Maryland Department of Education
Our Children Can Soar
Amazing efforts of African American leaders are celebrated in a instructional activity on civil participation. The engaging resource focuses on primary and secondary sources to analyze the impact of African American leaders such as Ella...
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What is a Fable?
Students read a variety of electronic Aesop's fables to define fable and moral, and write and illustrate an original fable. They then publish their fable using PowerPoint.
West Jefferson High School
The Novel — Honor
For classes tackling To Kill a Mockingbird, this lesson plan sets readers up for discussions or essay writing with questions and prompts. The prompts encourage individuals to explore beyond the novel itself, looking at...
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Understanding Needs and Feelings
Students identify needs and feelings. In this character education lesson, students read two passages about being shy and scared. Students create an ending to the story on their own.
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Finding Buck Henry
Students read and demonstrate competence in the general skills and strategies of the writing process via the novel "Finding Buck Henry." They recognize complex elements of plot. Students analyze devices used to develop characters in...
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Social Studies: Family Ties
Students discuss the qualities needed for a strong family and marriage and identify and compare the strengths of various ethnic families. After viewing a Powerpoint presentation on family and marriage strengths and needs, they take a...
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Dear Abby- Colonial Style
Students review the Colonial period in American history and read literature from this era. They assume the roles of a colonial young person and an adult to compose letters from each and communicate their ideas through the letter writing...
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1,000 Cranes with a Pal
Young scholars write a letter to a pen pal about the book they read 1,000 Cranes in Hiroshima. In this writing lesson plan, students write about the conflicts and events that occurred in the book.
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Dear Abby: A Direct and Indirect Characterization Lesson Plan
Students practice identifying and creating examples of characterization based on comprehension. They assess direct and indirect characterization and use conflict in a plot to generate a piece of writing. Each student selects accurate...
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The Great American Fire Drill
Students read a story about fire safety and create their own ending to the story in order to learn about fire escape plans and to demonstrate their writing skills. In this fire safety lesson, students discuss the parts of a story, read...
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Build Your Own Adventure
Sixth graders write a narrative. They choose options for plot and climax within the context of an outdoor survival story.
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The Verbal Sketch
Students use perspective observation sketches to understand verbal description. In this subjective writing activity, students practice writing subjective conversations using the cartoon worksheets.
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Everyone's an Author
Students examine variety of written pieces of quality fiction, discuss what different story elements are present and how those elements make stories as effective as they are, and create a class story.
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The Higher Power of Lucky
Learners complete activities using the book The Higher Power of Lucky. In this literature lesson, students read the story and identify the parts of the story. They create a wind chime like that found in the book.
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Ahimsa in Writers Workshop
Students investigate nonviolent lifestyles by researching the life of Gandhi. In this journalism lesson, students define the word ahimsa and how important nonviolence is when solving conflicts. Students create a timeline of...
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Celebrating Heroes That Surround Us
Students investigate the concept of a hero. They write in journals to find definitions and create hero symbols. Also students conduct research to create a banner of quotations made by famous heroes who fall under the definition generated...
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Lesson 1: The Creek War - Return to Nativism or International Pawn? Religious War or International Conflict?
Students investigate the countries and peoples involved in the Creek Indian War. They study the complex relationships between American and European settlers and the native Alabamians in the early 19th Century.
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Have You Heard About the Clinton, New Jersey Story?
Students role play one of the three given situations. They discover how to deal with a conflict in a positive way. They discuss the role of radon in their community and complete another role-play scenerio.
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Writing a Letter Using the Book "Mole's Hill"
Pupils are read the book "Mole Hill" by their teacher. As a class, they identify whether statements are true or false based on the story. They also examine any problems or solutions mentioned and identify points to write a letter. To...
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Outline and Shine
Seventh graders read and discuss a short story. They complete an outline of the story. They pair and share to evaluate each other's outlines.
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Another Side of Paradise
Students write a sequel to a book read as a class. In this culminating activity, students write a sequel to the novel This Side of Paradise by Stephen Layne. Students use the epilogue to guide their writing.
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Be a Vishnu Avatar
Students write a story about a problem on earth. They imagine themselves as one of Vishnu's avatars or create another avatar for Vishnu who can solve the problem.
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The Tell-Tale Heart
Bring Edgar Allan Poe's spooky story to life! After reading the short story "The Tell-Tale Heart," middle and high schoolers identify the theme, character traits, irony, and other story concepts. During pre-reading, they take notes,...
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Literary Analysis of Theme
Remember reading "The Lottery" and "The Possibility of Evil" by Shirley Jackson? Learners can experience and analyze the tension, themes, and human experience found in these pieces through reading and class discussion. They use...