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Vocabulary Building - Brainstorming
Students learn new vocabulary words in ways that are fun and enriching. They brainstorm lists of words to be used in sentences, stories, or conversations.
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Stories That Grow on Trees
Students write their own choose-a-plot book. They develop skills in creating plot structure and think through a logical line of story action. They invent characters with striking physical and psychological attributes.
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Writing a Letter Using the Book "Mole's Hill"
Students are read the book "Mole Hill" by their teacher. As a class, they identify whether statements are true or false based on the story. They also examine any problems or solutions mentioned and identify points to write a letter. ...
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The Stories Behind the Masterpieces
Students examine Rembrandt's self-portraits and discuss important events in his life. They also examine "Aristotle with the Bust of Homer" and try to identify with the person in the paining, predicting what his life might have been like....
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The True Story of Abbie Burgess
First graders read a story from their textbooks about women in the 1850's. They discuss what it was like to be a woman living in American during this time period. They brainstorm heroines of American history and then discuss woman...
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Tell Me a Train Story
Second graders write a short story based on train track safety and make a train-shaped class book.
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Writing News Interviews
Students write ten facts for a topic of choice. They describe why they chose that topic and begin to research it. They complete a handout on note taking that is used to draft questions for interviews.
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The 3 Little Pigs
Second graders create new endings to The Three Little Pigs. They read and discuss The True Story of the Three Little Pigs and compare it to the original version. After comparing the two versions, they write a friendly letter to the wolf...
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Why Thank You!
Fifth graders listen to a read aloud of Patricia Polacco's, Thank You, Mr. Falker! students examine the use of voice in the book, discuss the writing and theme ideas. They write a thank you not to their hero.
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Plain Polly: Adding Relevant Details
Students use a stick figure to help them learn to write with details. In this details lesson, students brainstorm details to add to the stick figure 'Plain Polly.' Students then draw stick figures for their own writing and give them a...
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- Making Metaphors with Munchies
Students brainstorm independently first, then ask their best friend on the team, or seat partners, depending on the year & student mix, to add to their list of personal characteristics and/or to name three words they think of...
Anti-Defamation League
Challenging Gender Role Stereotypes
Through thoughtful discussion and a read-aloud, scholars challenge gender role stereotypes. Pupils examine pictures and collaborate with their small groups to debunk stereotypes. They explain what gender role stereotypes they know of and...
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Columbus Day (Native American Perspective)
Teach your class the perspective Native Americans had on Christopher Columbus. They will examine the effects of Christopher Columbus' exploration on the Native Americans using a reading theater and a carousel brainstorming activity. They...
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Three-Meal Weather: Food inspired adjectives from "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs"
Students complete a list of food adjectives based on the book Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs. In this adjectives lesson plan, students also compose a 3 part piece of writing based on an entire day of raining food.
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Amelia the Pigeon: Lesson 1
Students listen to the story, Amelia the Pigeon, predicting Amelia's story and creating their own stories of Amelia's flight using pictures of New York City. They build views of their neighborhood by pulling together drawings from the...
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The Sand Horse
Fourth graders are introduced to the book THE SAND HORSE and discuss the title and cover illustration. They listen to the story listening for words and phrases to describe the setting. They then brainstorm key words to illustrate the...
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How the Kangaroo Got Its Pouch
Students perform a play based on a legend. In this performing arts activity, students read the legend Kangaroo Gets a Pouch and brainstorm ways to turn the story into a play. Students prepare for a short play, including costumes and...
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The Great Kapok Tree..
Students predict what each animal in the story read says and then compare them. They pretend that a tree was cut down and write a new ending for the story. Students explain why the story is not true and create a Venn Diagram comparing...
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Another Side of Paradise
Young scholars write a sequel to a book read as a class. In this culminating activity, students write a sequel to the novel This Side of Paradise by Stephen Layne. Young scholars use the epilogue to guide their writing.
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Honoring Neighborhood Heroes
Read biographies and use the internet to research stories of courage.Young writers compare and contrast characteristics that societies value. They write reports about their family and community's heroes.
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A look at our larger population
Student team together to tell the story of the U.S.'s rapid population growth. High schoolers research census changes, focusing on changes in the size of the community and the school. Students tell the story by writing articles and...
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Flat Stanley Visits....Your Imagination in Claymation!
In this literature activity, young scholars read the Jeff Brown book Flat Stanley and collaborate to create claymation characters from the story. Students create a claymation video and discuss using word cards during hte movie.
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Let's Travel to Mexico!
Students investigate and explore information about Mexico. They listen to a story, view an Internet video, write a page for a class book, and play an online Spanish word concentration game.