Read Theory
Analogies 3 (Level 6)
Positive and negative may be opposites, but what does that have to do with the words clean and filthy? Ask your pupils to consider word relationships as they complete the 10 analogies presented here. Note that the exercise gradually...
Novelinks
Walk Two Moons: Unsent Letter
Take a journey with your class as they explore the different settings from Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech. Middle schoolers write postcards in first person as if they were the characters of the story.
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Tattercoats
Students read the English folktale, "Tattercoats," identify basic literary terms, and respond to writing prompts. They compare and contrast with another Cinderella story version and create a graphic response to the story.
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The Titanic
Middle schoolers use various sources to compare and contrast information about the Titanic. In groups, they create a list of questions and use the internet to find the answers. They write a report with the new information and use their...
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Technology-commected Folklife Lesson Plan: Fables
Learners discuss ways the stories were alike and different. The teacher demonstrate how to draw a Venn diagram using Microsoft Word. They label the two circles and enter the likenesses and differences on the diagram.
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News View
Students read and analyze three different news sources that describe the same event. They compare/contrast the similarities and differences of the news sources, and write an essay describing the main event.
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Synonymous Sharks
Students locate and read an Internet article on sharks. They write a summary of the article, and complete a Concept of Definition Map using information from the article.
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The Underground Railroad in the I and M Canal Area
Young scholars discuss provocative statements about the Underground Railroad and form opinions. They locate and read a selection on the Internet that either supports of discredits their written opinions. They then read a speech by John...
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What's So Important?
Students work to develop comprehension strategies. They focus on the five 'w' questions for summarizing: who, what, when, where, and why? Through modeling and guided practice, they apply these questions to summarize several passages in...
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Wrapped in Mystery
Sixth graders can identify five basic elements that most mysteries contain. They put the elements of mystery into a graphic organizer they can follow. They construct meaning after reading Poe's short story and identify or infer the...
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The Twelve Months: A Slavic Cinderella Variant
Learners locate Slavic countries and identify a few characteristics of those countries. They read and/or listen to the Slavic tale, "The Twelve Months," and compare this version with another Cinderella story.
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Environmental Justice
Students explore the concept of environmental stewardship. In this Gulf Oil Spill lesson, students discuss how environmental pollution affects those how live in poverty at a higher rate than those with more affluence. Students read...
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Reference Materials
Students discuss reasons to use reference materials, identify correct reference material to use for specific information, find answers to specific questions by locating information in encyclopedia, dictionary, atlas, almanac, glossary,...
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Model Lesson Plan
Students, five of the "best" readers in the class, get a script and read over their part of the instructional activity before they begin to "teach" the class.
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Al Capone Does My Shirts
Learners are introduced to the novel "Al Capone Does My Shirts". Using primary source documents, they identify the unique geographical differences between where they live and the setting in the novel. They complete a Venn diagram...
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Ins and Outs of Simple Machines
Pupils explore the ins and outs of simple machines. They discover the various roles of simple machines, who uses them, where they can be found and how they actually work. Students create a compound machine using simple machines.
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Pre-writing activities for improving students' connections to literature
Students, while reading a novel together in class, jot in their journals any connections to their own lives they can make between the text and self, text to text or text to the world. Various themes are connected to open more doors to...
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Responding To Literature
Students prepare for and respond to literature selections. This package includes nineteen lessons, each covering a different reading selection. Pre-reading and response activities are included for each lesson as well as extension and...
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Native American Lesson Plan: Someone's in the Kitchen
Students use vocabulary necessary to complete cooking activities and tell others about the food. They discuss similarities and differences between Native American and other nationalities' foods made in their families.
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Produce a Nonfiction Text
In this language arts worksheet, middle schoolers look for the facts and create several nonfiction texts while including useful information for the reader.
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Bunnicula
Learners create a dictionary of vocabulary after reading a story. Individually, they create a story web making sure to include all of the basic story elements. They also create a timeline and write a book report of all important events.
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Scholarship and Learning in Islam
Young scholars explain what a madrasah represents in Islam. Using the Muslim world as an example, they identify and describe two or more centers of learning. They explain the contributions that Muslims have made to science and math and...
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Islamic Art
Young scholars examine the various forms of Islamic Art. Using the art, they identify the basic elements and research its history and style of calligraphy. They create a piece of art based on information they collected and demonstrate...
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Qur'an: Sacred Scripture of Islam
Students discover the strong emphasis Islam puts on education. Using the Internet, they identify advancements in ethics, math and astronomy. They explain the importance of madrasahs, or traditional places of learning in Islam, and...