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Understanding language registers as a means to more effective communication
High schoolers become familiar with registers of language through class discussion and exposure to examples of a common fairy tale written in two different registers. Working in small groups, students then translate a story into two...
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Internalizing Group Norms
Students consider how to internalize group norms. They descirbe a situation where people internalize group norms and a situation where people do not internalize group norms. They brainstorm examples of group norms and define...
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Making Decisions by Group: The Jury System
Students discover how to work cooperatively within a group and communicate their ideas clearly in order to reach an agreement. They summarize their experience in writing and hand down a verdict of guilt or innocence based on the...
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Art Transitions: Morphs
Students identify artistic expression by participating in a morph activity. In this art analysis lesson, students identify the work of Keith Haring and examine some of his flip books. Students practice creating artistic transitions...
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Little Cloud
Students create "little clouds" after reading the story "The Little Cloud" by Eric Carle in this cross-curricular Art and Language Arts lesson plan for the early-elementary classroom. The author suggests using this with a "Raindrop...
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Group Rehearsal
Students study their national and family heritage while working in groups. In this personal history project, students examine the family shield or crest of the teacher while preparing to create and share their own with the class....
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Joaquin Torres Garcia Art
Students analyze the art of Joaquin Torres Garcia in 'Composition.' In this art analysis lesson plan, students read about the artist's work and the artist. Students answer discussion and follow-up questions.
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Working With Young Children
Students practice using tips when working with small children. They discuss reactions of children given certain situations. They also research careers that focus on the development of children.
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Helping Ourselves: Why Philanthropy Works
Young scholars discover the concept of philanthropy. In this civics lesson, students investigate the role of philanthropy in our society, and how it makes life better for all.
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Word Art with King's Words
Students investigate equality and racism by creating a word art project. In this civil rights lesson, students discover the life of Martin Luther King Jr. and create a word art project using the Internet site Wordle Web. ...
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Race, Language and Separation
Sixth graders discuss the idea of separation in today's society. In groups, they examine the laws used in the past with a focus on "separate, but equal". They review the Brown v. Board of Education case and determine if it caused or...
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Illuminating Language in Love's Labor's Lost
Students reflect on literature using multiple intelligences. In this literature analysis lesson, students make creative visual representations of vocabulary terms from a speech in the play. They work in small groups to...
Shmoop
ELA.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.11-12.3
Tired of simple sentences? Bored by brief sentences? Plagued by boring sentences? Enrich your life and the writing of your pupils by modeling how to combine sentences to create more varied syntax. Groups then find a number of ways to...
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Civil War Slang
Students explore the language of the Civil War time period. In this Civil War instructional activity, students work in groups to research the meanings of Civil War slang.
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Pirate Treasure Hunt
First graders name the directions North, South, East, and West on a map. They work collaboratively in small groups and create a treasure map using directions as clues.
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Shirin Neshat
Students research the life of an artist to make a comprehensive analysis of works and how they were formed through personal beliefs of the artist. The influence upon culture is the focus of the investigation to be conducted.
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Guest Speaker Preparation: A Cooperative Lesson
Are you planning to have a guest speaker talk to your class? Prepare in advance and help your class transform into an engaged and thoughtful audience. Before the visit, young writers work cooperatively to brainstorm what they want to...
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Trivia Pursuit" To Review Material
Young scholars play "Trivia Pursuit" in order to review material in any subject area. Groups are chosen to answer a given question, they discuss the answer and orally give it together.
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Calling All Directors
Interpret Shakespearian scenes with your middle and high school classes. Groups select scenes from plays that they are familiar with to perform for their classmates. They should attempt to recreate the emotions they think the characters...
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Conversation Lesson: The Necessity of Grammar
Start a conversation to convey proper English grammar. In groups pupils voice their opinion, have well supported disagreements, and explain why they feel as they do. This lesson builds academic discussion skills and fosters a command of...
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The Game of Persuasion
Why is it so important to learn the art of persuasion? Being persuasive helps you acquire the things you want or the things you feel are necessary. Print out these scenarios and assign one to each group of high schoolers. As a team, they...
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Effective Writing is More Than a Five Paragraph Essay
Groups become experts in one aspect of the six traits of writing, prepare a PowerPoint presentation, jigsaw, and teach others about their trait. Writers then focus on these traits as they compose a persuasive essay about a person they...
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Poetry Cubes
Reading aloud can be scary, but it's an important way to build oral fluency. Break the class into groups of four or five learners. Each learner will roll a cube to determine which poem they read aloud to their small group. Feel free to...
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Author's Purpose: Research Process/Narrative Writing Techniques
Determine the author's purpose in writing a memoir. Eighth graders work in groups to elicit author's purpose in memoirs, taking care to note how subtle the message can be hidden throughout the work. This lesson is a good way to...