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Japanese Internment--How Point of View Influences Attitude
How does background and experience influence one's point of view? Dwight Okita's famous poem about the Japanese internment is the text used to explore this essential question. Class members study primary documents to gain the necessary...
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Dear Diary
Work on narrative writing with this lesson, in which middle schoolers analyze the characters from a selected piece of literature and write narrative diary pieces as the character. They work to understand the point of view of the...
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Saturday Market by Patricia Grossman
Readers make personal connections to Saturday Market by Patricia Grossman and answer comprehension questions while reading the book. Comparing and contrasting the different characters in a Venn diagram leads to a kinesthetic activity...
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Nibble, Nibble, Little Mouse
Learners complete activities to analyze points of view in different texts. In this point of view lesson, students read Hansel and Gretel and The Magic Circle and discuss the points of view. Learners choose a character from the story and...
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"Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow"
Do you want to live forever? After reading Kurt Vonnegut’s short story, “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow,” class groups adopt the roles of an ethics committee, product manufacturers, concerned scientists, and potential users of an...
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A Different Drummer
Eighth graders investigate philosophy and meditation techniques by discussing Emerson and Thoreau. In this philosophical traditions activity, 8th graders identify the men Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, their work, and...
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Prospero: Turkey or Tyrant?
Students study characterization and the difference between subjective and objective points of view by creating tableaux to depict three interpretations of the story of Prospero's overthrow, each with a very different point of view. They...
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Great Expectations: Group Writing
Examine the differences between totalitarianism and democracy in this writing lesson. Using the same format and theme from Great Expectations, young writers work in pairs to compose their own short stories. They follow guidelines for the...
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Charlotte's Web Trading Card
Learners read Charlotte's Web, view variety of trading cards, discuss what they know about trading cards and their purpose, choose character from story, complete bubble map about character, and create character trading card using...
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The Social Skill of Communication
Fifth graders explore communication by analyzing manners. In this social skills lesson plan, 5th graders review the different forms of communication and how to present yourself in a phone conversation, face to face meeting, e-mail, etc....
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Layers of the Earth
Students identify the layers of the Earth and complete activities for the topic. For this Earth layers lesson, students chart their ideas about the Earth's layers and view a PowerPoint for the topic. Students view an apple to learn about...
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Write a Myth
Students explore myths in ancient times. In this mythology lesson, students read or view a video production of a myth to determine specific characteristics of myths. Students work in groups to write a myth that explains an occurrence...
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Introduction to World Religions: Islam
Sixth graders explore religion by viewing a presentation in class. In this global culture lesson, 6th graders define the Islam religion and the stories that accompany it. Students read the story "Muhammad" by Demi and view an Internet...
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Guy Fawkes
Sixth graders access their prior knowledge of the job of Parliament and its relationship to the monarchy. In this Gunpowder Plot lesson, 6th graders research the Gunpowder Plot, summarize key story ideas, and role play the plot. They...
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A Poem for Two Voices for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Poems For Two Voices are a great resource in any language arts classroom, whether you are studying poetry or not. Focusing on The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, this lesson prompts young authors to write a Poem For Two Voices...
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Examining Persuasive Literature
Examine persuasive literature and writing. In this persuasive literature lesson plan, pupils work through a variety of activities over the course of three weeks (each week is planned by day). The unit's purpose is to examine examples of...
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Multicultural Sun, Moon, and Star Activities
Students research the multicultural stories and artistic representations of the Sun, Moon, and stars. In this multicultural space lesson plan, students discuss the symbols and stories for the sun in various cultures. Students construct a...
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Library Treasure Hunt
Students conduct a scavenger hunt activity in their library. In this library research lesson, students use treasure hunt worksheets to locate various items on the library computers and in the library shelves.
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Cinderella Stories
Students watch the original 1957 television production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's CINDERELLA starring Julie Andrews. They write their "own" version of the beloved fairy tale. However, theirs have a twist.
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Land Use and Lawmaking in California
Students investigate the laws of using land. In this California Government lesson, students examine the many uses of land in California and find an environmental issue they care about. Students write a letter to a politician based on...
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Understanding Tiananmen Square
William Bell's Forbidden City is used as the basis of a study of China, Chinese culture and government, and especially of the events in Tiananmen Square in 1989. Class members select a topic for Internet research and then prepare a...
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Exploring Prejudice and Text-to-Text Relationships
Tenth graders use the novel To Kill a Mockingbird to analyze relationships in society. In this literature analysis lesson, 10th graders participate in a shoe activity where they bring in one shoe belonging to someone they know and a...
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Convincing Characters
Young scholars create vivid, active characters for a story. In this character lesson, students discuss the characters in books they are familiar with. Young scholars create a list of novels they have read and discuss the character types....
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Can You Hear Macbeth Now?
Students explore how sound affects scene understanding using the Shakespeare play Macbeth. In this audio and play analysis lesson, students respond to Macbeth events as if they were at a sporting event. Students listen to parts of the...