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Reading Comprehension: Context Clues
Fifth graders use context clues to help them understand unknown words. In this context clues lesson, 5th graders practice identifying context clues on a worksheet, then work with a peer to write their own story. Stories are peer edited...
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Analogies
Seventh graders use analogies to test their understanding of relationships between words or ideas. They practice analogies to improve vocabulary and thinking skills. Students write sentences that use analogies.
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Where No Student Has Gone Before
Learners create a story about an unknown planet invaded by humans as a pre-reading activity for the novel, A Wrinkle In Time. They discuss good versus evil, and identify examples of the theme good vs. evil in books, film, and their own...
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What's the Scoop on Casey
Third graders read "Casey at the Bat" by Ernest L. Thayer and create a newspaper article about Casey's infamous at-bat.
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Preposition Pizazz
Students examine examples of poems and identify the prepositions in them. They write original poems using prepositional phrases and create illustrations to go with them.
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How Logical is Garfield?
Third graders analyze comics found in the newspaper for samples of logical, emotional, and ethical appeal. They write a paragraph for each selected comic strip explaining how the comic strip represents the use of logic, emotions, or ethics.
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Memory of a Kiss
Third graders read, discuss, and memorize the poem "Jenny Kissed Me." as an example of lyrical poetry. They write a letter to Jenny reliving the memory of her kiss from an elderly person's point of view. They illustrate their poems.
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Living Biographies
Third graders create a multimedia slide presentation containing facts, graphics, and sounds relating to a biographical figure based on their reading of a biography or an autobiography. They present their slide presentations before the...
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Jazz-Age Intrigue
Eleventh graders read The Great Gatsby and explain the jazz age. They use jazz age terms to create their own short story, scene, or letter.
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The South Wins Gettysburg!
Young scholars explore American Civil War, hypothesize that the Union Army was defeated at Gettysburg by Lee's army, and write an essay describing how different North America would be today if the South had won the Civil War.
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Analyzing a Science Fiction Movie
Fourth graders watch the movie "Contact" and write a review. They discuss in their review how scientists deal with technological problems, the movie's connections to the nature of science and how technology affects science. They share...
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Novel Analysis
Students read the novel, Lord of the Flies, then write an essay analyzing the novel. They analyze, in small groups, characters, plot, setting, style, symbolism, theme, critical responses, and historical influences
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Multicultural Canterbury Pilgrimage
High schoolers create travel brochures that detail various people and places that are encountered on the way to Chaucer's Canterbury.
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Making a Child's Play of "Antigone"
Fourth graders make studenT books to share with elementary students that teach a universal rule that obeys both conscience and authority.
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There's a World of Science to Read Today!
Students read a current science article. They write a summary of the article, take notes, write and edit a summary, and print their work.
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Don't Eat Your Words
Learners create punctuation marks using different sizes and shapes of macaroni. They show their understanding of proper use of quotation marks.
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Getting to Know You Through Peer Editing
Sixth graders get to know their classmates through 'personalized' sentences that feature one student each day, and offer practice in proofreading and peer-editing related to capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and/or grammar rules.
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First Class Mail
Students read The Witch of Blackbird Pond, and write a friendly letter to Elizabeth George Speare, the author, discussing their points of interest in the novel with her.
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Fable Writing
Learners listen to and discuss various fables, and identify the moral and central themes. They write their own personal fables and create illustrations to go with them.
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Proofreading: Lesson 1
Fourth graders examine instructions for proofreading activities and develop strategies to use in proofreading. They find and correct errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics in different writing samples.
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Inventors
Students brainstorm a list of inventions that have affected their lives. In groups, they use the internet to research a specific inventor and their invention. They use the information to write two paragraphs and share their information...
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Presidents of the United States
Students discuss American Presidents. They each complete research on one particular President and then, using a template, create a short biography (including a picture) about him. When all biographies are complete, they compile them into...
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Writing Thank You Notes
Sixth graders write to a veteran. In this letter writing lesson, 6th graders identify the five parts of a letter and discuss the importance of sending thank you notes. Students write a thank you note to a veteran.
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Making a Family Newsletter: Using a Word Template
Students create a one-page family newsletter about a selected person in their family. They bring in a photo or use a digital camera to take a picture of their selected family member, and use a newsletter template to write and publish...