Bermingham City Schools
Opinion Writing
It's no secret that children can be very opinionated, but rather than fight against this natural tendency, embrace it with this primary grade writing project. After a shared reading of a children's book about persuasion, young learners...
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Sharing My Older Friend With Others
Elementary learners explore the difference between aged characters and young characters in literature. They use Venn diagrams to compare and contrast the attributes given to both younger and older characters in different pieces of...
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Children's Literature Across the Curriculum Ideas-The Gingerbread Man
Students read The Gingerbread Man by Karen Lee Schmidt. They complete a variety of cross-curricular activities that coincide with the reading of the book. Included are reading, art, math, science, writing, social studies, and library...
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Do You Want to Be My Friend?
Learners participate in a variety of emergent and early-literacy activities based on a "friendship" theme. Learners listen to the book Do You Want to Be My Friend by Eric Carle, then echo read, choral read, and independently read...
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R & R - Incorporating Literature While Teaching Math - Ordered Pairs - "The Polar Express"
Third graders create pictures using ordered pairs after listening to a piece of literature. In this ordered pairs and literature lesson, student listen to and discuss The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg. They participate in...
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Alphabet Book
Learners create their own alphabet book using clip art in a publishing program. They are read Dr. Seuss's ABC by Dr. Seuss as an "attention grabber."
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Modern Day Characters from Children's Literature
Pupils read several studenT fairy tales, nursery rhymes, or folk tales. They compare themes and narratives in each version. They rewrite a story that they have read, placing the characters in a contemporary setting and include...
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Popcorn Book Report
Students retell story events on a lunch bag filled with popcorn. They illustrate the story events and enjoy the popcorn snack.
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Do You Have Character?
Sixth graders read Katherine Paterson's novel, Bridge to Terabithia, and watch a video of Maurice Sendak's book, Where the Wild Things Are. They examine the characters in both stories that share similar characteristics. Students use the...
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Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Students explore the 5 themes of geography. In this cross curriculum literacy and geography lesson plan, students listen to Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett, and make a list of the needs of the people in Chewandswallow....
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Pink and Say
Read Pink and Say and discuss the Civil War with your upper elementary learners. They create a KWL about the Civil War and record words relating to the Civil War as they read the book. Then they work in groups to create an ABC book based...
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Identifying Universal Themes Across Cultures
Have your class read the story "The Magic Lake," retold by Liana Romulo, from Filipino Children's Favorite Stories. Guide them to identify the problem, solution, and universal theme. They compare the theme of this story to the theme of...
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Memoir Writing Based on Jerry Spinelli's Milkweed
Using chapter 1 of Jerry Spinelli's Milkweed, middle schoolers write a personal memoir based on Spinelli's style and a Six Trait writing activity. The lesson suggests several ways to activate prior knowledge, including a picture book and...
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Counting Up/Down Stories
Mirroring Jerry Spinelli's style in Wringer, chapter 5, pupils use the "counting up/down technique" to recall an important moment in their lives. In the book, the character is being punched, and between blows he remembers details that...
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Children's Literature Across the Curriculum Ideas-Duke Ellington
Students read Duke Ellington by Andrea Davis Pinkney. They complete a variety of cross-curricular activities surrounding the life of the 20th century composer. Included are reading, art, math, science, writing, social studies, and...
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Children's Literature Across the Curriculum Ideas-Lincoln: A Photobiography
Students read Lincoln: A Photobiography by Russell Freedman. They complete a variety of cross-curricular activities surrounding the life of Abraham Lincoln, including, but not limited to, the Civil War. Included are reading, art, math,...
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Children's Literature Across the Curriculum Ideas-Dancing With the Indians
Students read Dancing With the Indians by Angela Shelf Medearis. They complete a variety of cross-curricular activities surrounding the study of Native American festivals and traditions. Included are reading, art, math, science, writing,...
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The Tale of Peter Rabbit
Students practice their reading comprehension while investigating vegetables. In this children's literature lesson, students are read The Tale of Peter Rabbit in class and analyze the concept and themes. Students complete several...
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Learning With Paint And Literature: "Today I Feel Silly"
Students draw a picture related to the book "Today I Feel Silly" using a computer drawing program. They listen to the story and answer discussion questions, view drawings on the teacher's Paint website, and create an illustration of...
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Set a Poem to Music
Students consider the role of rhythm and meter in poetry. In this integrated arts lesson, students discuss the attributes of poetry and use their music skills to set picture book poetry to music by creating "singable" poems.
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Classroom Fun with Flat Stanley!
Students complete various activities based on the Flat Stanley books. In this Flat Stanley lesson, students brainstorm a list of supernatural qualities as an introduction to the book, then create story webs based on the book characters...
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Celebrate Books: A (Book) Week of Fun!
Students celebrate Book Week by participating in a variety of fun literature-based activities.
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Samuel's Choice - Social Studies Using Children's Literature
Fifth graders read a book about independence, freedom, and slavery. Students create a story map of the book. They research the causes of the Civil War. Students write a newspaper article from the point of view of an American colonist.
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Leyendas and Children's Literature
High schoolers in high school read books to elementary students. They also examine cultural writings and legends from Latin America. They complete projects over the information they have found and give one of them to the elementary student.