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Habitats: Cactus Hotel
A reading of Brenda Z. Guiberson’s, Cactus Hotel, launches a study of animal habitats. Working with parent volunteers or teacher aides, groups travel outside the classroom to select a habitat, take digital pictures, and incorporate the...
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Same Theme, Different Story Using Fox by Margaret Wild
Middle schoolers work with themes in this instructional activity, which is based on Fox by Margaret Wild. Because the book has multiple themes, it is a great way to transition into exploring literary analysis and writing stories. A Six...
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Natural Disasters: An Adventure in Non-Fiction
Students study different natural disasters. In this natural disaster lesson students read a nonfiction book followed by a discussion, an experiment, then collect illustrations from their experience.
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The Rest Cure: Gender in Medicine and Literature
Read and discuss "The Yellow Wall-Paper" and the gender issues that the story brings up. Use articles from the time period to analyze, complete with specific discussion questions. After two days, scholars write an essay based on topics...
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The Palm of My Heart: Poetry By African American Children
Elementary students explore African American culture by reading children's poetry. They read the book, The Palm of My Heart which features poetry by an assortment of young African American boys and girls. Students define several...
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Nellie Bly's Newspaper Club: Introducing the Science of Writing
Students evaluate a video about Nellie Bly, a famous reporter from the 19th century. They consider what makes a high-interest news article, write an essay in pairs and present it a literary tea.
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Kindergarten Memories
Students create a monthly memory and compile it into a Kindergarten Memory Book. In this memory book lesson, students create a monthly memory page. Students create a graphic organizer in Kidspiration which is developed into a story...
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Environmental Harmony
Learners use information from a variety of media to evaluate different artists' views on the human relationship to nature. From these sources, class discussion, and personal experience, students will synthesize a thoughtful,...
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Descriptive writing
Fourth graders practice writing with description. For this descriptive lesson, 4th graders see the results of a task when the directions are not clear. They come up with descriptive words and write their own instructions.
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Creating a School Web Site
Learners create websites for their school. They work in groups as a web team and devise a self-management plan. As they work on projects reflecting school life, the team edits what may appear online as the school's web site. Writing...
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Water/Agua
Third graders complete water activities including vocabulary, visualization and performing activities. They study water vocabulary words in both English and Spanish. They listen to a read aloud of Jane Yolen's, Letting Swift River Go,...
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Tomie dePaola Author Study
Using Tomie de Paola's books for an author study can get students thinking about characters, plot, and illustrations.
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Aboriginal Physical Education
Students engage in p.e. activities that have roots in native Indian, Metis, and Inuit cultures. They practice the skill involved and listen to the significance behind the skill. They read relevant books and define new terminology.
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Energy Panel Hearings: "Your Town", Saskatchewan
Tenth graders access information to participate in a debate about whether a power plant should be placed in their town. They research an assigned point of view.
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Dancing Feathers
Fifth graders read and analyze the novel, 'Dancing Feathers.' They identify the main story elements, develop personal and fictional narratives, retell the story from a different point of view, create a mask, and design a postcard.