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Borrowing Narrative Skills from Mr. Fletcher: Using a "Prompts in Reverse" Technique to Inspire Your Writers
Help your class find their writing voices with this lesson which uses the work of Ralph Fletcher to guide a "Prompt in Reverse" activity. Using the chapter "First Pen" from Fletcher's Marshfield Dreams, learners decipher what they...
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What A Pair! A Cross Grade Writing Activity
What a pair! Older pupils interview younger ones and use what they learn to write a short, illustrated storybook that features the youngster as the main character. The youngster responds with a thank-you note in which they identify their...
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Make Up Your Story
Putting together an interesting story can be hard, but this set of worksheets will guide your writers into the depths of their own creativity as they characterize both their main character and villain. Using humor to keep learners...
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Searching For The American Dream
Ninth graders explore the meaning of the American dream and how it has been explained in various forms. After reading various immigrant accounts, 9th graders use poetry and writing to explain how different cultures view the American...
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Dreams
Students watch a Reading Rainbow video about the book "Uncle Jed's Barbershop". They discuss the movie and book and then write a poem about a dream of their own.
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Living the Dream?
Learners consider the stories of two immigrants and translate their past, present and future into original pieces of writing or artwork.
All for KIDZ
The Orphan of Ellis Island
Everyone comes from somewhere. An interdisciplinary lesson on Elvira Woodruff's The Orphan of Ellis Island includes discussion starter and writing prompts for the novel, as well as a graphic organizer to help learners begin their own...
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Native American Legends, Folk Stories and Tales
Students write an Indian tale explaining a natural event, an animal characteristic,
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All Kinds of Books
Students engage in a variety of book making activities to foster creativity, literacy, and fine-motor skills. In this book-making lesson, students author a book about the days of the week, illustrating the activities that they...
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Columbus Day (Native American Perspective)
Teach your class the perspective Native Americans had on Christopher Columbus. They will examine the effects of Christopher Columbus' exploration on the Native Americans using a reading theater and a carousel brainstorming activity. They...
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Book Report Haiku
Pupils study another method for writing a book report using a Haiku poem. In this book report lesson, students use the Haiku poem format to write a book report.
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Take a Leap!
Eighth graders discuss the flight of the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk. They study artwork of various sculptors showing the concept of flight. They write a paragraph and design a papier-mache' sculpture that shows movement.
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Wilma Unlimited: Ambition and Goal Setting
Students listen as the teacher reads a book about an Olympic Gold Medal runner who made her big dream come true despite her hardships with polio. For this Wilma Rudolph lesson, students think about and discuss what big dreams are and...
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Mirrors and How They Reflect
Students experiment with mirrors. In this Mirrors and How They reflect instructional activity, students read how mirrors reflect light. Then students perform over ten experiments and record their conclusions about mirrors and reflection....
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Geometry and Quilting
Fourth graders combine geometry and language arts skills while examining quilt-making. After identifying the geometric shapes contained in quilts, they write stories to encompass the quilt border. Students conclude by creating and...
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What Are Our Talents?
Students describe how a talent can be used to help others. They read a story about a Native American boy who shares his talent with others. They illustrate their special talent and shares them with the group.
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Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Fourth graders research and write an author report on Roald Dahl, including books written by him, birthplace, family life, and other information on his writing. Students read aloud chapters in the book. Students create a newspaper...
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Why Should We Clean The Beach?
Learners volunteer for the International Coastal Cleanup. They describe the purpose of the Lake Michigan Foundation and a history of the dunes. They reflect on their experiences with writing.
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The Revolving Door: U.S. Immigration
Young scholars compare current cultural perceptions of the immigrant experience with ones of the past. They will relate current immigration stories as seen in the PBS documentary "The New Americans" to those of the historical past.
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What's In A Name: Art That Honors Achievement
Students examine a quilt by artist Faith Ringgold. They discuss what story is told by the quilt. They create their own collage quilt showing a person for whom a building in Bronx is named.
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Storytelling: The Lantern Night Excursion Of Zhong Kui
Third graders create Chinese hand scrolls to tell the story: The Lantern Night Excursion Of Zhong Kui in this cross-curricular instructional activity for the third grade. The instructional activity is adaptable to many different...
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The Perfect City
Students analyze group influences on people, events and culture. They design their own perfect society and report it to the class.
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Visualizing Jazz Scenes From the Harlem Renaissance
Learners identify themes of selected nonfiction, fiction, poetry and art to Harlem Renaissance jazz and describe the impact of jazz on African-American literature of the Harlem Renaissance
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Make a Journal
Students decide what kind of journal they want to keep. They make the cover for their journal using construction paper and markers or paint and other types of art equipment like sequins.