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Shopping at the Market
Bring a Mexican marketplace to your classroom! Your middle schoolers will practice buying and selling items and learn more about marketplace culture. Set up booths with props beforehand, and consider adding a few products they're...
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Signs and Symbols to Acquire Language
Students utilize deductive reasoning to decipher unfamiliar words and sounds. They acquire high-frequency words by viewing street signs and playing phonics games. Students This lesson is intended for students acquiring a foreign language.
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Using O. Henry's the Ransom of Red Chief To Develop a Larger Vocabulary
Ninth graders expand their reading vocabulary in order to increase comprehension. They play a game using vocabulary from a novel.
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Context Clues
Students practice identifying the meanings of unknown words using context clues. In this vocabulary lesson, students read sentences which contain an unknown words. They will use the context of the sentence to determine the meaning.
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Decoding Strategies
Students practice using context clues to decode the meanings of unfamiliar words. In this vocabulary skills lesson, students follow the provided instructions to complete graphic organizers that enable them to decode words in Lewis...
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Guided Reading Lesson: Here Comes the Bus
Students discover basic concepts of print. In this early literacy lesson, students discover basic high frequency words. Students make predictions as they read. Cross-curricular activities provided.
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Kids Get School Named for Obama
Students read about the renaming of a school for Barack Obama. In this political lesson, the teacher presents vocabulary words from the news article, then the students read the article and answer comprehension questions. Lesson includes...
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Using the News in Class
Students listen to international news stories. Students use context clues to determine the meaning of vocabulary words from context, then complete a matching exercise to see if their vocabulary definitions were correct. Students...
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Using Authentic Texts to Teach Vocabulary
Students read an article identifying any new vocabulary words they are unfamiliar with. Using the text, they discover antonyms, synonyms and word families. They answer comprehension questions and review the vocabulary to end the lesson.
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Intellectual Property
To prepare for a study of intellectual property rights, (or an assessment) introduce your learners to the legal concepts and key vocabulary associated with the debate. After defining intellectual property, copyright, fair use, and...
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Investigate a New Word from "Notes from the Trail"
Students read and take notes from Notes from the Trail. In this reading fluency lesson, students read back and share their notes finding 7-10 new words. Students define, write an unrelated sentence and present.
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A New Word Everyday: The Hobbit
Students record unknown vocabulary they encounter while reading The Hobbit. In this "A New Word Everyday" lesson, after students record unknown words, they must use a dictionary to find the correct definition and write it down.
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Inferring: Who was John Allen?
Help your learners work with difficult or archaic words. A continuation of lesson two of this module, the plan here focuses on deciphering the Inventory of John Allen, in particular the unfamiliar words that make up much of the list. Add...
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Adapting "List/Group/Label" to Literature
Need a prereading activity in line with the Common Core Standards for Language? Although designed for grades 11 and 12, the procedure detailed in this resource could be used with most grade levels. Prior to reading, select 20 – 25 words...
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Costa Rican Sea Turtles
Students read "One Tiny Turtle" by Nicola Davies. Using the internet, they research the characteristics of turtles off of the Costa Rica coast. In groups, they complete a worksheet and define vocabulary words they are unfamiliar with. ...
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Colossal Squid Caught in Antarctic
Students define the word colossal, then read a news article about an enormous squid caught off Antarctica. For this animal studies and current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with dictionary and vocabulary activities,...
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Good Sportsmanship Leads to Home Run
Pupils share examples of good sportsmanship, then read a news article about a team helping an injured player score a home run. The teacher introduces the article with a discussion and vocabulary activity, then learners read the news...
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Bank Loans Money to Start Businesses
After locating Latin American countries on a world map, children read about how microbanks are loaning money to help start small businesses. Involving both current events and economics, the teacher introduces the article with a map...
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The Cat in the Hat is 50!
Have your class react to a number of statements about The Cat in the Hat, then read a news article about a special event honoring the birthday of the popular book. The teacher introduces an article with a discussion and vocabulary...
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NASA Plans Moon Base
Learners react to statements about the moon, then read a news article about NASA's plans to build a permanent base on the moon. In this space science and current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a discussion and a...
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Is That Movie OK?
Discuss movies and movie enjoyment with your middle school language arts class. They interpret movie review information, determine appropriate movies, and then write film reviews to share with the class. Focus on using context clues to...
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Filling Out a Job Application
Students complete a sample employment application with 100% accuracy and define all unfamiliar vocabulary.
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Reading and Responding -- Lesson 13
Fourth graders work independently or in a small group to (1) read a fictional passage, (2) use context to define unfamiliar vocabulary, (3) use comprehension strategies, and (4) make inferences. Reading passage and teacher script is...
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Take Effective Class Notes: Strategic Note-Taking
Your class members will feel confident in taking notes during your next lecture with this great note-taking worksheet, through which learners practice activating prior knowledge, recording key points, flagging...