Core Knowledge Foundation
Unit 6: American Revolution
The American Revolution is the theme of a five-week unit that focuses on reading, grammar, morphology, and writing. Scholars read and respond to texts, practice spelling and word work, and write paragraphs. Assessments gauge comprehension.
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Whodunit?
Students bring in a variety of books to be approved for reading outside of class and then complete a book review on each one approved. They remember to include a description of the setting and characters, plot summary and a conclusion in...
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Writing with Writers
Students identify unique characteristics of different writing genres such as biography, folktales and mysteries. They create original piece of writing using the writing process and then post their original writing online. They think...
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Outline for a Response to Literature
Pupils analyze Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse. For this literature review lesson students analyze an example of a response to literature along with an outline for creating one. They then answer questions based on Out of the...
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Dr. Seuss
Students read books by the same author and compare what they find. In this Dr. Seuss lesson, students learn about Dr. Seuss' writing style, listen for the rhyme scheme in his stories, and create a KWL chart on Dr. Seuss. ...
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2002: The Year In Review
Students research and create a book highlighting significant events and trends throughout the world in the year 2002. Then, through creative writing, they respond to the events or trends themselves and how they affected our world.
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Review of Life Cycle
Young scholars illustrate the life cycle of a butterfly. In this life cycle lesson plan, students use the book From Caterpillar to Butterfly and the Internet to learn about life cycles. Young scholars use different types of pasta to...
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Explore Writing with Louis Sachar
Students identify and interpret the author's writing process and how he came up with his idea for Holes. They experience a moderated chat with the author by participating or reading the transcript. Students also reflect on their own...
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Comic Books in the Classroom
You can use comic book projects to teach a variety of curriculum topics.
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Children's Book Creations
Students create a children's book version of the Japanese folk story "Momotaro Boy of the Peach" and present the story to elementary students. In this children's book lesson, students design their book to explain Japanese culture to...
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Writing with Alliteration
Students read Thank You for the Thistle and understand what alliteration is. In this alliteration instructional activity, students write sentences using alliteration. Students choose a letter of the alphabet and the class writes an...
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Writing Worksheets Can Help Students Organize Their Thoughts
Teachers can help their students organize their ideas with the use of writing worksheets.
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Read This Book
Learners practice summarizing a story that they have read. They write a persuasive essay encouraging others to read the story they have finished. They are to create a movie trailer or advertisement to promote the book.
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The Chocolate Touch
Students investigate concepts found in the reading of "The Chocolate Touch". They research where chocolate comes from and how it is grown. While the students read the book in small groups one member of each group brings in chocolate...
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Number The Stars: Characters and Emotions
In this language arts worksheet, students correlate events of a story with an emotion and then write a description of the story details.
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Like It Or Not?
Write a review of the film adaptation of Holes. After viewing the film, your young reviewers make recommendations about viewing the film. Using details to support their opinions, they highlight the important parts of the movie without...
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Theater: Create a Script
Figurative language is the focus in the book Teach Us, Amelia Bedelia. After reading Peggy Parish's book, class members dramatize idioms from the text, using dramatic strategies such as characterization, exaggeration, and...
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Reading Study Guide: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Meant for use with Maya Angelou's first autobiographical volume I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, the materials here are designed for a homeschool setting, but they'd suit any classroom or text. Graphic organizers, chapter summary...
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I Just Drank George Washington's Water!
Guide your learners through the water cycle with this lesson plan. Over the course of the lesson, they read two Magic School Bus books, discuss the water cycle, come up with water facts, complete a diagram of the water cycle, recognize...
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The Great Gatsby Historical Background Using Multi-Genre Research Project
Before beginning F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, create a historical context of the Roaring 20s with this lesson. Set up a gallery walk with the provided PowerPoint, which features 10 topics related to the 1920s. Then begin...
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Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse: Kevin Henkes
Kevin Henkes has composed a series of books in which Lilly the mouse is a main character. Third graders use illustrations and key details as they compare and contrast the books, Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse and another...
Penguin Books
An Educator’s Guide to Savvy by Ingrid Law
Literature circles give learners a chance to explore a novel in a unique way. An educator's guide for the book Savvy uses literature circles as part of the novel study. Additional activities cover elements of figurative language and...
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The Old Man and the Sea: Narrative Essay
Finish a unit on Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea with a narrative essay. Based on Santiago's harrowing adventures, the essay prompts readers to think about a time when they were faced with a challenge, overcame a...
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Academic Language
College-level writers learn the importance of using academic language in their papers and essays. Assessing the audience is an important aspect of choosing the language with which one writes. Review these 10 slides to make sure each...