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Use The Polar Express to Develop Rich and Detailed Writing
Bring The Polar Express into your middle school classroom to spark the creativity of your emerging writers.
PHET
Forces in 1 Dimension
A realistic simulation uses charts to show forces, position, velocity, and acceleration versus time based on how the simulation is set up. Once those concepts are mastered, scholars use free body diagrams to explain how each graph...
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African Power Figure Sculptures
Students develop character, write short narrative about how it got its powers, and create a clay figure using modeling and assembling techniques to explore the concepts relating their figure to the African power figures.
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What is a Memorial
Students explore how we remember and honor people in special ways. In this memorial instructional activity, students read poems and discuss their emotions. Students view pictures taken at memorial services and discuss what...
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3D Paper-Edge Figure Sculptures
Learners discover visual arts by creating sculptures in class. In this personal expression lesson, students research the Internet and examine different examples of modern sculptures and 3 dimensional art. Learners utilize paper stock,...
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Language Arts: Digital Commercials
Students create commercials using a digital camera. After brainstorming their ideas, they spend three days writing their commercials. Students practice and edit their commercials and then present them for review.
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Abbreviations As Words
Students explore the definition and derivation of the popular usage of abbreviations in the English language. Using worksheets and lecture materials, students provide meanings for the abbreviation "prenup" when used as an word. They...
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Awesome Animals
Sixth graders write descriptive narratives about animals. In this descriptive writing lesson, the teacher models how to write a paragraph with interesting sensory words and exciting verbs. Students choose a picture of an animal they want...
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Creating Sentences with Onomatopoeia Words
Third graders create sentences. For this sentences lesson students use onomatopoeia words to write sentences. They make a movement to match their onomatopoeia word. The students discuss why an author might use onomatopoeia in their writing.
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Get A Life
Students explore the definition and derivation of the popular saying "get a life." Using worksheets and lecture materials, students provide meanings for the phrase when used in varying contexts. They also consider the dervation of each...
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In Your Dreams
Students explore the definition and derivation of the popular saying "in your dreams." Using worksheets and lecture materials, students provide meanings for the phrase when used in varying contexts. They also consider the derivation of...
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Abigail Adams: Integrating Social Studies and Language Arts
Third graders increase reading strategies while learning about Abigail Adams and her role in history. In this Abigail Adams lesson, 3rd graders read about the American Revolution and Abigail Adams using all the balanced literacy...
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Breath as Metaphor - Poetry Exercise
Students are required to critically read two poems, answer factual questions concerning the pieces, and then discuss the different uses of breath as a metaphor. They use the samples as a starting point for their own creative efforts.
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Onomatopoeia
Middle schoolers explore the use of onomatopoeia using comics. They develop a list of onomatopoeia examples, write sentences, complete a worksheet, and create a comic strip using onomatopoeias.
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Polar Bear Literacy Activity
Young scholars generate vocabulary words synonymous or related to "noise." In this literacy lesson, students listen to the book Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What do You Hear? by Bill Martin and Eric Carle and discuss the meaning of vocabulary...
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Color Poems
Students describe colors. In this descriptive writing lesson, students brainstorm color descriptions using all of the senses except sight. Students write poems including similes, sensory images, and interesting word choice. Examples are...
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Dream Houses
Students imagine and create their dream house. In this comprehension and interpretation activity, students read The Big Orange Splot, answer comprehension questions about the story and complete a character traits web. ...
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Haiku Wrap Up
Students create a haiku about the land formations they've studied. In this haiku lesson plan, students identify the metaphor and meaning of a given haiku, brainstorm comparisons for a landform photo as a class and choose one to use...
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Onomatopoeia
In this onomatopoeia worksheet, students read the directions and examples for this literary device. Students brainstorm, then write some sentences. Finally they write a comic strip using onomatopoeia, and illustrate it.
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Onomatopoeia Poems
Students write onomatopoeia poems. In this creative writing instructional activity, students listen to a picture book that introduces the concept of onomatopoeia. Students create their own list of words and write a short poem using...
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Using We or Us
In this grammar worksheet, learners read 10 different sentences and figure out if the sentence should contain the word "we" or "us."
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Out of the Dust 1
Students review figurative languages terms and examples. They read the first entry in the book, Out of the Dust, and discuss the images created by the author. Then they create an autobiographical poem using figurative language.
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Idioms
For this idioms practice worksheet, students examine 9 idioms and their meanings. Students then use 6 of the idioms to give advice in 6 scenarios.
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Recognizing Similes: Fast as a Whip
Students review basic knowledge of similes and engage with similes on a more abstract level. In this similes lesson, students define similes and identify examples. Students read and analyze the similes used in poetry by Derricotte,...