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3R Activity (Reading-Relating-Responding)
Students read for detail. In this reading comprehension lesson, students read a passage and share their thoughts with a small group. Students reflect upon the passage and develop an oral summary of the text.
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Lights, Camera, Action...Crossing the Delaware in 9 Scenes
How does reading a drama differ from reading a novel? Middle schoolers become playwrights and explore these differences. After viewing the A&E movie,"The Crossing," groups create stage directions, write dialogue, and design sets and...
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United States v. Thomas Cooper --
Learners compare the Alien and Sedition Act to the First Amendment. They read and analyze a primary document and write a synopsis. They brainstorm challenges to the Government or President of the US.
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Cooperative Jigsaw Expert Report of Fables
Young scholars research literary elements of fables. In this literature lesson plan, students analyze literary elements of fables. Young scholars work collaboratively using a jigsaw strategy to analyze literary elements.
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What is cooperative negotiation?
Tenth graders differentiate between positions, interests, and values. In this current events lesson, 10th graders analyze, in a response to literature, the failure of a fictional negotiation. Students demonstrate the ability...
Learning Links
The Josefina Story Quilt Study Guide
Considering using The Josefina Story Quilt in your classroom? Check out this sample teaching guide for a list of pre-reading activities.
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Shizuko’s Daughter: Discussion Web
Is Yuki a selfish character? Analyze her motivation and behavior during a unit on Shizuko's Daughter by Kyoko Mori. Readers fill out two sides of a graphic organizer with reasons why or why not she is selfish, and then come up with...
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Westward Ho!
For any teacher of American History, The Lewis and Clark Expedition is a watershed event that should be shared with your students. This is a very good lesson on the Expedition, and the events that led up to it; including The Lousisiana...
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Who's Town is This, Anyway?
Fifth graders work in cooperative groups to simulate a town government as they consider an important change in their community growth. They analyze a real problem in the community and then determine their goals to fix it and make a...
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Poetry Book
Students study the following terms and concepts: word choice, dialect, invented words, concrete terms, abstract terms, figurative and sensory language. In cooperative groups, they select three of the terms, research them, and pick poems...
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Keeping an "I" Out for the Answers
Students work in cooperative groups brainstorming questions they want answered about a topic. They write the list of questions generated on one side of an I-Chart. Each group is assigned a resource to locate and gather answers to the...
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Jobs on a Ship
Middle schoolers facilitate each student's comprehension of the different jobs on a ship and the job's evolutions over time. They compare/contrast certain jobs on a ship from history to today. Students work together in cooperative groups...
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Scenic Attractions In Four Corners
Fourth graders find and list scenic attractions in SE Utah and the Four-Corners-region. They receive direct instruction and carry out activities in cooperative group settings. They combine their findings onto one large map at the end of...
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WINTER-STORYTELLING
The student evaluate illustrations in a book, identify a story or book as distinctly Native American, draw original illustrations for a story, create a flip book, listen attentively to stories from a known storyteller, act out a story,...
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Do a Ditty
Fourth graders work in cooperative groups to create a ditty to teach the characteristics that distinguish literary forms to younger students. The ditty is performed before the class.
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Homophones
Here is a terrific lesson on teaching homophones to your upper graders! In it, homophone word cards and homophone bingo cards, which are embedded in the lesson, are used in a game format which reinforces this important part of speech....
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Similes, Metaphors, and Figurative Language
There are creative ways to make similie and metaphor lessons and activities motivating for students.
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LIFE CYCLES
Third graders work in cooperative groups to gather information, create their product and present to an audience. The groups use all sources of media to gather information, including electronic encyclopedias and the Internet. They use...
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We Can't Decide
Second graders investigate decision making skills that they can apply on a daily basis. In this decision making lesson, 2nd graders listen to a read aloud of Pinocchio and make a list of times when decisions have to be made. They access...
Boys Town
More Tools for Teaching Social Skills in School
Put an end to wasted instructional time with this instructional activity on responsibility and preparedness. After completing this series of activities students will learn the importance of these social skills not only in the...
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Get your Snow People Here
Students recall information from the story Snowballs to complete a story map. They also compare and contrast two Snow People and cooperatively create an original snow person.
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Choosing a Family Dog
Fourth graders research types of dogs and recommend one that would make the best family pet. They work in cooperative groups of three using Kidspiration to map out the essential question before beginning their research, write reports,...
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Preserving History for Illuminating Today's Values and Traditions
Young scholars use the processes of oral history and the latest technology to engage in historical inquiry and the preservation of the past. The work in cooperative groups or individually to discover and capture the past by interviewing...
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Introductory Activity-Native American Images as Mascots
Students, in small cooperative groups, are introduced to a lesson plan concerning the controversy involved in using Native American names and images as sports mascots. They brainstorm mascot names and discuss the meaning behind each.