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Greek Story Vases
There are so many ways to tell a story! Develop visual storytelling skills while facilitating an understanding of Greek art and culture. Learners design Greek style images to tell a story through art. They add their designs to Styrofoam...
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Sarah, Plain and Tall - Intro to Literature Circle jobs
Students read a book with each student having a specific job for the class. In this literature instructional activity, students read Sarah, Plain and Tall over 10 days, dividing up responsibilities for each student to make sure everyone...
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Circular Story Map
In this story elements map worksheet, students use the blank graphic organizer to plan a story they will write. Students will write a story that takes place in the country they choose to study. Students think of the setting, characters,...
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Smiley Face Circle Stories
Students examine different artifacts from the 1970's. In this history lesson, students discover what each artifact is by seeing the artifact and reading a card defining what the artifact represents. On the second day, students create...
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Justice for All
A reading of Roald Dahl’s Lamb to the Slaughter opens a discussion of justice and fairness. Using a Venn diagram and an Idea Wheel graphic organizer, class members consider the similarities and differences in these two terms. They then...
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My Hero Learning Circle
Learners participate in a collaboration activity. In this My Hero Project lesson, students discover what a hero is to someone halfway around the world and themselves. Over the 16-week session, circles, made up of between 6-9 classes from...
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Civil Rights: Rosa Parks Centers
Research the Montgomery Bus Boycott and Rosa Parks. Set up different centers and have learners rotate through the activities aimed at researching Rosa Parks. They read The Bus Ride that Changed History: The Story of Rosa Parks, write a...
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Celebrating Halloween through Language and Literature
Use the theme of Halloween to spice up campfire stories, journal writing, and presentations in your classroom.
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Acting for the Common Goods
The first of a three-part series on bullying, this plan has class members present skits about bullying, write and sign an anti-bullying pledge, and complete a service project. For the skit, learners use information from previous lessons...
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Cruise the News
Young scholars utilize newspapers as a resource to complete various tasks. They read articles, write summaries, investigate the classified section, write commercials, and circle spelling words.
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Japanese Internment
Fourth graders practice their writing skills. In this reading comprehension instructional activity, 4th graders review baseball terminology and then read Baseball Saved Us. In this story students learn about Japanese Americans that...
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Battling Bullies
Young scholars identify aspects of a conflict situation through a story. They engage in problem solving or identification of an aspect of bullying. Applying their knowledge of bullying, they create scenarios that reflect their methods of...
Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment
Festivals of Light Hanukkah
Five sessions make up a lesson on the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah. After reading and teaching young historians the history of the Jewish holiday, learners explore the celebration through hands-on activities and collaborative learning.
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Chinese New Year
Gong hei fat choy! Celebrate Chinese New Year with a variety of activities that introduce learners to the Chinese myth of the race that determined which animals earned their place the zodiac.
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Surviving the Struggle: Ruby Bridges, Ryan White, and Anne Frank
Fourth graders develop a deeper understanding of Anne Frank's survival. They select significant subject matter for a family photo album, write photo captions expressing feelings as well as facts, and sequence material in a logical,...
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Self-Portrait Shields
Students listen to the story, The Shield of Athena, and examine the original context of the sculptural fragment of a fallen warrior. They list important events and people in their lives, then create shields that depict their personal...
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A View from Overhead
Students explore the concept of mapping. Using given illustrations, students observe views of a park from above the ground. They compare and contrast the different views. Students discuss uses for maps. Using a resource from the...
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Befriending Bullies
Students discuss how to create a bully free classroom. They share teasing and bullying stories and read books on bullying and teasing. Students buddy read with second grade students in order to create friends at the school. They discuss...
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Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears
Students appreciate African folktales, make "connections" between geography and literature, and research facts about Africa's animals and present findings through art and writing.
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Integrated Social Studies and Storytelling Lesson
Fourth graders study the Civil War. They examine online photos that are connected to Indiana's role in the Civil War. They choose one of these photos and in a story circle, tell a story about it. They tell who is in the picture, what...
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I Knew Him When
Students research the life of Abraham Lincoln and write a first-person account from the viewpoint of someone who knew him. They develop a timeline of Lincoln's life, research a particular period of his life, and write a first-person...
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Giving: Putting the Pieces Together
Fourth graders examine the gifts they might give to friends and family. They choose personal mementos to give and consider the limits of their gift-giving circle.
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Sea Turtle
Students listen to a story about a sea turtle sanctuary. They participate in a discussion about the sea turtles. They analyze some of the hazards that can hurt sea turtles and brainstorm ways to help the problem. They write and...
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Comparing and Contrasting Heroes
Students identify the characteristics that make someone a hero. They also examine the values of all heroes.