Illinois Elementary School Association
Improv Exercises
Here's an eight-page packet that describes 70 different improv activities to use as warm ups for drama classes.
Planet e-Book
Les Miserables
Many consider Les Miserables to be one of the greatest novels ever written. An eBook version of Les Miserables by Victor Hugo contains the entire text, translated from the original French. Each section is organized into books...
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Critic's Choice
Third graders read three to five genres and choose one as a favorite. They write an essay persuading the class to read the genre. This lesson serves as a nice introduction to different styles of literature.
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The Highwayman
Fifth graders re-read the story "The Highwayman" understanding the term "narrative verse". As a paired activity, they predict who or what might be the audience and provide feedback.
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The Play's the Thing: The Drama of Cyrano de Bergerac
Students practice dramatic 'living' through various drama activities. In this drama lesson, students define drama, view examples of dramatic elements in Cyrano de Bergerac and Roxanne, define characterization within the dramas, study the...
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Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
Students complete close reading and analysis activities for Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. In this literature analysis lesson, students complete multiple close reading and analysis activities to evaluate the 19th century story.
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William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying
Young scholars analyze William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying. In this literature analysis lesson, students compare a modern novel and play. Young scholars analyze Faulkner's interior monologues. Students write a paper about the ways As I Lay...
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Teaching the Hindu-Buddhist Tradition in East Asian Culture Through Asian Literature and Film
Students explore various intellectual traditions which dominate human history through a variety of contemporary pieces of literature which exemplify the traditions. Biblical monotheism, Greek rationalism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism...
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How Tragic!
Students study and interpret a classical tragedy and role play a character from the play. For this tragedy lesson, students discuss a specific work to discover the form, structure, and characteristics of the genre and interpret the...
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How Prophet-able Are You? Ancient Advocates for Change
Students read and analyze classical literature of the ancient Hebrew prophets dealing with societal injustices. They identify present-day prophets, and write an essay about how the common good would be affected if people listened to the...
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The "Producing Edgar Allen Poe" Challenge
Students create and perform excerpts from their specific "productions" of Poe's classic Tell Tale Heart.
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Reader's Paradise
Learners visit the school or local library (or bookstore) to create short film or radio documentary that records a specific habit or ritual associated with reading, book buying, or book borrowing.
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Power to the Little People
Students explore the classic story theme of good versus evil as relayed in folk tales.
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Long Vowels With Clifford
Learners recognize long vowel sounds by reading and listening to a story that highlights words with long vowel sounds. They then construct an original story. They use picture clues to aid comprehension, and match words with similar vowel...
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Chinese Oregonians
Eleventh graders examine the reactions of Oregon natives regarding Chinese immigrants in late 1800's. In this Oregon history lesson, 11th graders visit the Portland Classican Chinese Garden and consider its impact for healing...
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Literature of the Islands and the Sea
Students read an age-appropriate novel in which an island setting plays an important role from a provided list. This will help them understand life on an island. They will analyze the plot, theme, characterization, setting, and style...
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Japanese Haiku and the American Experience
Twelfth graders research the history to Haiku Poetry. They read classical haiku to comprehend their special sensibility and form. Students encounter the Buddhist philosophical background of this poetry and its roots. They write original...
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Holocaust Literature Circle Discussion
Seventh graders participate in a literature circle regarding various novels of Holocaust literature. They read their selected novel and write a journal entry in response to the reading, and in small groups participate in a group...
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The Renaissance
In this Renaissance study guide worksheet, students respond to 14 short answer questions. The questions correlate to assigned readings in a textbook.
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Anne Carson
Students read poetry and a biography of poet Anne Carson as part of a creative writing lesson. In this poetry analysis lesson, students read about the poet, read her poetry, and analyze a photograph to then write a poem. Students write...
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Frog Principal Lesson Plan
Learners read the fractured fairy tale, The Frog Principal by Stephanie Calmenson and compare it to the original version in order to gain deeper understanding of the fairy tale genre. In this fairy tale activity, students identify and...
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Summer Festivals
In this summer festival worksheet, students read a 7-paragraph article about European summer festivals and respond to 6 short answer questions. Vocabulary words and definitions are included.
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Fact or Fiction
Young scholars explore journalism by reading a book in class. In this factual research lesson, students read a portion of a Magic School Bus book and identify parts that seem to be factual and fictional. Young scholars view an episode of...
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Romeo and Juliet Mix-It-Up
Students identify themes in Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet by analyzing the film or text. In this tolerance lesson, students create their own Elizabethan era terms related to interacting with different social groups. In groups,...