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Introducing Working Animals
Young scholars identify ways humans and animals work together. In this animal welfare lesson, students read the text Hanni and Beth: Safe and Sound and define the term "working animals." Young scholars investigate working animals by...
Teaching Tolerance
Community Newsletter
What does it take to develop and publish a newsletter? Young academics create a newsletter with original artwork for their school or community. They explore social justice themes and spread messages of tolerance and inclusion. Scholars...
Dream of a Nation
Writing an Analytic Essay
After researching an issue introduced in Tyson Miller's Dream of a Nation: Inspiring Ideas for a Better America, writers develop an original thesis statement and craft an analytic essay using evidence collected in their research.
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Phineas Gage: Concept Analysis
Prepare for teaching Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science with this written analysis of the book. The analysis includes a summary, considerations for teachers, project ideas, and a list of additional resources that...
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Let's Sum It Up
Students summarize a selected piece of nonfiction text as a group. After reviewing the instructors preferred method for summarizing information by identifying the main idea and supporting details, groups write a summary paragraph of a...
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Summarize What You Read
Third graders summarize a selected piece of nonfiction text. After reviewing the correct way to use a Venn diagram, 3rd graders read a nonfiction article. They write a summary paragraph using their Venn Diagram and the five-step process...
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Lesson Plan for Nonfiction Comprehension: Posing Questions
Students practice writing questions on a selected topic. Students discuss questioning skills. They browse through books and magazines, review their textbooks, watch a film, or participate in a similar experience that will provide some...
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Identifying Differences Between Fiction and Nonfiction Books
Students explore the differences between fiction and non-fiction book. In this genre study lesson, students read examples of fiction and non-fiction and identify the characteristics of each genre. Students list the characteristics on a...
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What's the Main Idea?
Students summarize a piece of text. After reviewing the correct way to read and summarize, students work in groups to summarize a piece of text assigned by the instructor. They write a summary paragraph using the process outlined during...
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Butterfly Life
This PowerPoint includes illustrations and explanations of each of the 4 stages in the life of a butterfly. The text provides appropriate reading material for students to practice nonfiction reading comprehension strategies. The text is...
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Sound Devices in Poetry, Fiction and Nonfiction
Learners examine the impact of sound devices in poetry. In this poetry lesson, students read the listed poems and identify uses of alliteration, repetition, consonance, rhythm, rhyme, and slang. Learners discuss how sound devices enhance...
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School-Home Links/Book Links: Non-Fiction
In this early childhood non-fiction comprehension worksheet, learners read a non-fiction book with caregiver, list the important facts, and retell the book in their own words.
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Very Good Facts About Very Good Books
Young scholars identify the characteristics of fiction and non-fiction texts. In this genre study lesson, students read the books A Butterfly Alphabet Book and I Wish I Were a Butterfly. Young scholars develop a graphic organizer to...
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Check Comprehension and Apply Writing
Elementary schoolers practice the skill of non-fiction writing. They study aspects of the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa, and write an essay which describes the tower and it's fascinating history. The article about the tower is included in...
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Determining Ideas and Adding Details
A handy TFDC (topic/fact/detail/conclusion) graphic organizer (included) allows young writers to outline and record their main ideas and supporting details in the prewriting phase. They then continue to add details to the topic sentences...
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Idea-Noun Definition: Source Searching
A great idea for showing language arts pupils the universality of themes, even in the real world! Have class members choose an idea-noun (peace, justice, war, love, etc.) at the beginning of the year or semester. They complete weekly...
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K-W-L Chart
After choosing a topic of interest, young learners use the K-W-L thinking process to create an informational, illustrated, big book. K-W-L, a three-part thinking process, asks the learner to respond to three questions: What do we know...
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Transportation Workers
Summarizing a text means being able to identify supporting details. Your class can learn about transportation workers in Chicago as they read a one-page informational passage. When they are finished reading they'll explain what they've...
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What is a Biography?
Investigate biographies with your class. Compare autobiographies and biographies of Martin Luther King, Jr. as an example. Learners explore the factual components that make up a biography and locate several biographies of notable...
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Language Arts: Reading Non-Fiction
Students read and view information sent from seven high school students who travel to China. The daily reports that they send back to the weblog section of the site should be of high interest to students in Minnesota.
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Exploring Prejudice and Text-to-Text Relationships
Tenth graders use the novel To Kill a Mockingbird to analyze relationships in society. In this literature analysis lesson, 10th graders participate in a shoe activity where they bring in one shoe belonging to someone they know and a...
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Why is Reading Important?
Ninth graders discuss why reading is an important skill for them to use in their lives. In groups, they examine the problems someone might have out in the world if they are illiterate. They practice reading in ways that it makes it fun...
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Non-Fiction Read-aloud
Students listen to the reading of a book about the area of science they are currently studying.
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Comprehension Game for Guided Reading
Students play reading comprehension games. In this guided reading lesson plan, students play a comprehension game made by the teacher. Students may play the game before or after reading the story.