Lesson Plan
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Fan(tom) of the Opera

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore the ways in which the worlds of popular music and opera can work together to complement the other. They work in small groups to analyze plot, characters, setting and themes of a popular opera using a summary of that...
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Creating Comic Strips

For Teachers K - 4th
Students create comic strips to communicate ideas that cannot be expressed through words alone.
Lesson Plan
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Bringing Facts Into Science Fiction

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Young scholars develop a setting, plot and characters for a science fiction story based on current news themes, and then individually write drafts of the story.
Lesson Plan
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Novel Creation

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students create an alternate ending with digital animations to illustrate their text.  In this novel creation lesson, students read a novel and analyze the plot in small groups.  Students collaborate on an alternate ending...
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writing mini lessons

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students pair up and talk about a story, plot, or incident they are working on in writing workshop. Ask the listener to note when his interest is piqued and to share those moments with the storyteller. Those points of intrigue are all...
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Details and Observations IQ or the Eyes Have it

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders study Chaucer as a master of details. Then, they create a short story linking unrelated details into a logical plot with a clear setting and established characters. This lesson plan has some excellent worksheets attached!
Lesson Plan
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William Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream': Conflict Resolution and Happy Endings

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students analyze the characters and conflicts in Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream. In this conflict resolution lesson, students read the play and track the character actions with the specific plots. Students then predict endings...
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Costume And Make-Up Shakespeare Style

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students create original costumes and make-up for a puppet presentation of a scene from Shakespeare in this week long creative project. Performances of the Shakespeare scenes end this instructional activity geared towards state and...
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Charlotte's Web

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students complete a variety of activities related to the book "Charlotte's Web" by E.B. White. They create a comic strip based on the characters, setting, and plot of the story, and examine the author's writing process. In small groups...
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Nibble, Nibble, Little Mouse

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students complete activities to analyze points of view in different texts. For this point of view lesson, students read Hansel and Gretel and The Magic Circle and discuss the points of view. Students choose a character from the story and...
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May the Force Be With(in) You

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore the characterization of heroes and their representation of the values and beliefs of the society in which they are created. They first examine the creation of the 'Star Wars' heroes and plots, and then develop their own...
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Playing with History

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students consider the elements that make computer games compelling, then use these elements to develop game 'narratives' based on historic events.
Lesson Plan
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The Catcher in the Rye

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders engage in the reading of literature in order to focus upon some of the basic literary elements while examining "The Catcher In The Rye". They use the experience of reading and literary analysis in order to help develop an...
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Picture the Process

For Teachers 2nd - 7th
Students read Chasing Vermeer and relate the book to the author .  In this writing process lesson, students view Blue's Photo Album and see how the author writes and revises her work. Students discuss the process that all good...
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A New Look at Romeo and Juliet

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students explore life and language development in the Elizabethan Age. In this English lesson students complete web-quests and other activities surrounding Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.
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Literacy: Slowly, Slowly, Slowly Said the Sloth

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students explore language arts by analyzing a children's book in class. For this vocabulary lesson, students read the book Slowly, Slowly, Slowly... by Eric Carle. Students identify the characters, setting and plot of the story before...
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Into the Wild

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study about how sequels are created by using a well-known fairy tale to create their own. They choose a fairy tale, make a list of all the characters in the story, and generate 3 ideas (minimum) per character. They each select...
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Reading and Activity Suggestions for The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers learn about characterization techniques in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.  In this Adventures of Tom Sawyerlesson, students write a description of one character through the eyes of another character and identify...
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The Great China Chase: Adjectives

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Stories are created, by students, using a variety of adjectives. 3-5th graders will learn about adjectives and use their new knowledge to create ad-lib stories to share with the class demonstrating their mastery of adjectives, indefinite...
Unit Plan
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Cyrano de Bergerac Nose His Terms

For Teachers 7th
Students use the play "Cyrano de Bergerac" to identify and analyze drama vocabulary, literary terms and elements of fiction. They write an original version of scenes from the play and develop a character analysis for the lead.
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A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students, after reading the book, "Esperanza Rising," create a virtual display by combining different story elements into a visual representation. They choose the setting and characters of a scene that will act as a springboard of ideas...
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Identify the Mood

For Teachers 5th - 6th
In this reading worksheet, students identify the mood of a book, story, song, movie, TV show, or play. Students record words and phrases about the characters, setting, and plot. Students also describe their resulting feelings and thoughts.
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The Frog and the Ol' Black Fly

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students explore frogs.  In this cross curriculum literacy and frogs lesson, students predict the plot and then listen to the book The Wide-Mouthed Frog by Keith Faulkner. Students define "predator" and identify foods a frog might...
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Numbered Heads Together

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders demonstrate reading and active listening by examining story elements. Working in teams, each student will develop and demonstrate an understanding of story elements by answering questions related to a given story.