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Passport to Africa
Learners begin the lesson by reading a novel about the diversity of geography in Africa. They are to create an oral report based on information they research. They also communicate with someone through email about the situation in Africa.
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Jazz In America - Lesson Plan 6
Fifth graders explore cool jazz and how it reflected American culture in the 1940's and 1950's.
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Music of My Heart
Students view and discuss the movie, Music of the Heart. They compare/contrast two versions of the song, Music of My Heart, identify characteristics of heroes, and sing the song, Music of My Heart.
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Step-By-Step
For many emerging writers, essays are completed step-by-step. With the help of this lesson, learners will narrow down a topic, develop a thesis statement, develop a preliminary outline, conduct Internet research, and understand the...
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Choosing Words Carefully
Use literacy tools to select precise vocabulary. High schoolers respond to discussion questions that require them to consider the denotation and connotation of words. They then read non-fiction passages and identify words in the passages...
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Find Figurative Language
Meet with the school library specialist and work together to plan a visit and presentation on figurative language. After defining and examining examples of targeted terms, the class travels to the library where the SL has collected...
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The Learning Book
Students make a "Learning Book" with the skills needed to be a successful learning in school. They review basic learning skills by making a book and singing "The Learning Song". They demonstrate skills needed to be a successful learner.
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Prairie Poetry
Ninth graders take note of the ways in which word choice, rhythm, language and narrative voice, as well as point of view in a poem can be used to evoke a time and place. They use their insights to create a poem of their own.
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Commemorating a Tragedy
High schoolers read newspaper articles and watch segments on the anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing. In groups, they discuss how each media outlet presented the material and decide which one was more productive. As a class, they...
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Stick With The Plan, Man!
Students investigate the concept of developing a daily plan. They have discussion about the elements that should be included with a home and school plan. Students draw a picture to depict how one could stay on schedule with a daily plan.
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Talk is Cheap
Second graders listen to the tale, "The Tortoise and the Hare" and discuss the moral of the story. Afterward, they brainstorm words that encouraged the Tortoise to accomplish his goal. Students then review the concept of goal setting and...
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What Were They Thinking Then, What Are We Thinking Now?
Choosing an issue from a play or novel, researchers find two primary sources from different time periods to compare how people's views have changed. Many questions are listed to guide young writers. In the end, learners produce a...
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Woodblock Printing: Early Printing Traditions in China
Pupils examine important role of woodblock printing in Chinese history, identify message important to them, and create woodblock prints to gain first-hand understanding of how it was used as tool for communication.
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Connecting the Dots: Workers and Their Importance
Students explore the role of workers and their jobs in the community. They write a friendly letter to a community worker expressing appreciation for the work they do and their importance to the community.
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'Cross the Wide Missouri
Students perform a song, identify melodies, and discuss the history of folk songs.
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Down By the Riverside
Students discuss the musical genre of spirituals and its influence on our musical history. They perform various songs, and read the student score for, Down By the Riverside.
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Fact V. Opinion
Students use statements out of newpapers to distinguish between facts and opinions. They discuss these differences as well.
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Who's Who
Ninth graders read a review three pieces of literature. They then compare and relate each piece to the time period in which they were written. Next, they consult different resources and explain how these sources are similar and different...
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Are You Balanced?
Fifth graders discuss what it means to have balance in their lives. Individually, they are given a worksheet in which they list their activities and things they are involved in. To end the lesson, they place weights on each side of a...
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Making Connections
Fourth graders investigate visual imagery to aid reading comprehension. In this reading strategies instructional activity, 4th graders discover how visual imagery helps in comprehending a story. Students use a reader's notebook to record...
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Identifying Author’s Purpose and Viewpoint in Nonfiction Text
Why do people write books? Pupils discover how to identify the author's viewpoint. They read non-fiction passages their instructor selects (the plan has the class look at nonfiction children's picture books), and then identify the...
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Importance of American Flag in American Literature
Betsy Ross - fact and myth. As an introduction to American Literature, class members become detectives and search web sites to find information about the flag, prominent places it has been displayed (on the moon, at ground zero, in...
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Journey to Topaz: Directed Reading Thinking Activity
Have you used the directed reading thinking activity in your classroom? Doubling as either a prereading strategy, or a during reading strategy, it helps readers connect the historical background of the text to the text itself. As the...