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Folktales: "The Storytelling Stone"
Students create a folktale after finding out the importance of folktales in different cultures. In this folktales lesson, students determine the definition of a folktale and read a "The Storytelling Stone." Students then discuss the...
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Eliminate "To Be" Verbs
Students remove to beverbs from their writing. In this verb usage lesson, students write strategies from eliminating to be verbs, then locate the verbs in their writing and eliminate as many as possible.
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Focus on Figurative Language in Prose and Poetry
Young scholars place emphasis on the use of figurative language when analyzing prose and poetry. In this figurative language lesson, students explore the tone of a story and its imagery. Young scholars read and discuss how the author...
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I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Students use Maya Angelou's novel, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings to identify themes about adversity in the text. In this adversity, students read chapter 36 of the novel and discuss the examples of adversity in the book. Students...
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Peer writing evaluation (myth)
Students compose myths. In this creative writing activity students use their knowledge of the features of myths to compose their own, then share with a peer for feedback.
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Spinning Your Wheels
Students read various articles related to transportation and land use. They cite textual references as they engage in panel discussions, shared inquiry discussions and debates. They write a persuasive essay on the topic.
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Beneath the News: Who's Doing What to Whom, and Who Cares?
Students investigate the differences between various forms of media (print, radio, TV, Internet). They determine the target audience for each and compare exposure around the world. They write a short story and share it with the class.
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Introduction to The Diary of Anne Frank
Get a glimpse of Anne Frank's years in hiding with this activity, which introduces The Diary of Anne Frank. Readers complete a journal entry about how they would keep themselves occupied if they were forced into hiding (without personal...
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A Great Beginning
Check out this detailed resource for some beginning of the year activities. After examining examples, class members uses the computer lab to create a personal brochure enhanced with clip art or photos to introduce themselves to the...
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Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead: "Teach Each Other" Discussion
Challenge your class to hold a discussion about the theme of death in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead without direct teacher guidance. After going over the discussion protocols and quotes from the text, learners move in a circle...
Facing History and Ourselves
Socratic Seminar
New to the socratic seminar format? Check out a resource that not only provides the rationale for the procedure and step-by-step directions, but also provides a list of suggested topics, rules and model statements.
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Picture Perfect Poetry
Do your language arts students love to draw? Use this lesson to reinforce poetic techniques with illustration. After drawing what they think poem would look like with no words, middle and high schoolers work on several different...
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Writing Myths I
Explain a natural phenomenon in an original myth. After researching the phenomenon they have chosen, young readers use factual information to include in their myth. They find synonyms and new phrases to create vivid images as they write...
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A Great Beginning
Students create tri-fold biographical brochures. Each of the sections of the brochure refers to either the past, present or future of the student. They use the back of the brochure to list ways to be successful in high school and reach...
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Crisis Management
Learners research the issues facing President Bush and write short political commentaries predicting what course the president take. For homework, they write editorials stating what they think the president should do to best serve the...
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Gatsby and the American Twenties Newspaper
Students research 1920's US History. In this historical literature lesson, students use the novel The Great Gatsby as a tool to examine the era. They work in individually to create newspaper articles based on different historical and...
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On the Run
Students research famous F.B.I. "Most Wanted" cases; they then create PowerPoint, or other informational and visual displays, to present their case studies in class.
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Understanding Persuasive Writing
Students give examples of how the media glamorize violence and desensitize viewers to the horrors of real acts of violence. They identify factors in addition to the media that contribute to the problem of violence in society.
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Passing Down Family History Through Oral Tradition: Corridos
Students create and perform Corridos which are oral tradition ballads. In this Passing Down Family History Through Oral Tradition lesson, students interview family members using a predetermined list of questions. In addition, students...
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Marine Poetry
Learners identify characteristics of good poetry and compose their own. In this marine poetry activity, students are introduced to several different types of poetry with a marine theme. After discussing the elements that make up a good...
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Guidelines for Recognizing Persuasiveness, Propaganda, and Stereotypes
Students investigate advertisements for examples of persuasiveness, propaganda, and stereotypes. In this persuasion lesson, students find examples of advertisements that are unusual or common. Students discuss guidelines for...
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Writing Myths II
Students complete a final draft of a myth. In this writing myths lesson, students complete their rough drafts, have a one-on-one meeting with the teacher to enhance ideas, and peer edit. Students use the comments and critiques to...
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Current Events Activity
Students investigate world news and create a performance from their research. In this current events lesson plan, students identify major political or news stories in the media and create a performance based on a character they will...
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Community Journals
Learners visit a multimedia online journal as a model for their research and journal about their own communities. They examine writing for themselves and writing for an audience as they study the community and present it in more than one...