of Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed Standards
A teacher's guide to Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness proves that it is not impossible to delve into the heart of darkness. Containing a wealth of information about Conrad, the Scramble for Africa, and the history of the Belgian Congo,...
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Study Guide
Scholastic

A Reading Guide to A Wrinkle in Time

For Students 4th - 8th Standards
Accompany a reading of Madeleine L'Engle's classic tale, A Wrinkle in Time, with a detailed guide equipped with 15 informative and useful chapters. Scholars discover who the author is, why she wrote the book, and crucial story elements...
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Unit Plan
Learning to Give

Teaching Playwriting in Schools

For Teachers 1st - 12th Standards
The world is a stage, and so is your classroom! Hone the skills of the next generation of Tony® award winners with a set of exercises, reference pages, writing prompts, and excerpts from famous plays.
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Lesson Plan
ReadWriteThink

Decoding the Dystopian Characteristics of Macintosh’s “1984” Commercial

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Known as one of the most iconic advertisements of the 20th century, Macintosh's "1984" commercial has become more of a social statement. Present the ad to a new audience of viewers with a lesson focused on identifying dystopian...
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Worksheet
2
2
Teacher's Corner

Dr. Seuss Book Report - Setting

For Students 3rd - 6th Standards
A great way to incorporate a beloved author into the classroom, especially during the month of March. This book report instructional activity requires young authors to write a short summary of their favorite Dr. Seuss book. It's up to...
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Unit Plan
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

We’re a Family: English Language Development Lessons (Theme 3)

For Teachers K Standards
Teach your English language learners how to talk about their families with three weeks of lessons. Over the course of the thematic unit, learners pick up new vocabulary so that they can talk about families and relationships, clothing,...
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Printables
Curated OER

Elements of Fiction

For Teachers 1st - 8th
The metaphor of a pot of soup and a series of colorful templates remind young writers of the elements that make for a rich story. Pepper the plot with carrot/character, potato/point of view, corn/conflict, tomato/theme, and season with...
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Lesson Plan
Arts Midwest

The Joy Luck Club: Culture and History

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Explore San Francisco's Chinatown in a lesson about the first few chapters of The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan. Kids research Chinatown on the Internet and create a virtual tour of the neighborhood, including the foods, cultural events, and...
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Lesson Planet Article
Curated OER

Picture-Perfect Story Settings

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Using common picture books, teachers can help learners develop the setting for their next creative writing projects.
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Lesson Plan
1
1
Creative Competitions, Inc.

Odyssey of the Mind Curriculum Activity: Fantastic Fairy Tale

For Teachers 4th - 6th Standards
Learning about literature can be so much fun; it can also be made more accessible through projects and dramatic play. As they explore theme, character, and setting, the class gets creative and makes a dramatic recreation of a classic...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson: An Exploration of Places and Spaces Part I

For Teachers 9th - 12th
The concept behind this lesson is fantastic. Learners explore how different locations and situations affect them as individuals, focusing heavily on the impact of the urban environment. They question how location can make them change...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Book Report--Mystery

For Students 5th - 7th
Use this mystery novel worksheet to have learners answer several specific questions about details in the book, the atmosphere of the book, and the main characters in the book. This impressive, four-page worksheet will serve as an...
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Writing
Curated OER

Marking Time

For Students 2nd - 3rd Standards
Two narrative excerpts tell the same story from different points of view. In the first excerpt (first person), sequencing words and phrases are bolded and learners write down what the bold type does. The second excerpt is in third...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Borrowing Narrative Skills from Mr. Fletcher: Using a "Prompts in Reverse" Technique to Inspire Your Writers

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Help your class find their writing voices with this instructional activity which uses the work of Ralph Fletcher to guide a "Prompt in Reverse" activity. Using the chapter "First Pen" from Fletcher's Marshfield Dreams, learners decipher...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

What Makes a Novel a Novel?

For Students 4th - 8th
As your authors prepare to write a hypothetical novel, they need all the inspiration they can find! Using a book they have already read (and enjoyed), learners complete a literary analysis by filling in eight short-answer questions....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What is the Setting of a Story?

For Teachers 1st
First graders explore the concepts of what setting is and how it's determined in a story. They play the KidWorks program to help facilitate the setting in a story. They use resources such as a picture dictionary or word wall to find and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The "Write" Stuff: Strategies and Conventions for Imaginative Writing

For Teachers 6th
A comprehensive and immersive series of lessons that examines various aspects of story development leads learners into writing a narrative of their own. Writers develop an understanding of the writing process as they use the learning...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Workshop

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Kids take a critical look at each other's work in order to understand the editing process while providing constructive suggestions. This handout really sets learners up to successfully offer constructive critique to their peers. Helpful...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Mr. Putter and Tabby Write the Book: Comprehension Skills

For Students 2nd - 4th
Your learners are just starting to read books on their own, so this resource is perfect! Cut out the bookmark-size slips of paper for learners to utilize while reading Mr. Putter and Tabby Write the Book. Each of the five bookmark pages...