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Problematic Situation: the Outsiders
In this The Outsiders problematic situation instructional activity, students read a scenario pertaining to a gang member's death. Students then mark whether they agree of disagree with 12 statements.
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Using Primary Sources: Letters from the Presidents
Students find out about the minds and thoughts of presidents through reading their actual letters. They explore the personal lives of presidents. They answer questions about a primary source. They write essays.
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Steps to a Healthier You
Learners explore the food pyramid. In this dietary health lesson, students examine the food pyramid on the MyPyramid.gov website and discuss healthy eating strategies. There are various links to websites in this lesson.
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Comparing Themes Across Texts
Read various texts to compare the themes across each text. Learners write a journal entry describing the most beautiful scenery they've seen and use a map of the United States to locate the Sequoia National Park and Muir Woods. They then...
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How to Measure Time Worksheet
For this elapsed time worksheet, students read facts about time such as there are 60 seconds in 1 minute, and read tips for computing elapsed time both when going from am to pm, and within the morning or afternoon. They practice adding...
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Summarizing Story Events
Here is a way to build your pupils' public speaking abilities. The lesson describes a reader's report chair, which is used each week by a student who has just finished reading a book. The featured reader sits in the chair and talks about...
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Summarizing Story Events
After reading a book on their own, pupils prepare an oral report on the book, and sit in the "Readers Report Chair" when giving the report to the class. They are taught to briefly summarize the book by talking about one of two...
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A Good Man is Hard to Find
Students, in groups, read and analyze the short story, A Good Man is Hard to Find, by Flannery O'Connor. They present their findings tot he rest of the class and then connect the various themes discussed to outside material, events...
Achievement Strategies
CCSS Unit Design Template for Art
Art classes, like any lab class, require extensive preplanning and set-up time. Use this planning template in the quiet before the storm to identify the equipment and materials that will be needed, the procedures and processes...
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Main Idea with SENTEO Component
Students explore "main idea." In this main idea and details reading comprehension lesson, students view a Brain POP video about main idea and then identify sentences displayed on the SMART Board that would be included in a paragraph...
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A Garden of Verses: Poems About Class Gardens
Students explore botany by participating in a language arts activity. In this garden poetry lesson, students read the classic poem "Mary, Mary Quite Contrary" and discuss the imagery and rhyming methods used. Students examine their own...
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Discussion Web
Get your class talking, even debating, about Gary Paulsen's popular novel Canyons. As they finish chapters 10-12, they complete the following discussion web concerning Brennan and the skull. They fill out the graphic organizer provided...
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Some see art, some see vandalism
Pupils employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes. Students conduct research on issues and interests by...
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Jay Gatsby's Souvenir Scrapbook
Students create a Power Point scrapbook that compiles memorabilia representing the life of Jay Gatsby. They read the novel, "The Great Gatsby" and conduct internet research using the "American Twenties" website. In small groups, they...
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Do We Still Need the Electoral College?
One of the most confusing aspects of any presidential election year is the role of the Electoral College. Learners read a bit about how the Electoral College works and then they hold a mock election in their classroom. They'll redraw a...
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Dancing through Poetry
Get your class up and moving as they explore how to express movement and dance through words. Designed around two poems by Lillian Morrison about break dancing, the activity truly captures the creative and multi-sensory aspects of...
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Zero Tolerance and Toy Guns
Seventh graders write a short reaction to the "Zero Tolerance" policy in regards to students and play guns. They read several news articles about the problems associated with the zero tolerance and students with play guns. They write a...
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Multimedia Book Report
Learners take a book they've read previously and create a multimedia book report. They use the book report graphic organizer (attached) to plan their PowerPoint presentation. A thorough rubric is provided for you to ease grading. There's...
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Understanding the Compass
Young geographers view an excellent description of how compasses work, then work in partners to make a compass of their own. There is a heavy religious component in this activity; for example, as closure, the teacher reads a verse from...
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Order of Operations with Variable Expressions
Middle schoolers explore grouping symbols to mathematical equations to discover the importance of the "order of operations." Learners compare the absence of commas in connected text to the absence of grouping symbols in mathematical...
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Introduce /r/
Use these inventive strategies to focus on the letter r, forming sound associations along with letter recognition. Explain the tongue movement in making the /r/ sound, asking learners to try it. Draw the r on the board and give...
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"NSN, Fractions, Percents, Ratios, Rates" Investigations
Sixth graders engage in an investigation about the concepts related to fractions. They read, represent, compare, and order proper and improper fractions, and mixed numbers. They demonstrate an understanding of relationships involving...
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Dead Word Wall Lesson
Help your writers eliminate "dead words" (words that are overused) from their writing. This lesson includes a SMART board presentation that will guide them through identifying, eliminating, and substituting "dead words" from sample...
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Twelfth Night Magic Square
Reading Twelfth Night? Words drawn from Shakespeare's comedy provide the words for a Magic Square vocabulary exercise. Directions for how to craft Magic Squares are included.