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We Are All Authors: Create a Book
Every child is an author with this engaging reading activity. First the class reviews the various parts of a book such as the title, author, dedication, and author-biography. Then each individual will choose a story of their...
Curated OER
We Are All Authors
Students analyze the components of a book to use it as a model for the creation of their own book. The title, author, illustrator, front cover, back cover, dedication page, and author are examined in this lesson.
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Library Skills: Biography
Biographies deserve special attention when training youngsters how to use the library because they are alphabetized by subject rather than by author. Guide children through the process of finding biographies over a two-visit series. On...
The New York Times
Researching the Researchers
Young scholars match scientists with their major discoveries, choose one figure to research further, and co-author articles profiling the scientist and his or her achievements.
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Let There Be Peace: Nobel Prize Winners
What is the Nobel Peace Prize? After they establish criteria for great leadership, secondary learners read a New York Times article about President Jimmy Carter's acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Individuals research the...
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Creating Children's Books
Students collaborate to create a children's book. In this visual arts activity, student study the components and procedures that go into making a children's book including the shape, size. layout, biographical information about the...
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Write Like David Shannon
Students research the author David Shannon. In this author study lesson, students discuss their favorite David Shannon book and write their own story using his style of writing. Students share their stories with their classmates.
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Dr. Seuss Author Study
Students listen to a story, then use the same format to write a class book.
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Author/Illustrator Heroes
Students recognize heroic authors and illustrators and create their own comic strips. In this language arts lesson, students examine characteristics of heroes and work in groups to create their own comic strips and hero books.
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Judging a Book by Its Cover
Students explore the relationship between the form of books and the content inside. In this book exploration instructional activity, students use a piece of their creative writing as inspiration; they author a written book and design a...
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Night
Students read Night by Elie Wiesel, examine importance of survivor testimonials like Wiesel's in preventing future Holocausts, research biographical information online about Wiesel, and create author brochure including vital statistics,...
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Painting Portraits with Words
Learners examine how an exhibition of an author's writings can become a portrait or biography of that author . They work in small groups, analyzing various poems by Yeats.
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Joltin' Joe Has Left and Gone Away
Learners assess admirable qualities in entertainers. They discuss Joe DiMaggio's obituary, focusing on his accomplishments and place in American society. They research and create their own descriptive biographies of athletes and...
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Behind the Cover
Students develop questions they would have liked to ask an author about their written works. They read an article about their forefathers and research a back story to a written work of their choice. They create posters to illustrate the...
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Back to the Classics
Learners closely examine chamber music as it has changed from the Middle Ages to today. They work in small groups to research the composers, instruments and typical presentation in 5 time periods. They write biographies and share their...
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Rock Around the Map
Students research the geographical histories of various musical genres and make maps that note important places in music history. They Write geographical biographies about one of their favorite musical artists.
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Russian History, in an Eggshell
Pupils create Faberge-inspired art objects, depicting events in modern Russian history since Peter Carl Faberge's death in 1920. Students research the life of Peter Faberge. They write a short biography explaining how he became an...
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Story Scrapbook
Students develop a comparison worksheet using one non fiction book and one fiction book they have read to be put into a class scrapbook. In their comparison students must have title, author, point of view, setting, characters, and other...
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The Tell-Tale Hearts of Writers
Knock, knock, knock...Creep out your class with a critical thinking lesson plan focused on word relationships in Edgar Allen Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart." They investigate the relationship between word choice, mood, and...
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Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?
Who would you love to see at your table? Groups research a decade, ranging from the 1840s to the 1960s, read a short story associated with that decade, and plan a dinner party, complete with table set-up and menu. After researching...
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Children's Literature Across the Curriculum Ideas-Lincoln: A Photobiography
Students read Lincoln: A Photobiography by Russell Freedman. They complete a variety of cross-curricular activities surrounding the life of Abraham Lincoln, including, but not limited to, the Civil War. Included are reading, art, math,...
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The Roots of American Culture
Students explore the notion of culture and the influence of Latino culture on the U.S. They work in small groups to identify ways that Latino and non-Latino U.S. cultures have engaged in cultural 'cross-fertilization.'
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Ladies Taking Over the Labs
Students explore the lives and accomplishments of the many women who have made tremendous strides in the various fields of science.
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Follow the Leaders
Students research current world political leaders, as well as the opinions of their supporters and critics, in order to create a "Present Political Leaders Hall of Fame" display for the classroom.