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Animal Farm
An exploration of "Animal Farm" can be a way to get students thinking about politics, history, and literature.
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What are the Elements of Poetry
Students read the poem "Ode to Pablo's Tennis Shoes" and analyze the form, figurative language, and mood. They complete a T-chart containing what they have learned about Pablo and the evidence from the poem supporting their conclusions.
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Understanding Poetry
Learners search the Internet to find a poem to research, analyze and present their interpretation of the poem to the class. They develop their interpretation in Microsoft Word and PowerPoint.
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The Literature of Upheaval
In groups, 8th graders read different documents and answer questions on the Civil War period. Students read documents by Thoreau, Stowe and Frederick Douglas.
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Understanding Character
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...
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MONSTERS AND MYTHS: SCRIPTS /SCULPTS
Seventh graders are introduced to myths formed by many cultures as a unique genre of literature. They use critical thinking skills to compare and contrast mythic tales, compare versions of the same story, and respond to literature in...
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Early Settlements
Students embark on a journey through colonial times. In this early settlement lesson, students come to understand what life was like for the settlers in the early colonies. Students research and create projects illustrating their new...
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Globe Trotting Cinderella
Students explore the fairy tale genre of literature. In this Cinderella lesson, students read fairy tales and discuss their attributes and cultural background. Students examine and write their own fractured fairy tales.
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Trash or Treasure?
Students explore the concept of philanthropy. In this service learning lesson, students pull together to clean up a community park and reflect on the experience through literature.
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Research Paper
An outline for a research paper assignment lists the expectations, grading rubric, and due dates for an extended research writing project.
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Families and neighborhoods
Students create their house to add to a class "neighborhood". In this lesson on family and community, students read the book Family by Todd Parr and discuss how all families and houses are different. Then, students create their own...
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Point of View and Mentor Relationships
Tenth graders analyze the role of mentors, point of view, and prejudice using the texts of To Kill a Mockingbird and Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. In this literature analysis lesson, 10th graders review Scout's...
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Dragonwings
Middle schoolers engage in a lesson that is concerned with the literature study of Dragonwings. They write about the story from the perspective of a reader that is well informed towards the last chapters. Students also find target...
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Giraffe Comprehension using Eric Carle as the Feature Author
Students demonstrate reading comprehension by drawing a picture and writing a sentence about giraffes. In this early reading comprehension lesson, students listen to a read aloud and watch a video about giraffes before drawing a giraffe...
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Getting to Know You
Third graders explore different types of poetry and illustrate their own experiences through creating their own poem. For this getting to know you lesson, 3rd graders create and recite their poems with a self-portrait.
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Monster and Myths: Scripts
Students explore characteristics of the myth genre. In this myth lesson, students become familiar with various myths and the cultures they were derived from. Students compare in a graphic organizer. Students write original myths and...
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Checkmate
Students start identifying the cause and effect relationships in games of Chess. Using the internet, they research the history of the game and how the roles for each of the pieces. They develop a skit based on the roles and...
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Pipe-Cleaner Stick Figures
Second graders create puppets out of pipe cleaners and, in groups, put on a puppet show based on a section of a story they have read from their readers.
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My Family Tradition
Students examine different family traditions to further explain social patterns. They complete a graphic organizer using educational software.