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What is Good Writing?
Students assess samples of writing for each trait and discuss rationale for scoring. They comprehend that the traits of writing offer a common language for revision. Students are shown how to asses their writing and what makes good...
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Tall as a Mountain, Flat as a Plain
Students examine pictures of various landforms before placing them on a chart under the appropriate label.They sing songs about landforms to the tune of "She'll Be Comin' 'Round the Mountain." Next, they use non-edible baker's dough to...
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Getting to Know You
Middle schoolers introduce themselves utilizing an alliterative descriptor. They begin building a nurturing learning community and follow multi-step directions for preparing applications and completing forms. Each student also...
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Introduction to the Poetry Unit
Students explore, analyze and interpret one form of poetry writing called Poetry Slam. They hear several examples of unexpected poetry and view a video of "Slam Nation." The books, "Hey You! C'mere: A Poetry Slam," by Elizabeth Swados...
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Beginning Your Journal
Students develop a deeper awareness of the use of journals and gather inspiration to begin their journal from their graphic time lines. They explore, ponder, test and illustrate self-expression through daily journal writing. Each student...
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Who's Your Favorite Author?
Students investigate their favorite authors through focusing upon readings that are selected and then following with research to find more information about the author. Then they share writings from their favorite authors in literature...
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What is Your Story?
Students conduct an interview with a member of their family in preparation for writing their own family histories. They listen to their teacher's family story, and listen to the book "Picnic in October." Students then conduct their...
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Dragonwings
Students engage in a lesson that is concerned with the literature study of Dragonwings. They write about the story from the perspective of a reader that is well informed towards the last chapters. Students also find target vocabulary and...
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"Tis The Season" Bulletin Board
Students study the months and seasons by bringing in an item that represent the season the their birthday occurs in. They either write or dictate at least one sentence about the object and how it represents the season. Using their...
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Our Successful Traits
Students investigate the traits necessary for classroom success. They brainstorm in order to find different traits while creating lists. Then students work in groups to create simple definitions for selected character traits of success...
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Traits that Foster Success
Students read literature in order to identify traits that are exemplified by strong characteristics that foster their own success or the success of others. They generate a list of traits that facilitate success, such as tolerance,...
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Cycles of Life
Students begin their study of insect life cycles by listening to a read aloud of Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar. They learn the vocabulary of metamorphosis including egg, larva, pupa, chrysalis, and adult. They observe actual...
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Successful Traits of Mentors
Learners engage in a activity that is concerned with the traits that mentors share. They brainstorm in order to create a definition of a mentor that is shared in groups while writing in journals. Students also write about the traits...
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The Art Of Persuasion
Students engage in a lesson plan that is concerned with the concept of persuasion and how it is used in a writing context. They create persuasive letters addressed to the president of the United States. Students brainstorm to find facts...
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Sand and Water
Students follow this recipe for fun clay creations. In this early childhood art and science activity, students develop creative-thinking skills, fine-motor skills, and sensory awareness while they make, mold, and decorate salt dough.
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Math with Maps and Globes
Young scholars round out their math skills with these ‘round the world' ideas. In this math and geography lesson, students try out time zone sticks, a polar race, and tic-tac-globe to engage them in learning more about globes and the...
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Joseph Had a Little Overcoat Lesson Plan
Students discuss various features of a book, aspects of the story, and then engage in a retelling of the story. In this early childhood lesson plan, students identify the author, illustrator, and title of a book, Joseph Had a Little...
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Cook-A-Doodle Doo! Lesson Plan
Students enjoy the excitement in the short story, Cook-A-Doodle-Doo! In this Cook-A-Doodle Doo! lesson plan, students work to tell the difference between fact and fiction, learn vocabulary, and compare and contrast different stories.
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Connection Stems
Students connect their lives to a story or nonfiction text. In this reading connections activity, students make text-to-self, text-to-text, and text-to-world connections as they complete connections stems based on a story.
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Rag Coat Lesson Plan
Students discover ways to help those in need within their community. For this early childhood lesson plan, students gather clothing donations for use in a fundraiser for their community shelter. Students also create posters to...
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Dandelion Seed Lesson Plan
Students create a map using the story The Dandelion Seed by Joseph Anthony. In this early childhood lesson plan, students develop map skills as they illustrate the path of the seed in The Dandelion Seed.
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Carrot Seed Lesson Plan
Students create a seed museum. In this early childhood lesson plan, students identify various seeds and the plants the seeds will grow into. Students write a description of the plant, illustrate the plant and create a seed museum in...
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Summer Fun Activity: Dream Vacations
Students can turn the block area into a travel agency. In this early childhood problem solving lesson, students use creative-thinking and language skills as they design a play environment.
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Activity Plan 5-6: What's In a Name?
Students use family names to gather and analyze data. In this counting lesson, students use graph paper to help organize their data and then, in a staircase fashion, organize the names from longest to shortest so they can answer...