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Creating a Story Map Using Kidspiration
Fourth graders use computer software, Kidspiration, to create a graphic organizer detailing main characters, setting, problem, solution, and theme of their favorite short story. Students also discover how graphic organizers can help them...
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Our Dinopals with WordArt
Elementary schoolers use the writing process steps to write a descriptive paragraph about a fictional dinosaur. Using a tech tool lesson, they create a graphic title for the paragraph. A nice blending of technology with "old-fashioned"...
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Brainstorming and Creating a Graphic Organizer Using Kidspiration
Although focused on the winter ecology at Crater Lake, this instructional activity could be tweaked to use as a exploration of any region. After a visit to Crater Lake, learners discuss topics relating to winter in this area, such as the...
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Pretty Plants Point of View
Young poets use Kidspiration to draw a flower, personify the flower, and write a poem from the flower's point of view. Sharing these poems in small groups will reinforce learners' knowledge of personification.
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Autumn Writing
Students review and brainstorm the signs of autumn through a PowerPoint presentation/ lesson with embedded video clips. After brainstorming ideas as a group, Students use Kidspiration to develop a graphic organizer and follow the writing...
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Voice - 6 + 1 Traits of Writing
Fourth graders combine listening and writing skills in this lesson. After listening to Up North at the Cabin, Students are asked to write a piece from a specific viewpoint about a place that they like to visit.
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Expository Writing
Fourth graders create Inspirations webs with graphics, and write five paragraph essays.
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Publishing a Newspaper about Biomes
Young journalists create newspapers of individual biomes after researching their biomes. This lesson can be completed in three phases and concludes with each person publishing their individual newspaper pages.
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The Important Thing About Technology
Young scholars assess the advantages of modern technology tools by creating a page in a class book utilizing pattern writing as well as the writing process. They organize and develop a composition on a selected topic after going through...
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Setting Goals
Fourth graders view a PowerPoint presentation "Setting goals." They use Kidspiration to organize long and short term goals for academics. Students write essays about Goal Setting. Students work in groups and create a dialogue involving...
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Life Snapshots
Students create Inspiration webs using graphics or photographs that depict high and low points in their lives. This technology-based Language Arts lesson for the upper-elementary or middle-level classroom is excellent for improving...
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The Kidlink Day Project
Students create journal entries on-line as part of a "Kidlink Day" activity. Entries are compared and evaluated by their peers. The writing process is practiced in this lesson.
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Underground Railroad Research Report
Fourth graders complete a research paper on the Underground Railroad. They use internet and traditional resources to gather information from a list provided by the instructor. They use their information to write their paper. Students...
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Multimedia Book Reports
Students read a chapter book of 100-200 pages in length. They create a story map and multimedia book report. Pupils review the elements of a story map such as: characters, setting, problem, important events, solution, etc.) Students...
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Language Arts: Character Comparison
Fourth graders, using Kidspiration, compare and contrast the two main characters from Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. They use a teacher-created template to describe their characters. Students then create their own character analysis.
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The Story of Me
Students are given the preset graphic organizer using "Kidspiration". They create a graphic organizer about them and then use the graphic organizer to write their personal narrative.
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Alien Story:
Students choose 10 aliens (or any character) from the alien palette in Kidspiration. Have students write what the aliens are saying to each other in the text boxes. Use the listen tool to actually hear them talk to each other.
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Alien Story
Students practice correct punctuation when writing a conversation by using clip art "characters" and the Inspiration or Kidspiration educational computer software. This great language arts instructional activity is intended for an...
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Characteristics of Polygons
Fourth graders discuss characteristics of polygons and organize and visualize those characteristics using Kidspiration. Students import pictures that demonstrate the characteristics and save their projects to be reviewed and graded by...
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Christopher Columbus, The Explorer
Students brainstorm important facts about Christopher Columbus, input information into Kidspiration or Inspiration, watch United Streaming Video on Christopher Columbus and New World to gather information, research online to find...
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Night of the Notables
Students read several biographies of famous Americans and discuss the characteristics of a biography. Students collect biographical information on another person in the class and write a biography. Students research and create a...
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Let's Make A Dill
Students perform an "autopsy" on a dill pickle to determine its' cause of death. After finding "clues" inside the "body," students organize facts and use their imagination to write an epitaph. As an alternative, students may view a...
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When I Was Young in Brooklyn
Students identify various techniques used in memoirs. They reflect on similarities and differences betwee two authors. Students define the term memior. They write about various techiques they noticed the authors used. Students write...
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"Let's Make Some Money"
Students complete a project about economics, supply, and advertising. In this advertising lesson, students discuss how money is made, entrepreneurs, and advertising. They make their own business with toys to sell to Kindergartners.