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Show Me the Story

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine the elements of a story, read a review of Chris Rock's new sitcom, "Everybody Hates Chris" and create original sitcom episodes based on their own lives.
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A Critical Role

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students read a New York Times review of the Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco. They discuss the roles and responsibilities of a cultural critic, and prepare for a visit to a local museum in order to write their own reviews.
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Behind the Cover

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students develop questions they would have liked to ask an author about their written works. They read an article about their forefathers and research a back story to a written work of their choice. They create posters to illustrate the...
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Progressive Era: Public Pressure and Government Actions

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars read sections of the novel, "The Jungle". They identify the problems of the meat industry during the Progressive Era. They discuss food concerns of today and make connections between the two time periods.
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Radical Reads

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students recreate an "American Idol" contest in which they present their favorite books to their classmates using arguments for and excerpts from the books. Following the presentation, students will be polled and the least popular books...
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Continuing Gandhi's Legacy of Cross-Cultural Understanding: Central Asia and the Middle East

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students investigate the lifestyle of Gandhi by creating a Venn Diagram.  In this biographical lesson, students compare the philosophies of Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi while discussing their teaching methods.  Students utilize the...
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Greek Origins and Character Development

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders examine words of Greek origin and discuss character development in fiction. They read a list of Greek word parts and create words on a worksheet. Students then read and discuss an informational handout about character...
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"Julie of the Wolves"

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders research life in Alaska and compare life there to their lives in this lesson. They read "Julie of the Wolves." They research through the novel and other reference books facts about the Alaskan climate and geography. They...
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The "Nobel"est People

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students study the history of the Nobel Prize, research Nobel laureates in all six categories of the award, and recognize the connecting thread of those who win the Nobel Prize--the contribution of outstanding work and the work's affect...
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Literary Scavenger Hunt

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students, in pairs, go on a literary scavenger hunt using the Internet to find information.
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Chaucer introduction

For Teachers 12th
Twelfth graders make connections between past and present, relevance of studying Chaucer.
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The Red Convertible

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students read and discuss the short story "The Red Convertible". They participate in extension activities related to each of the three parts of the story, planning a road trip, researching the Vietnam War, and writing a paper on their...
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Making Up is Hard to Do

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine the art of makeup. Students work in pairs to create a costume and make-up that will evoke a chosen literary character. They perform a short scene for the class, revealing the character's unique qualities.
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Friendships and Differences

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Students complete a variety of activities related to the book "My Friend Jacob" by Lucille Clifton. They complete a graphic organizer web about friendship qualities, and participate in a discussion about friendship. In small groups...
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Mood and Tone

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students describe their current mood in several complete sentences. They compare their moods with moods set by authors through the tone of their writing. Students read a teacher prepared handout about mood/tone of writing. They write...
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Timmy's Christmas Presents

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students build their reading comprehension skills. In this short story activity, students read "Timmy's Christmas Presents" and respond to short answer questions regarding the story.
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Carson McCullers: Loneliness and Frustrated Love

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students examine the themes of loneliness and frustrated love in the work of Carson McCullers. In this theme analysis lesson, students complete a comparison of patterns in the novels of McCullers as a part of a theme analysis.
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Journey Home: The Active Learner

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students discuss focus questions prior to reading and preview the book, "Journey Home." In this language arts lesson, small groups present vocabulary words. Students complete after-reading discussion questions and choose writing...
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A Sure Bet!

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders analyze Chekhov's "The Bet". They repsond to a journal quesiton and use examples from the novel. In groups, they take on different roles analyzing the novel and then write one of my prompts to complete the lesson.
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Folktales around the World (Middle, Reading/Writing)

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students analyze, synthesize, and use the elements of various US cultural folk tales to describe the elements of fiction in general and in folk tales specifically.
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Little Engine That Could Lesson Plan

For Teachers Pre-K - 2nd
Students retell the story The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper. In this early childhood lesson plan, students identify the various trains featured in the story, focusing on the descriptive words. Students then create their own...
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Book Party

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students compile a list of titles and authors worthy of having their own festivals, then research and write proposals outlining the activities for a specific book festival. They write analytical letters from the perspective of the author...
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Power to the Little People

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Pupils explore the classic story theme of good versus evil as relayed in folk tales.
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"Retale" Value: Exploring Plot Similarities in Fiction and Nonfiction Stories

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore seven basic story lines and apply these story lines to news articles in the New York Times. They write reports comparing the plot of a news article to novels, plays and movies with which they are familiar.