Lesson Plan
Literacy Design Collaborative

Analyzing Impact of Word Choice and Figurative Language in "Barbie Doll"

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
After a close reading Marge Piercy's poem "Barbie Doll," class members craft an AP®-style explanatory essay in which they analyze the diction and other figurative literary devices the poet employs to deliver her commentary on modern...
Lesson Plan
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Oedipus by Sophocles

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students read and interpret the play Oedipus by Sophocles. A wide array of fabulous thought provoking assignments are intertwined within this lesson for the students to complete.
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Uncovering Personalities in Othello

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students explore a unique way to view the personalities of the characters in William Shakespeare's play "Othello." They facilitate online research "deconstructing" poetry and performing scenes from the play with costumes and props.
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Democracy in Action: Everyday Farmers

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners experiment with a situation as if they were farmers in a co-op. In this democratic decision making lesson plan, students role-play as farmers that are members of a co-op and a have a serious decision to make about spreading...
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Monster and Myths: Scripts

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers explore characteristics of the myth genre.  In this myth lesson, students become familiar with various myths and the cultures they were derived from. Middle schoolers compare in a graphic...
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Further Activities with Language

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students chose a favorite passage from a Shakespeare play. They write a letter from one character to another in a novel they have just read. They take a scene from a movie and write it in Shakespearean language.
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Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders participate in a play to work on seeing events from a different perspective. Some of them are reporters, some cameramen and women, and others are interviewed. They put themselves in the shoes of the people in the book...
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Shakespeare Shows

For Teachers 6th - 8th
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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Was the Wolf Really Guilty?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students read plays, short stories, or novels which revolve around trials, and write essays explaining or defending the assigned role in a mock fairy tale trial.
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Much Ado About Something

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students view video clips of Shakespeare's plays. They discuss issues in his plays that challenge his authorship. They discuss the concept of a genius and identify what qualities a writer has.
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SHAKESPEARE IN TODAY'S WORLD

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students, after an introduction to Shakespeare's "Othello," compare/contrast the themes in the play to today's society. In addition, they write their own script for the play of "Othello" based on predictions of what they think will...
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In Search of Shakespeare . Images of Othello: A Shakespearean WebQuest | PBS

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners look closely at the text of "Othello." They use an online dictionary, and use various search engines. Students use an online Shakespeare concordance and make intelligent decisions about character. They write an intelligent...
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Mad Scientist Vocabulary Review

For Teachers 5th - 6th
In this mad scientist vocabulary review, students play a game to practice their spelling and vocabulary skills. Two students play charades, one must draw the word and the other identify it and write it correctly. Students fill in...
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Interdisciplinary Lesson Plan

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders study Thanksgiving. In this physical education and spelling lesson, 3rd graders play a race game by being the first group who can spell the word Thanksgiving first.
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Comparing North American Colonies Vs. Britain

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders practice creative writing  by describing events from the Colonial era.  In this U.S. History lesson, 5th graders identify King George III and George Washington, the roles they played, and the differences between...
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The Cricket in Times Square

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders explore vocabulary by reading a contemporary story in class. In this English literature instructional activity, 4th graders read the story A Cricket in Times Square and practice using the vocabulary words from the story....
Lesson Plan
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Exploring A Streetcar Named Desire

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate the dramatic elements of a Streetcar Named Desire. In this drama lesson, students explore the theme of the Tennessee Williams play as they read the play and watch performances of some of the acts. Students then write...
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Searching For Letters, Words, and Sentences

For Teachers K - 1st
This simple lesson is designed for K - 1 students. They are introduced to individual letters, words, and sentences. A game is played where they try to collect one example of each. For practice, students complete a worksheet which is...
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Dateline: 442 BC Antigone

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers create and videotape a newscast about the events that take place in the play, Antigone. They perform scenes describing the main events, the main characters and their conflicts.
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Working with Shakespeare, the Poet and Dramatist

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study the work of William Shakespeare. They survey the elements of comedy and tragedy and read plays and poems. They discuss the texts they read and recite poetry. They dramatize poems with movement and sounds and write poetry...
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Publication Project

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders publish a magazine during a ten week marking period. They make individual contributions to the group project that is based on career choices. They write and publish articles, poems, entertainment pieces, and a play that...
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History According to Shakespeare

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students read Shakespeare's, Julius Caesar while identifying a number of literary elements including simile, metaphor, personification, and hyperbole. As a response activity, they simulate a mock trial, and finally, compare and contrast...
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Treatments for Characters' Problems

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students research treatments for problems associated with specific characters.  For this online research lesson, students use kid-friendly search engines to find information that will help a character from Charlie and the Chocolate...
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Hero vs. Claudio: A Case of Slander

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students research marriage customs of the Renaissance, discuss and debate the issues raised by Claudio repudiating Hero at the altar in the Shakespearean play Much Ado About Nothing, and then stage a mock trial accusing Claudio of...