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Writing a Topic Sentence
Here is an inventive, and easy-to-implement lesson on the writing of topic sentences. Learners review what a topic sentence is, practice identifying topic sentences in an informational article, then play a really cool game. All of the...
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The Prince and the Pauper
Mark Twain, the famous American author, is often studied in the school system. Use "The Prince and the Pauper" to analyze the differences between the text and its video version. This lesson includes several culminating project ideas for...
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Primary Sources and Protagonists: A Native American Literature Unit
Introduce your middle schoolers to the lives of past Native Americans. First, learners work together to put photographs in a sequence. Then, using their sequence, they create stories to share with the whole class. No matter how old your...
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Express Yourself Lesson Seed 19: Synthesis
Wrap up your unit on The Cay with an engaging argumentative writing assignment. Writers must decide if they believe The Cay should be banned. The resource includes links to several articles, which have been addressed and examined in...
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Asking Research Questions
Using discoveries and inventions as the focus, learners complete a research project. First, they come up with research questions. Then, they conduct research on the topic. Finally, they write a research paper.
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Connecting the Dots: Workers and Their Importance
Students explore the role of workers and their jobs in the community. They write a friendly letter to a community worker expressing appreciation for the work they do and their importance to the community.
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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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Literature: Isabel Allende
Students watch and respond to a Bill Moyers Now video on the Chilean author, Isabel Allende. They brainstorm a list of recent events that might inspire writers and choose one to write about in poetic, diary, or short story form.
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Technologies of the Civil War
Fifth graders discover new and interesting technologies of the Civil War. In this Civil War portfolio of lessons, 5th graders analyze primary resources, develop new vocabulary, investigate websites, and create a time line of new...
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Language Arts: Awesome Authors Website
Students examine the writing techniques of professional authors and apply them to their own work. In pairs, they email authors to discover the tricks of the trade. Students create their own Website for their work.
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Pointed Comments
Fifth graders analyze pieces of writing to identify the author's purpose of writing. In this writing lesson, 5th graders consider a variety of pieces of writing such as, poetry, drama, fiction, and non-fiction. Each student completes an...
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Know It All: Seals! Teaching Plan
Learners discover information about seals, including behavior and habitat. In this early childhood lesson plan, students identify various aspects about seals. Learners create an illustration or painting of their favorite seal, and...
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Winterdance
In this chronological order instructional activity, students put story events in order that they are given. Students put 7 events in chronological order.
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Technology-commected Folklife Lesson Plan: Fables
Students discuss ways the stories were alike and different. The teacher demonstrate how to draw a Venn diagram using Microsoft Word. They label the two circles and enter the likenesses and differences on the diagram.
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Fiction and Poetry
Students explore fictional text and poetry. They explore the story structures used in the types of texts and examine the language patterns used. Students practice tracking text in the correct manner.
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Alliteration
Students write and illustrate a sentence which names a letter of the alphabet. The sentence should have subject, verb, describing words, and incorporate alliterative techniques.
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Analysis of Character in a Short Story
Ninth graders examine a character from the short story, John Steinbeck's, "Flight." students respond to questions about the story and illustrate the character's journey.
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Story Pyramid And Comparison
Learners investigate the details of a chosen story of literature. They use a pyramid graphic organizer to record information. The information is used to write a summary of the story. Students use a rubric while writing the summary to...
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Leapin' Landmarks: Locating 10 Man-made Landmarks Around the World
Third graders label continents, oceans, and major mountain ranges on maps and use the maps to write an informational report about landmarks. In this landmarks lesson plan, 3rd graders write about 1 major landmark.
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Animal Research Project
First graders are introduced to the topic of researching by the librarian. Using a worksheet, they use various sources in the library to choose one animal from various groups. They complete a fact sheet on each animal and report their...
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911 As History
Learners recognize persuasive techniques, think criticaly about the messages contained in various media, and discuss controversial issues in constructive ways. They analyze the deeper messages contained in children's literature, and...
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Growing Flowers
Students grow flowers from seeds. They plant quick-growing seeds in a flower pot and consider what a seed needs to grow. They observe and record the growth of the planted seeds in science journals.
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How Logical is Garfield?
Third graders analyze comics found in the newspaper for samples of logical, emotional, and ethical appeal. They write a paragraph for each selected comic strip explaining how the comic strip represents the use of logic, emotions, or ethics.
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Celebrations
Second graders answer questions after listening to the the story "Celebrating Life Around the World" and verbally identify three ways in which people celebrate special occasions. They then make two verbal connections from their own...