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Lively Read of the Tale of Despereaux
Students create a character map of the main characters in The Tale of Despereaux. After reading the text, students create a character chart based on information they gleaned from the story. They use this information to write a letter...
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Understanding Character
Young scholars are introduced to literary elements and definitions in the worksheet Understanding Character but reading through each of the elements and definitions aloud. They read the story, "La Bamba" and identify examples of the...
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Introduction to Traditional Oral Narratives
Students are introduced to the idea of traditional oral narratives and divide them into genres. They explore the genres of context, motifs and variants. Each student finds oral narratives in their own lives and practice retelling them in...
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Diary of Anne Frank: Act 1 Scene 1 & 2
Eighth graders read act 1 scenes 1 & 2 of the play Diary of Anne Frank. For this Diary of Anne Frank lesson plan, 8th graders discuss how the setting of the play affects the mood of the story and answer short answer questions.
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Early Industrialization
Eighth graders analyze primary source documents emphasizing young people in factory labor (mill workers during 1840-1860). They study hours of labor, ages of laborers, reasons for working, and working conditions. They write a poem or song.
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...And the Earth Did Not Devour Him
Students examine impressions of a community of migrant workers in Texas who go north to pick crops. The lesson highlights the poverty and discrimination that a family suffers in the 1970's.
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Deep like Rivers: Four African American Poets of the 1920s and 1930s
Students examine work by outstanding African American poets from the time period of the 1920s and 1930s. They study aspects of American and African American social, cultural and artistic history that influenced the content of some of the...
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1984, by George Orwell - Fact or Fantasy?
Students read 1984 by George Orwell. They research a country who has dictators similar to Oceania's leaders and create a outline for a paper. In addition, they create a web page from their information.
National First Ladies' Library
Finding Treasure Island; An Exciting Escape
Students read Treasure Island. They have a choice of a number of activities associated with the novel, including writing a review of the book. Students also participate in a National Geographic High Seas Adventure, going on an Internet...
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A Picture's Worth 500-700 Words: Neoclassical Painting Analysis and Creative Write
Students survey Neoclassical art and create a narrative based on their analyses. Focused questions and relevant background information provided by the Getty Museum provides a great foundation for students to understand art techniques as...
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Genes at Work
Students explore and discuss genetics stories and answer questions about genetic outcomes of offspring. In this genetics lesson, students read genetics stories on a web site. Students use a chart to answer questions regarding the...
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Characteristics of Imaginative Stories
Third graders explore genre characteristics. In this genre literacy lesson, 3rd graders listen to a variety of fiction stories and classify them according to genre. Students identify common features in each genre and complete a chart by...
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Identifying the Theme in a Story
Students recognize Theme through the use of simple, short stories. Using Pro Quest, students begin by researching the literary element, theme, and how it can be identified. They then identify the themes in Aesop's Fables and...
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Secrets of the Parthenon
Students take a closer look at the Parthenon. In this world monument lesson plan, students watch PBS video segments about the reconstruction of the Parthenon in Greece. Students research how the ancient Greeks built the structure and...
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Chinese Calligraphy
Students explore Chinese calligraphy. In this art and social science instructional activity, students copy the Chinese character ideograms in order to create words or phrases.
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Probability Experiment
Students do an experiment with probability. In this probability lesson, they listen to part of the book G is for Googol: A Math Alphabet Book by David M. Schwartz. They complete 3 probability experiments and check to see how close...
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Breaking the Codex
Students work with an online multimedia show to study the life of Leonardo da Vinci in Renaissance Italy. They explore different writing systems and create an advertisement for one of Leonardo da Vinci's inventions.
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Portraits Visual and Written: Louisa May Alcott and Samuel Clemens
Students discover the life and work of an American author, either Samuel Clemens or Louisa May Alcott. In this study of visual and written portraits lesson, students take a look at the authors through four different sources: a portrait,...
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Poetry and Our National Anthem
Middle schoolers express the meaning of the Star-Spangled Banner. In this American history lesson, students read through the national anthem and complete an activities from a list of choices. Some choices include: writing the anthem in...
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Comic Books in the Classroom
You can use comic book projects to teach a variety of curriculum topics.
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Interactive Whiteboard Lessons
Plug into interactive whiteboards to spark creativity in the classroom.
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Foreshadowing and Situational Irony in Kate Chopin Short Stories
This resource contains summaries of the stories featured, but limited procedural detail. Readers compare Chopin's stories' use of situational irony and foreshadowing. High interest content (questionable paternity, missing persons) for...
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Medieval Times Crossword
In this medieval times crossword puzzle worksheet, students use the 10 clues to determine the words and names that fill in the blanks to appropriately complete the word puzzle pertaining to the state. A word bank is included.
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Language Arts Exploration
While an interesting lesson idea involving the exploration of a story about an Asian American boy named Imduk, a teacher would need to have assess to the Scott Foresman reading program to make this work. If not, a teacher could use...