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Picturing a Story
Young scholars view slides from the movie "Hoot" and discuss characters, setting and the caption. They identify where in the rise and fall of the plot this scene takes place. They brainstorm elements needed to create a story from a...
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Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Middle schoolers watch the video Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. They participate in daily lecture, and create vocabulary cards. Students participate in oral reading evaluation, and complete a writing assignment:Do things like those that...
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6 Word Digital Memoirs
Students discuss the idea of 6 word memoirs. In this technology lesson, students explore how using a small number of words sometimes is the best. Students practice using 6 word memoirs writing six words for various nursery rhymes and...
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Cooperative Comics
Students create comics identifying conflicts and their resolutions. In this conflict resolution lesson, small groups of students follow specific mapping instructions to illustrate a conflict and its resolution. Students present orally...
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Women in History: Research for Expository Writing
After reading an excerpt from Amelia Earhart's autobiography, The Fun of It, learners explore various nonfiction resources about her life and write a short newspaper article on a specific event. They then develop a longer piece of...
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The Poetry of Giving
Learn about philanthropy and poetic conventions with an inclusive lesson about Bill Gates. After learning about Mr. Gates' humanitarian efforts in the world, sixth graders use alliteration, onomatopoeia, rhyme, rhythm, and refrain in...
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History According to Shakespeare
Students read Shakespeare's, Julius Caesar while identifying a number of literary elements including simile, metaphor, personification, and hyperbole. As a response activity, they simulate a mock trial, and finally, compare and contrast...
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Who Am I?
Students create a graphic timeline depicting who they are, where they've been and where they think they are going in their lives. They analyze and reflect upon the important events of their lives, and then use this as a starting point...
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Explore Chapters 1 - 5
Learners preview the novel, "Dragonwings," by Laurence Yep, make connections between the novel previewed and their prior knowledge, other texts, and the world. They utilize graphic representations including charts, graphs, pictures, and...
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Once Upon a Time: Writing Stories about Reading
Learners read a New York Times article to examine strong first person voice in essays about reading. They write their own first person essays about some aspect of reading, participate in peer review, and re-writing.
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Laurence Yep's Dragonwings
Learners read independently the novel, "Dragonwings," by Laurence Yep and make connections between a text and the world. They summarize, paraphrase, analyze and evaluate skimming and scanning techniques when reading a novel. Each student...
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Understanding Character
Students are introduced to literary elements and definitions in the worksheet Understanding Character but reading through each of the elements and definitions aloud. They read the story, "La Bamba" and identify examples of the literary...
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Just-Us and Kindness: A Voice for Children: King Day
Eighth graders investigate philanthropy. In this service learning instructional activity, 8th graders read human rights literature and use information gleaned to discuss children's rights around the world. Students discuss scenarios...
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Joltin' Joe Has Left and Gone Away
Learners assess admirable qualities in entertainers. They discuss Joe DiMaggio's obituary, focusing on his accomplishments and place in American society. They research and create their own descriptive biographies of athletes and...
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Clearing the Smoke About Cigarettes
Students explore the many causes and effects of cigarette smoking in order to create anti-smoking campaigns geared towards other students.
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Is All Cinema Verité?
Young scholars explore the relationship between movies and culture, looking at movies as both a part of and a reflection of popular culture. They research the specific historical and cultural realities present during the run of a...
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What's the Story?
Students explore how the same news story can be presented differently through various journalistic styles. They discuss the unique characteristics of each style and find articles on the same event in each of the different styles.
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To Tell the Tale
Students explore how themes common to the human condition can be found in literary and oral traditions across cultures. They compile traditional folk tales around these themes and write their own tales to reflect their own cultural context.
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Ad Nauseam
Students explore the role of special-interest groups in American campaigns. They create their own political advertisements.
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The Buckshot Stops Here
Students study the incident between Vice President Dick Cheney and his friend while hunting. They brainstorm and research different scandals throughout History and complete a homework assignment.
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The Giver - Essay Questions
In this literature activity, students respond to 15 short answer and essay questions about Lowry's The Giver. Students may also link to an online interactive quiz on the novel at the bottom of the page.
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Doing Things the Wright Way
Students investigate 20th century inventions in order to examine how inventions reflect the historical events during which they were developed an
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Creating a Pamphlet/Brochure for a Party or Candidate
Students explore political persuasive writing. In this government and persuasive writing lesson, students work in groups to write text and create graphics for a brochure describing and promoting a predetermined political candidate.
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Euro Cent Trick
Students investigate the positive and negative aspects of the currency switch to the euro in eleven European countries as of January 1, 1999. They research the previous currencies of the eleven countries and create posters illustrating...