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Through the Years: Language Arts
Second graders read "The Hundred Penny Box" by Sharon Mathis Bell. They research each year of their life in preparation for writing an autobiography and develop notes to help them in later writing.
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Watsons Go To Birmingham--1963Patricia Wachholz
High schoolers research the 1960s to prepare for reading the book, The Watsons Go To Birmingham, by Christopher Paul Curtis. They watch a documentary, create a timeline, and listen to music from the 1960s.
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Triarchic Analysis
Fourth graders read a piece of literature and analyze it from three different perspectives which enable students to best utilize their strengths. They make a presentation to the class once their analysis is complete.
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The Language of Shakespeare
Students write and perform a scene using Elizabethan language. They study the language of William Shakespeare.
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The Land and the Water
Third graders read "The Land and the Water," a fictional short story and an article about John F. Kennedy, Jr. and compare and contrast fictional tragedy to a non-fiction tragedy. They fill out a Venn diagram and write an essay using...
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Symbolic Poem
Students read and analyze several highly symbolic poems. They create their own symbolic poem, read it to the class, and discuss whether they can guess any hidden meanings.
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Studying Anchor Papers
Students examine the Florida Writes! Rubric and discuss the basic elements of the scoring system. In small groups, they use the rubric to discuss and score several student essays.
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Prom Letters
Students write two narrative letters, one to their grandparent and one to their best friend, describing their prom date. They organize the details on a graphic organizer, and write the letters addressing the style, tone, and level of...
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Persuasion and Use of Language
Students discuss connotative language, hyperbole, allusion, and rhetorical question. In small groups, they read one section of the "Speech to the Virginia Convention" and analyze these devices. Groups present their results to the class.
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Persuasion and Figurative Language
Students study and discuss definitions of metaphor, simile, and personification. In small groups, they read a section of "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" and identify those devices. The group presents their examples with the class.
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Out of the Dust (High School)
Fourth graders read Hesse's "Out of the Dust". They respond to questions about the novel and write a free-verse poem modeled after the author's.
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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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News View
Learners read and analyze three different news sources that describe the same event. They compare/contrast the similarities and differences of the news sources, and write an essay describing the main event.
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Nature Walk Poem
Third graders read poetry inspired by nature. They talk a walk in nature or in their neighborhood with paper and pen and write down feelings and perceptions. They write a poem about their walk and share it with the class.
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Multicultural Canterbury Pilgrimage
Learners create travel brochures that detail various people and places that are encountered on the way to Chaucer's Canterbury.
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Meet the Press
Students give their book reports as oral "Meet the Press" type interviews. They team up with another student "reporter" and answer questions about main idea, details, and the point of view.
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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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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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Find a Character, Tell a Story
Fourth graders choose a character from a magazine, complete a character sketch, and develop a short story placing this character in a situation. They utilize a worksheet imbedded in this plan which guides them through creating their...
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FCAT Writes! Frenzy
Fourth graders experience a dress rehearsal of timed demand writing. This instructional activity allows students to prepare for a timed writing test in which they don't know the prompt. This instructional activity includes writing...
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Fable Writing
Young scholars 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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Crazy Critters Teach Parts of Speech
Pupils create pieces of writing about a creature they have created. They examine the parts of speech and how they are used in their writing to see how they can write more specifically.
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Crazy Critters are Figuratively Fantastic
Eighth graders use creatures created from their imaginations to practice hyperbole, simile, metaphor, and alliteration in association with creative writing. They utilize a worksheet imbedded in this plan to guide their writing.
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Crazy Critters Creative Writing
Pupils brainstorm animals with unusual characteristics such as a giraffe with a short neck or a zebra without stripes. They write paragraphs about their animals and work in peer editing groups to refine their stories.