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Descriptive Verbs
Students read a piece of literature and locate the descriptive verbs in the piece. For this descriptive verbs lesson, students understand the value of using descriptive verbs. Students rewrite a story they've written with more...
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Making Connections: I Know Why Caged Birds Sing
Students discuss equality and fairness by reading a Maya Angelo poem. In this U.S. history lesson, students read the poem I Know Why Caged Birds Sing, and discuss how the era it was written in affected the words. Students...
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Create a Playbill!
Young scholars examine the variety of elements for a written play and create a playbill. They read about and define literary elements on a worksheet, and participate in a dramatic reading. Each student then creates and publishes a playbill.
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Genre Study - Grade Three
Third graders learn to identify different types of literature genres. In this genre lesson, 3rd graders complete pre and post- assessment, conduct a genre research activity, and complete the associated worksheets.
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How Grandmother Spider Stole the Sun
Students explore U.S. history by reading a Native American tale in class. In this cultural storytelling lesson, students read the story How Grandmother Spider Stole the Sun and discuss the characters and themes of the Native American...
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On With the Show: Fifty Years of the Public Theater
Learners view video clips from the program NY VOICES: "The Public" at 50, which examines Joseph Papp's passion and commitment to bring theater to diverse communities of New York. They create a playbill highlighting productions for an...
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A Happy Time
Second graders listen to stories about feelings and identify their own feelings during certain times of their lives. In this a happy time lesson, 2nd graders explore writing elements as a way to communicate with a variety of audiences...
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Improvisational Setting - "Where are You?"
Second graders explore setting through improvisations. In this theatre lesson, 2nd graders perform a variety of improvisations in different settings and chart how they established the setting in the different environments.
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Africa: Small Sounds From a Big Country
Students explore the music from Burundi, Zimbabwe, and Pygmy cultures. They listen to and discuss music from the African cultures, analyze the musical elements, write a song, and perform music.
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The Freedom to Fight
Students study the African American troop experiences in the Civil War. In this American history instructional activity, students examine primary and secondary sources regarding the experiences and contributions of African American...
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Shakespeare Shows
Students study, interpret, perform, and present various Shakespearean works adapted for middle school Students. They choose a scene from one of the plays covered in this teaching unit to reenact with a group.
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PowerPoint Short Story Report
Students make a Microsoft PowerPoint report from a short story read in class. They summarize and paraphrase a short story identifying the six story elements: characters, setting, plot, conflict, solution, tone/mood.
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Map of Ship Trap Island
Young scholars read the short story "The Most Dangerous Game," and create maps of Ship Trap Island and justify why items are placed on their map in certain locations.
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Out of the Dust: Visions of Dust Bowl History Lesson Overview
Students complete activities with the book Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse. For this literature lesson, students read this story and view the Dust Bowl history from the eyes of a child. They discover the Great Depression and life in...
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Dante's Inferno
Students examine Dante's trip through Hell. In this literature lesson, students read The Inferno and then collaborate to discuss moral redemption and create their own maps of Hell based on the poem. Written descriptions are required to...
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Checkmate
Students start identifying the cause and effect relationships in games of Chess. Using the internet, they research the history of the game and how the roles for each of the pieces. They develop a skit based on the roles and...
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Getting Positioned for Fieldwork
Learners examine interviewing and fieldwork through a student essay and activities that help them understand the interviewer's task of examining his or her position in fieldwork through observation and questioning. They explore cultural...
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Chrysanthemum
Young scholars identify the main story elements in the book Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes. In this literacy lesson, students listen to the book and use a guided reading ball check for comprehension. Young scholars answer questions such...
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Cooperative Comics
Students create comics identifying conflicts and their resolutions. In this conflict resolution lesson, small groups of students follow specific mapping instructions to illustrate a conflict and its resolution. Students present orally...
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Little House In the Big Woods
Students explore economics by reading classic literature with their classmates. In this farm production lesson, students read the famous story Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Students complete handouts based upon...
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Horror Tales: What Makes Them Spooky?
Before you jump into this lesson, be aware there is little to work with. That being said, the ideas are solid and will be brought to life with a little Halloween spirit. Learners examine horror as a sub-genre, and contemplate what makes...
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Cooperative Learning Groups
Young scholars become experts on various topics, researching their topics and creating presentations to teach to the rest of the class. They are grouped into expert groups, or discovery groups, then compare/contrast the information...
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Computer Mysteries
Who has been messing with my trampoline? Young writers choose local events as the basis for their own “Who Did It?” mystery. They then devise a plot, problem, and cast of characters and write an introduction explaining the problem and...
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Architecture is Elementary
Students learn the four orders of architecture: Doric, Ionic, Corinthian and Composite. They create their own 3d structure and work together in groups. They create basic geometric shapes. # Have fun learning about art history,...