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Lousia May Alcott
Students examine the life of Louisa May Alcott. Using the Internet, they examine the types of books and plays she wrote. In groups, they compare and contrast the types of covers used on the various publishing's. They design and color...
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Life in Letters
Students explore the relationship between an author's life and their work. Students research the historical and personal events surrounding a Nobel Prize winning author and how they are reflected in the author's writing. They create a...
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Unwrapping Reading
Guest readers rip off the holiday wrapping paper and read aloud the book inside! The teacher prepares for the activity by wrapping a variety of books in wrapping paper. Guest readers are invited to unwrap a book and read aloud to the class.
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Sun and Moon Folktale
Students become familiar with characteristics of folktales by reading or listening to African folktale that explains why sun and moon live in the sky. Students then create their own folktales about the sun and moon or another aspect of...
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Prize-Winning Prose
Students develop criteria for 'Kids' Pulitzers,' awards in categories of writing determined by Students. Each student then bestow a 'Kids' Pulitzer' upon a piece of writing which they deem to be distinguished based on the established...
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State of the Art
Students watch and discuss a scene from 'Cool Hand Luke,' then read the actor Kevin Costner's commentary on it. Then, each identifies one work of art that he or she loves and prepares a similar commentary on the details of that work's...
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Where the Sidewalk Transcends
Students use titles of Shel Silverstein poems to generate their own poetry for Students. Each student then compares his or her poem to the Shel Silverstein poem of the same title.
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Legends in Their Own Times
Students learn folk tales from many different cultures and retell them using the medium of their choice. They write about the cultural indications found in these tales.
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Classes For The Masses
Young scholars explore how class is represented in the media by developing ideas for television pilots that deal with class issues. They compile short lists of television characters from working, middle and upper classes.
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Show Me the Story
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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Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Fourth graders read and take quizzes over the book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
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A Critical Role
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
Young scholars 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...
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Baseball Memories
Students act as historians by, first, reading and analyzing oral histories of professional baseball players to become familiar with baseball figures. Then, they proceed to interview family members, relatives, or neighbors who have...
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Radical Reads
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
Students investigate the lifestyle of Gandhi by creating a Venn Diagram. In this biographical activity, students compare the philosophies of Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi while discussing their teaching methods. Students utilize...
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Chinese Calligraphy
Students explore Chinese calligraphy. In this art and social science lesson plan, students copy the Chinese character ideograms in order to create words or phrases.
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The "Nobel"est People
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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Reading Aloud
Students practice their reading aloud skills. They examine different careers that focus on public speaking. They also gather new tips to practice when speaking aloud.
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Making Up is Hard to Do
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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Intergenerational Friendships
Students complete a variety of activities dealing with the book "Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge" by Mem Fox. They take a field trip to a senior citizen's home and conduct an interview, and complete journal entries having to do with...
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Children of War
Young scholars discuss children's rights during wartime and watch public service announcements. After reading excerpts from children's diaries of war, they work in groups to create a storyboard for their own PSA on children's rights...
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Book Party
Learners 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
Young scholars explore the classic story theme of good versus evil as relayed in folk tales.