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Defining Moments
Seventh graders use context clues to define words. In this language arts lesson, 7th graders engage in a class discussion regarding how we determine the meaning of words that we aren't familiar with. Then, students complete a very good...
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Now, Unto Thy Bones, Goodnight.
Students read Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing to learn about epitaphs. In this Shakespeare lesson, students read sections from the play and piece together Shakespeare's epitaph using index cards. Students create a 4 line...
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What's So Nice About Fairy Tales?
Seventh graders modernize a fairy tale, then compare their version with he original version and determine whether or not they've changed the author's original intent.
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Introduction to American Literature
Students discuss the topic of freedom and what the National Anthem means to them and to our country. They create a new and original verse for the National Anthem.
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Culture Creation vs. Culture Consumption - Finding Voice Through Digital Storytelling
Ninth graders explore the power of media in culture and Gandhi's philosophy of nonviolence. In this nonviolence and media lesson, 9th graders analyze Gandhi's nonviolent methods for social change and discuss the media's power to create...
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Analogies In Action
Students practice skills to determine the relationship of words. In groups of two, classmates complete a chart to match vocabulary words into specific groups such as synonyms, antonyms, or familial relationship. To reinforce word...
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Using Descriptive Language
Students explore the technique of descriptive writing. As a class, they observe a poster and describe it using adjectives. They discuss how descriptive words can be used literally and figuratively in the world of advertising. After...
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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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More Choices
Fourth graders create onomatopoeia for a variety of things such as a mean dog, a crying baby or a doorbell ringing after exploring word choice as used by authors in selected books. They complete a Word Choice worksheet that is attached.
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A Life Lived Well
Students write poems based on words and phrases found in an obituatuary. They write autobiographical obituaries that imagine their own lives and future accomplishments.
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Spanish Influence on the Caribbean Islands
Students participate in a discussion about the Spanish influence on the Caribbean islands. They define the Spanish words in the book, Isla, and respond to a question about cultural influences in a response journal.
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Language Arts: Native Americans and Onomatopoeias
Fifth graders read the Native American tale, "The Frog and the Crane," focusing on the use of onomatopoeia in it. In groups, they brainstorm list of words that are examples of the device. Finally, 5th graders write their own stories...
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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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When Fair is Foul: Paradox and Equivocation in Macbeth
Students read Macbeth for examples of paradox and equivocation in the text. In this literature-response lesson, students work in groups to analyze Shakespeare's writing for use of paradox using handouts to guide their search....
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Gingerbread Baby
Students explore gingerbread stories. In this poetry lesson, students read the folk tale "The Gingerbread Man" as well as Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett and identify rhyming words. Students also make art projects, dramatize the stories,...
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Using Onomatopoeia to Tell the Story of an Imaginary Field Trip
Students explore language arts by utilizing word choice to compose a paragraph. In this phonetics lesson, students discuss the importance of a "voice" in their writing as they read the book Rattletrap Car. Students write paragraphs about...
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Stirring the Melting Pot
Students consider the interrelationships among race, ethnicity and culture. After reading the article, Young Japanese-Americans Honor Ethnic Roots, they examine ways in which they identify with and celebrate their own ethnicities.
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Speaking and Writing about People with Disabilities
Ninth graders explore the differences in language for referring to people: disabled, handicapped or challenged. In this people with disabilities lesson, 9th graders define the words and discuss common usage. Students...
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Found Poems
Students summarize articles found in the newspaper and use key concepts to write a poem. In this reading comprehension and writing lesson plan, students work with a partner to choose a current newspaper article. Key concepts and...
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Gingerbread Baby v. Gingerbread Boy #7
Students compare and contrast the gingerbread baby in their story to the original gingerbread boy. They use a Venn diagram to easily see the similarities and differences.
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Shared Writing (Whole Group)
Students participate in a whole class shared writing activity. They create an original text while examining the thought process of writers.
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Keith Gilyard: Poemographies
Students, in groups, read and analyze portions of Keith Gilyard's "Poemographies". They create original visual "poemographies" and participate in a written response activity.
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Gun Safety
High schoolers gather data about guns, and examine the resulting treatment and death from bad decisions and guns. They author an original newspaper with information on "Gun Safety."
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Writing Similes
Fifth graders identify and write similes. They define simile and discuss different examples, and with the help of a thesaurus, write original similes that compare the colors of crayons to objects or feelings. Students copy their rough...