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Summarizing with James and the Giant Peach
Elementary readers in literature groups practice summarizing chapter-by-chapter with Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach. Focus on main idea, supporting details, and the 5 Ws. Unfortunately, a clever "peach" graphic organizer to which...
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WWI for World History Honors
Using a textbook, learners will examine various aspects related to the Triple Alliance of WWI. They complete a series of handouts, engage in a class discussion, and interpret a map showing both the Triple Alliance and the Triple Entente....
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Paragraphs: Main Idea and Supporting Details
This is a great way to review the concept of main idea and supporting details with younger learners. Learners read two short passages and identify the main idea and supporting details using visual prompts and a graphic organizer.
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Finding Main Ideas
Elementary schoolers read paragraphs one at a time in order to pick out the main ideas. They choose which sentences are most important in a paragraph. This type of exercise prepares learners to identify the main idea in longer narratives.
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Advertising Media: Youth Drinking and Smoking
Scholars examine the effect of media and advertising on youth drinking and smoking. They determine what advertising means, how much money is spent on it, and how different age groups are targeted. They watch a movie and examine pictures...
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Classifying Information About a Main Idea
Elementary learners explore language arts by completing a text identification activity. They discuss the importance of a main idea in a story or paper and how to present it properly. Then they practice identifying the main idea in sample...
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Teaching "Theme" with Children's Literature
In this exercise, learners examine the difference between a theme, topic, and moral. After a class discussion on the definition of literary themes, the instructor reads The Cello of Mr. O by Jane Cutler. Next, individuals analyze the...
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Writing Children's Literature
Students examine the common themes and characteristics of children's literature. They develop a list of characteristics, read and discuss examples of children's literature, and create an original children's book.
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Little Red Hen
First graders listen to the story "The Little Red Hen". They buddy read the story and then illustrate their own interpretation of the story on story paper. Students then use AlphaSmart to type their stories in sequential order.
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Why Do Authors Write?
Sixth graders use short reading passages to identify, explain, and discuss the author's purpose for writing. After a lecture/demo, they utilize a graphic organizer embedded in this plan to organize their writing ideas.
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Using Color as a Pre-Writing Tool
To better understand how to compose a clear and well-organized paper, learners read short passages, write summaries, and make colored graphic organizers. This is a fully developed three-day activity with suggested assessments.
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Political Cartoons
Students examine a variety of historical cartoons. They recognize a political cartoon and identify the main idea, symbolism, exaggeration and caricature in political cartoons. Students analyze a political cartoon by Benjamin Franklin.
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Main Idea with SENTEO Component
Students explore "main idea." In this main idea and details reading comprehension lesson, students view a Brain POP video about main idea and then identify sentences displayed on the SMART Board that would be included in a paragraph...
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Writing Process
Students read "The Great Kapok" and choose to agree or disagree with the main character's decision. They gather and organize details from multiple sources to defend their standpoints. They begin prewriting steps of process writing.
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Language Arts
In this literacy worksheet, 5th graders find the main idea, put the words into the correct sentences, and read the paragraph to increase reading comprehension.
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Listening Positions, Please
Fourth graders practice using effective listening skills as they listen to oral poetry readings.
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Developing Listening Skills With Folktales
Students answer questions about a folktale that is read to them. In this listening skills activity, students practice listening to folktales and answering questions about what they hear. They listen to repetitive readings of the same...
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Hands-On Outlining
In order to write an effective outline, children must be able to identify main ideas and supporting details, which is the aim of this fun and kinesthetic activity. The class works on the floor to organize sentence strips prepared by the...
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Reciprocal Teaching Strategies Worksheet
For this pre-reading activity worksheet, students respond to 3 questions that require them to list main ideas, generate questions, and clarify unclear items prior to reading a selection.
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Article Analysis
One way for ESL students to improve their English skills is through reading articles in the newspaper. This worksheet serves as a guide that learners could use when reporting on the article they read. There seven questions asked about...
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What's the Big Idea
Discuss the concept of main idea in a story or other reading material. Middle schoolers identify the main idea in a passage using a technique that eliminates unnecessary words not relevant to the main idea.
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Elections: Ch 7
Identify the main idea, key terms, and concepts with this worksheet on US Elections. There are 5 fill in the blank and 5 multiple choice questions for your class to answer.
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Ancient Tales and Legends
Investigate motivational problems using educational software as your students determine details and main ideas of the reading. the class practices sequencing activities and read scary and monster stories, then complete associated...
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Main Idea
What could you pack for a trip if you don't know the destination? After writing a list of items they would want to bring, fourth graders learn that the "trip" is to the South Pole - revealing the need to understand all available...