Students write a paragraph predicting what the book is about after viewing the front cover. They are given a copy of the Story Parts Maps, students are explained each story part. Students are explained that they most take notes on the...

Students explore the components of racismas they read through Horton Foote's, "To Kill a Mockingbird." The trial of the main character reveals instances of justice in the face of prejudice and forms the focus of the lesson.

Third graders read Pepita Talks Twice and define the character traits of respect and responsibility. They write their examples of the characters traits on a character trait doll. Students recognize the character traits of respect and...

A video leads off this activity on fables, introducing the class to this important form of traditional storytelling. The group defines fable and hears an explanation of the origin of this type of folk tale. They summarize the story they...

Students examine the three dimensions of health, wealth, and happiness from both emotional and social perspectives. Among the week-long activities are discussions about good and poor habits, minimizing risks by proper planning and...

Ninth graders read the story, "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty," and create a characterization chart to define the stock characters in the main story. They predict whether Walter Mitty will be a static character or a dynamic character....

Students study environmental stewardship. For this environmental stewardship lesson, students read the story The Gardner and define the character's actions for the environment. Students define philanthropy and complete a Venn...

Sixth graders read "Seven Daughters and Seven Sons" and examine aspects of Middle East culture and geography. They define vocabulary from the book and map locations described in the book.

Middle schoolers read and analyze the play "The Diary of Anne Frank" based on the book of the same name. They identify philanthropic concepts and values in the play and discuss the ways in which specific characters actions affect the...

Students identify and define vocabulary words in the book, Freckle Juice. In this vocabulary lesson, students read the text and define the words "formula," "reflection," and "remover." Students use an online dictionary to define the...

Students determine the story elements of typical mystery stories including characters and plot structure. They look at vocabulary that is common to mystery stories before reading and responding to mystery chapter books. Working in guided...

Students study fables in a broad context. In this literary lesson on fables, students define terms unique to them. Students use a variety of technological resources to gather and classify information into three categories. Students also...

Students write a children's story in which the characters are encouraged to speak out for the equality of women. They create a character and plot outline that includes details and supporting statements for women's rights. A brief 2-3...

Students, after reading and discussing, "The Metamorphosis," by Franz Kafka, explain the symbolism of Gregor's metamorphosis moving beyond a literal view of "he turned into a bug" into the idea that society/family/stress/environment led...

Students explore the themes of the book Swimmy by Leo Lionni. In this literacy activity, students dramatize a character from Swimmy and identify common themes such as cooperation and caring. Students create a new ending to the story.

Students study the African Grove Theater in New York. In this African American history lesson, students examine the evolution of race relations in the United States as they research the theater and its history.

Students examine Russian Folktales. In this folklore lesson, students discuss the attributes of common folktales they know and then discover details regarding Russian folktales. Students read 3 folktales and then complete the provided...

Students complete a unit of lessons on William Shakespeare's Hamlet. They analyze the plot, themes, and characterization, relate songs to thematic issues, develop plot summaries and translations, and compare the play to a movie version.

Students explore the purpose of a garden. In this Earth Day lesson, students read the story The Gardener and complete a Venn diagram comparing life in a city to farm life. Students discuss Earth Day and plant flowers in a garden .

Eleventh graders discover the importance of the fortune teller in Shakespeare's Macbeth. After watching two interpretations of the play, they examine and compare the portrayal of the character. They create their own modern adaptation of...

High schoolers become familiar with the Arctic region and the difficulties of scientific research by designing and developing an expedition to an "unknown" place. They use the library and the Internet in order to do their research. ...