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A School Yard Journal
Fourth graders create journals with explicit descriptions of objects found on the school yard. For this descriptive writing lesson, 4th graders read some of Lewis and Clark's journal entries before they explore the school yard, then...
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Daily Writing from Self Selected Reading
Second graders practice their reading comprehension by analyzing stories they read in class. In this children's literature lesson, 2nd graders are assigned to read a book for 20 minutes each day in class and also reflect on it in their...
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Reading Primary Source Documents: Historical Content
Why do we read primary source documents? What can they give us that other writings cannot? Provide your learners with any of the primary sources attached here (there are seven), and have them complete the graphic organizer (which opens...
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A Pill with a View
Students brainstorm a list of potential uses for micro-video technologies. After reading an article, they analyze the development of a new pill-sized camera. In groups, they create a children's book that shows them the various systems of...
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Selfless Service and The Giving Tree - Building Ethical Conscience
Upper elementary schoolers investigate philanthropy and selflessness by reading a children's book. In this ethics lesson plan, they read The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, and research Mahatma Gandhi's troublesome, yet inspiring, life....
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Journal Writing Ideas
Students choose a topic from a list to write a journal entry about. In this journal writing lesson plan, students use one of the ideas included in the comprehensive list of ideas when they cannot think of a topic to write about. They...
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Journal Writing Idea - Pets
Carve out some time for your youngsters to write in their journal. Today, they write a story about pets. They learn the value of a journal and how to keep up with it, and they enhance story development by planning their story before...
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Garden Journals
Students create "Garden Journals" using construction paper, poster board, and general art supplies in this Art, Science, Reading, and Writing lesson for the early-elementary classroom. This activity may be done at the beginning of the...
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Where in the World is Flat Stanley?
Second graders analyze the proper form of a friendly letter and send flat Stanley letters all over the United States. In this letter writing activity, 2nd graders read the book Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown and create their own Flat...
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Reading Comprehension Strategy Ideas
Students participate in pre-reading activities, journal keeping, vocabulary lists and other reading comprehension boosters. These activities can be applied to many genres.
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Orville and Wilbur Wong and the Fantastic Flying Machines
Upper elementary and middle schoolers examine the role of Chinese immigrants in America. They investigate literature, history and cultures of Chinese-Americans. This ambitious plan takes two weeks to complete, and it brings in elements...
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Literature Logs
Students read independently each day of the week and record difficult words and phrases. They fill out a literature log, retell the story and participate in word work based on the language of the book. They free write in journals each week.
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teaching Geography Using Literature in K-University Classrooms
Students read one of the following books: Minn of the Mississippi, Paddle-to-the-Sea, or Seabird, all by Holling C. Holling, and identify the five themes of geography as well as make a literature journal with chapter field notes. They...
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Haunting of Third Grade
Third graders discuss the meaning of the word "haunted." They watch as the teacher demonstrates using a sticky note to mark words that they find interesting in their reading. Students read chorally, then break into groups for a...
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"Swamp Monsters" by Mary Blount Christian
Using the book Swamp Monsters by Mary Blount Christian, young readers discuss key vocabulary terms and make predictions about swamp monsters. They complete a Cloze activity, explore past-tense verbs, and categorize vocabulary words.
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Creating a Plant Cell Journal
Fifth graders gather information about plant cells. As they read in their science book about plant cells, they take notes on the important facts. Then, they look at their notes and organize them into an outline before they write their...
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A Nation Divided
Fifth graders participate in various activities related to the Civil War. In this Civil War lesson students understand the events and feelings of people during the Civil War by studying primary sources, journal writing, readings, viewing...
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Lake Tahoe Then and Now
Learners investigate the differences in Lake Tahoe from the past to the present. For this geography lesson, students read the book Washoe Seasons of Life and identify the descriptions of the land and lake. Learners create a Venn diagram...
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Michelle Kwan: Heart of a Champion
Who is a champion to your class? Elementary and middle schoolers think of a role-model from their lives. Then, in their journals, they write evidence of that person's perseverance. They identify the character trait of perseverance with...
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From A Different Perspective
Emerging writers create a response to their reading. They read Notes from the Trail and discuss whose perspective the journal entry is written from. Then, they write a response to the journal entry in first person perspective as if they...
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To Whom It May Concern! Writing for a Variety of Audiences
Elementary learners write friendly letters with the same subject to two contrasting readers or audiences. They choose words and phrases that will be the most effective for the audience they are trying to reach. They read both letters and...
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Think & Learn As You Go!!!
Students examine a KWL chart as a tool to generate questions about reading texts. They fill in a KWL chart for the beginning, middle, and end of a book before reading portions of the book. Next, they finish the book, complete the KWL,...
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Fantastic Flying Journey
Third graders listen to a teacher reading of the "Fantastic Flying Journey." students research each country/continent using the Internet and creating a travel journal.
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Revolutionary War
Students identify and research significant people, causes, and primary documents of the U.S. Revolutionary War. They create a class Revolutionary War web using Inspiration computer software, write a journal depicting three days in the...