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Body Balance
Examine measurable characteristics of objects to build an understanding of the different ways you can discuss an object's size when comparing it to other objects. After whole group instruction, the class compares and organizes several...
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Drama from Animal Characters
Learn about animal habitats, characteristics, and writing in a different perspective. The class composes a narrative from the perspective of a fresh water animal, they include a problem and the animal's reaction to the problem. The...
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Compare and Contrast: Literary Analysis
Great for a reading intervention or remedial Language Arts class, this activity uses two stories from Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul III ("Terri Jackson" and "Mary Lou" to reinforce note-taking skills, story elements, and comparing...
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Comparison and Contrast - D. H. Lawrence
Read The Horse Dealer's Daughter and The Rocking Horse Winner by D. H. Lawrence, then write an essay comparing and contrasting the two stories. Learners choose some aspect to write about, such as themes, characters, setting, or plot.
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Comparing Themes
Compare and contrast the themes of two works by J.R.R. Tolkien. High schoolers read The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring, Then they write an essay that compares the themes found in each novel.
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Comparing Themes Across Texts
Read various texts to compare the themes across each text. Learners write a journal entry describing the most beautiful scenery they've seen and use a map of the United States to locate the Sequoia National Park and Muir Woods. They then...
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Compare and Contrast Two Books
Help your middle school readers recognize the elements of fiction in two books. After reading and taking notes on the details of the books, they write an essay comparing and contrasting the two books. Use this lesson to emphasize...
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Analyzing Poetic Devices: Robert Hayden's "Those Winter Sundays" and Theodore Roethke's "My Papa's Waltz"
Analyze the poetic devices used in Robert Hayden's "Those Winter Sundays" to those found in Theodore Roethke's "My Papa's Waltz." Critical analysts discuss poetic meter and rhythm and its relationship to theme. They compare and contrast...
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Word Problem Exchange
Young scholars discuss elements of word problems: key words, data, computation clues, and unnecessary information and use the four steps of problem solving to find a solution and check for reasonableness.
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Amelia Earhart - Drawing Conclusions
Examine the life of Amelia Earhart with kids. They will read facts and view a timeline about Earhart's life. They will work in groups to read the last radio transmissions and draw conclusions about what happened in her disappearance and...
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Venn Diagram for Compare/Contrast
Use this lesson to focus on a compare and contrast writing structure in your middle school language arts class. Here, young writers compare and contrast two texts using graphic organizers. They use a double bubble format for their...
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Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
The classic book, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs lesson, is used to help readers compare and contrast the weather in Chewandswallow to their own town. Students write their own fantasy weather story. This lesson is intended to be an...
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Events Reactions Feeling _ Social Studies Lesson Plan
For this lesson, Events Reactions Feelings, students analyze different events and how they feel. Students compare their feelings or reactions to a particular event with those of their classmates. Students consider why people react, feel...
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Role Models - Defining Positive Role Models
Being able to identify what characteristics make a good role model is one way for students to better understand their own positive behaviors. The class brainstorms what characteristics make up a good role model, research a role model...
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T-Chart: Compare and Contrast
An alternative to a Venn diagram, this T-Chart guides young readers through comparing and contrasting two different items or concepts. They explore how the ideas are alike in the first column, and different in the second. Extend the...
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The Persian Empire: Venn Diagram
Compare and contrast the actions of King Darius and King Cyrus. Pupils use the Venn Diagram to compare and contrast, explaining how Cyrus used satraps, then describe the beliefs of Zoroaster.
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Sorting by Site: Missouri quarter reverse
Lewis and Clark took note of the animals common to their home state. As they traveled, they noticed that different places had different types of animals. Your class will use this model to compare and contrast elements that make up their...
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Writing a Business Letter to Compare and Contrast
Students compose business letters. In this writing skills lesson, students use the business letter format as they note cause and effect relationships between the weight epidemic in the United States and changing menus in American...
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Harcourt Story: Eleanor and Amelia Go for a Ride
Fourth graders are introduced to a list of vocabulary words as it relates to the story Eleanor and Amelia Go for a Ride and a use graphic organizer to clarify the meaning of the text. In this "Eleanor and Amelia Go for a Ride"...
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Observing and Questioning
Third graders investigate different types of soil. In this soil instructional activity, 3rd graders compare various soil samples. They work hands-on with their peers to find the differences and similarities.
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Molly's Pilgrim
Third graders explore the multi-ethnic nature of America's citizens and examine the symbolism of the Statue of Liberty. In this Molly's Pilgrim lesson, 3rd graders discuss the poem "The New Colossus," examine vocabulary words...
Discovery Education
One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest
After reading Ken Kesey's One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, class members view the 1975 film version and then craft a critical review in which they compare the two versions and evaluate the success or failure of Milos Foreman's...
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Primary Lessons for Grades K-2
Students study wildlife and identify similarities and differences between their home and wild environments. In this wildlife lesson plan, students make connections between wildlife and wildlife habitats. Students then build...
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Buzzy, Buzzy Bee
Students simulate honeybees pollinating flowers. In this pollination lesson, students role-play the process of pollination over the course of several seasons. Students graph results and share their graphs with the class.