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Author's Day
Have your learners choose an author to study. One resource link gives a list of approved authors. Scholars read at least three works produced by that author and produce three separate book reports as well as a two-page author report....
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Beowulf: Songs of Ancient Heroes
Introduce your class to epic heroes with these activities for Beowulf. After watching a video clip, taking notes on heroes, and tracking characteristics of heroism throughout Beowulf, class members retell an episode of Beowulf using a...
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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 instructional activity is a...
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Latino Literature: Poetry
Under construction, this lesson focuses on Canto Familia, a collection of poetry about Gary Soto's experiences growing up in California's Imperial Valley. Representative of the experiences of many Latinos, the poems also address themes...
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Edit Essays with Word Tables
Students examine how to identify grammar and spelling errors in an essay using the features of Word after the teacher uses the highlight feature. They correct the errors using Word's table feature by making a table that shows the error...
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Over the River and Through the Woods:Prepositional Poetry
Fifth graders will be able to identify and use prepositions correctly in written work.¿¿¿ They will also be able to identify poetic devices.They will see how their writing can be more descriptive and "visual" for their audience.
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Author's Purpose
Sixth graders brainstorm the reasons authors write, and they list their responses on the board. Students discuss each purpose they have listed.Students work independently to read the selection "Tarantulas and Typhoid" by...
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On-the-Job Skills
First graders verbally list personal, ethical and work habit skills needed for classroom jobs during discussion. They discuss why it is important to be honest when doing a job in the classroom? Students give examples of three skills....
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Cooperative Puzzles
Students discuss and demonstrate how to play and work cooperatively with other people and with a group. In small groups they role-play how to work cooperatively with each other, with the goal of completing their group's puzzle using...
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Latin American Film
Students identify characteristics in a Latin American film. In this filmography lesson, students describe their favorite movies and the reasons why they like them. Students are shown a short clip of a Latin American movie and discuss the...
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Cubism - David Hockney
Identify Cubist works (namely the works of Picasso and the Cubist-inspired works of David Hockney), then express or create a work showing a time frame.
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Educational Skills/Career Skills
How can you help first graders be aware of the relationship between work and learning? By having them think of five jobs that use math, reading, and writing you will help them understand the need for an education. Each job will be...
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Apple Adjectives
Study different apple varieties and use appropriate adjectives to describe them. Learners alphabetize both the apple names and the adjectives before creating spreadsheet, bar, and pie graphs. A mix of language arts, technology, and...
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Tales of Edgar Allen Poe
Analyze the writing of Edgar Allen Poe by reading and then writing in a similar style. Budding authors learn about the life of Poe and read one or more of his famous works online. Partner groups create an original piece of writing using...
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Storytelling: Writers' Workshop Learning Center
Evaluating a variety of narrative texts can help build strong writers. Pupils identify plot elements and their relation to personal experience, then apply what they gleaned from the class discussion to create their own narratives.
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Using a Magazine/Non-Fiction Texts
Working with magazine articles and other informational texts, middle schoolers identify the parts of a non-fiction work. The learners use SMART board files to guide instruction, as well as a transition to writing their own non-fiction...
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Parts of the Plot: Constructing a Plot Diagram
Sixth graders conduct a plot diagram for a short story. They identify the problem, the rising action, the climax, the falling action, and the resolution. Students are able to sequence events in a story, and identify the parts of the plot...
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Career Planning and Research
What do you want to do when you finish school? Most high schoolers have an idea of what they'd want to do, but little idea of how to achieve this goal. After researching a career of their choosing, learners identify qualifications,...
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What's the Purpose Anyway?
Examine author's purpose in newspaper articles, comic books, cookbooks, encyclopedias and other forms of written materials. Working in groups, middle and high schoolers read teacher-selected articles and write an explanation of the...
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Using Dictionary Entries
Work on word pronunciations by exploring the dictionary. Learners complete a worksheet containing questions about dictionary entries. They review how to use a dictionary, identify syllable breaks, parts of speech, and word pronunciation.
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Writing Fables
Young scholars develop a working skill of using graphic organizers for writing. The lesson notes that the best kind of organizer is one that is engaging to the appropriate audience. The assessment follows the rubric given in the lesson.
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Who Are America's Harvesters?
Students explore the changes in American farming practices. Through several days of reading and research, students write an essay explaining the changes that have led to the need for migrant workers. Students discuss how workers are...
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Long Vowel Phoneme - ai
Kindergarteners identify the long vowel sound /ai/ in speech and writing. The whole class shares the book, Daisy the Snail, then brainstorms as many /ai/ words as they can. The class constructs a word wall with the /ai/ words.
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The Japanese Garden
High schoolers use the internet to gather information on the Japanese Gardens. They discuss topics with a horticulturist and build a replica of the gardens at their school. They work together to identify different types of plants.