After completing Jane Yolen’s Briar Rose, class members assume the voice of Gemma and craft a personal letter to her granddaughter telling Becca how she feels about Becca’s actions and the discoveries at Chelmno. Complete directions for...

Work on narrative writing with this lesson, in which middle schoolers analyze the characters from a selected piece of literature and write narrative diary pieces as the character. They work to understand the point of view of the...

Even an outline can give you enough information to execute an awsome project. The tasks for each of the seven weeks of this project are defined, as well as the objective and specific content facilitated through the project. Learners will...

Readers practice character analysis by reviewing Gary Soto's short story "La Bamba" with the whole class (anything you've read together will work). They design t-shirts that feature traits and story elements to reveal the nature of a...

How does reading a drama differ from reading a novel? Middle schoolers become playwrights and explore these differences. After viewing the A&E movie,"The Crossing," groups create stage directions, write dialogue, and design sets and...

Students enjoy Leo Lionni's illustrations in Frederick and watching how Frederick uses his imagination. In this Frederick lesson plan, students practice dramatic techniques as they retell traditional literature.

Your intermediate or advanced thespians choose dramatic scenes to perform in duos, small groups, or solo to demonstrate vocal and physical characterization. Use class time to prepare and rehearse. Detailed rubrics work for peer assessment.

What a great list of brief research projects for reviewing the era of westward expansion in the United States! Learners are directed to choose and complete three of the projects on the given list, which includes opportunities to design...

Students analyze graphical forms of Eudora Welty and interpret the shorts stories in the representations. In this graphical representations lesson, students analyze the short story genre in comic strips. Students then create their own...

Learners analyze a book's characters and create a scrapbook to print and save. In this on line interactive characterization lesson plan, students identify character traits and gain a deeper understanding of a book's characters.

Learners determine the meaning of philanthropy and list attributes of philanthropic people. They examine philanthropic acts of themselves and others using a song and Post-It note activity.

Students identify the characteristics of different painting styles in this lesson. They examine the essential elements that characterize the different styles, and further research one chosen style of artwork. They then create an...

Students plan and perform a mysterious scenario using a variety of literary conventions such as characterization, setting, and plot development. Each group provides enough clues to make solving the mystery a challenge.

Students recreate characters from the story, "The Fairytale Cake." In this fairy tale characterization lesson, students first listen to fairy tales read aloud. They then use play dough and plastic bowls as pretend "cakes and icing", and...

Young scholars examine human health by identifying dangerous pesticides. In this agriculture lesson, students research the food production system in the United States and discuss dangers such as pesticides, chemicals and insecticides...

Young scholars investigate magma flow using gelatin volcano models. In this earth science activity, students sketch the magma bodies as observed from the top of their model. They explain why magma moves that way.

The Secret Garden, is a wonderful book to read with your class. After reading, why not employ the lesson plan presented here as a follow up activity? In it, pupils create character charts that portray the tremendous changes that...

Students identify the different factors affecting the size and shape of ocean waves. In this math instructional activity, students calculate wave speed and wavelength given a mathematical formula.

Students formulate their own opinions about the issues in an election campaign through a critical examination of political advertisements, candidate debates, and political cartoons.

Students survey Neoclassical art and create a narrative based on their analyses. Focused questions and relevant background information provided by the Getty Museum provides a great foundation for students to understand art techniques as...

Students create a Thanksgiving coupon book. In this holiday instructional activity, students review the history of Thanksgiving and create coupon books to give to someone who they are thankful for.

Students become immersed in analyzing the influences on and development of an artistic paradigm; they also move into, through and beyond the literary piece.

Students identify and explore life forms of various biomes, define transitional regions, examine effects of abiotic and biotic interactions, research a biome, and produce newspaper that features environmental information. Lessons all on...

Students improve understanding of the concept of self-awareness by differentiating the internal from the external world. They develop a vocabulary to describe feelings and to understand the uniqueness and variations of people's inner...