Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk, University of Texas at Austin
Lesson 9 - Contractions
Is it do'nt or don't? How about doesn't or does'nt? A lesson on contractions helps learners identify, form, and use contractions. Components within the plan include direct instruction on decoding and encoding contractions, as well as...
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Descriptive Prompt
Young scholars create a detailed self portrait, and then write about their appearance.
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Linda R. Monk, Words We Live By: Your Annotated Guide to the Constitution - Grade 8
“We the people . . .” Thus begins the Preamble to the Constitution. Using a close reading approach, class members examine an excerpt from Linda Monk’s article that traces how the interpretation of these words has evolved. Some of your...
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Ella y Él
Take a trip to Costa Rica with th popular song "Ella y Él" by Ricardo Arjona. After listening to the song (and possibly reading the lyrics) the class discusses the general message of the song, the political nature, and other US bands...
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The Swimming Hole by Laura Ingalls Wilder
This PowerPoint provides a summary, comprehension questions, vocabulary words, and links for independent activities related to the story "The Swimming Hole" by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Age-appropriate definitions of such literacy elements...
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Children's Picture Books
Fifth graders will enhance their typing skills and practice using Pages, a software for Mac computers, by writing their own children's book. Note: This lesson plan refers to a template that is not included, however, you can adapt this...
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Chapter 4 of The Secret School
Fourth graders read chapter 4 of The Secret School and answer discussion questions as they read. In this reading lesson plan, 4th graders also write a summary of what they read.
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On-Level Small Group Phonics Lesson: ea /e/
Students explore /e/. In this phonics lesson, students decode words with "ea" representing the short e sound. Students read sentences and a short book that includes "ea" word practice.
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Using Starfall to Review the Short A Sound
Students read a story with the short a sound. The story is about a rat. They access Starfall and select the story called Zac the Rat. They read the story out loud as a group then the students answer comprehension and skill questions...
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Expression in Action
Students observe and demonstrate a variety of strategies for reading with expression. They listen to the teacher read different sentences with and without expression and discuss the differences. In small groups, they read the short...
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The Time I Got Lost
Third graders go through the writing process but substitute paper and pencil with the computer to create a story about "The Time I Got Lost".
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Language Arts: Final Drafting
Students are able to revise their own essays for greater clarity and fluency, adding explanation where needed and cutting extraneous information where appropriate. They are able to compose an academic essay with a complete introduction,...
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Picture Sentences
Second graders create sentences using word wall or spelling words. In this literacy lesson, 2nd graders type their sentences and attach a clip art picture that coordinates with the word or sentence.
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Vocabulary Strategy: Call of the Wild
Here is a strategy for groups to contribute to whole class vocabulary development. Teams (based on seating rows) work together to look up dictionary definitions of words from upcoming sections of the book (though previous sections seem...
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Hide and Seek Vocabulary!
Third graders practice word recognition and vocabulary building. They find word cards in the classroom. Then they practice reading the words and using them in sentences. Additional practice is gained by writing the words and using them...
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Some Houses Are Made of Straw, Wood, or Brick: But... This House is Made of Mud...
First graders read and discuss several stories. They share information about different types of shelter around the world. They explain that lifestyles and shelter depend very much on where people live and how they use the resources...
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Creating a Story that "Stacks" on Itself and Repeats a Catch Phrase
Students explore language arts by reading a classic children's story in class. In this story structure lesson plan, students read the Judith Viorst book, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Students discuss the...
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Author! Author!
Beverly Cleary is the fabulous author focused on, in this author study. Students conduct Internet Research in order to find out as much as they can about Ms. Cleary. They then use their findings and the Garageband program to create a...
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I Feel the Need....The Need for Speed!
Students first learn to decode when learning to read. Decoding each letter and phoneme in a sentence or even a short text takes a considerable amount of time. Students must drill to progress in the pace and level of their reading. In...
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Narrative Prompt
Students write to describe a summer activity. They read a book about the seasons. They describe grab bag props and how they are used in summer.
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Life Cycle of the Monarch Butterfly
Third graders access prior knowledge of the monarch butterfly and discuss what they would like to know. In this Monarch Butterfly lesson,students read Monarch Butterfly and discuss the life cycle of the butterfly. Students gather...
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Vocabulary Building: "ai" Words
In this identifying words spelled with "ai" instructional activity, students use definition clues, unscramble letters, and create sentences using the words main, hail, straight, trailer, remain, railroad, and maintenance. Students write...
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Two-Consonant Vocabulary Words
In these four building vocabulary worksheets, students define, unscramble, write sentences containing at least seven words and showing word meanings, and time read the seven vocabulary words. Students complete four skills.
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Vocabulary Building Activities
In these four building vocabulary worksheets, students view vocabulary word lists, use definition clues, unscramble letters, and write sentences using each vocabulary word. Students write twenty-one answers per learning exercise.