Caricature drawing is fun, and can help learners explore the principle of design and content specific vocabulary. They view a video and books that use character drawings, discuss vocabulary such as exaggeration, proportion, and symmetry,...

As a class, read different sentences prepared by the teacher, identifying the punctuation that is needed for the appropriate expression. In small groups, have each child assume the role of one or more character in The Grouchy Ladybug by...

Although we currently focus on Abraham Lincoln's positive contributions in creating a more equal society, the truth is that Lincoln was actually a controversial character in his time! After studying the Civil War, give your high...

Use Sabine R. Ulibarri's stories to conduct three different activities focused on learner interaction. In the first two, classmates will assume a character and conduct a role-play building conflict resolution skills. In the final...

Students complete a 3-5 week unit related to the novel "Name Me Nobody." They participate in a literature circle, read and discuss stories provided by the Safe Schools Coalition, complete a Character/Problem-Solution chart, create a...

Students read picture books in which mathematics and solutions to math problems play a role in the action. After discussing the books and how the author used math problems to tell a story, they create their own magical, math-ical story...

Not everyone has the exact same health needs- but what are the influencial factors? This activity breaks down nutritional requirements (RDA) through 4 different scenarios depicting different adolescents. Students answer questions about...

Give your middle school writers the opportunity to form an opinion and provide strong supporting details. Writers will respond to the statement "It is better to give than to receive." This is a particularly good assignment to use if your...

Examine discrimination. In this character education lesson, learners read two biographies, Vivien Naki and Hamilton Naki then analyze their personal discrimination experiences. They complete a Venn diagram to compare and...

Students explore philanthropy in literature. In this literature lesson, students read text from three different genres that all have a moral. Students compare and contrast these pieces of literature, focusing on the character traits that...

Primary geometers create a picture using tangrams. In this geometry lesson plan, young scholars read Grandfather Tang: A Tale Told with Tangrams, cut out their own tangrams, and choose a character from the story to make using their...

Students investigate conflict resolution strategies. In this character education instructional activity, students list things that make them feel sad and are introduced to the conflict resolution strategy "think and share." Students...

How authors address issues of their societies is addressed in this very detailed lesson. After researching Toni Morrison and her work, groups create a dramatization based on a scene from one of Morrison’s novels and act it out. Class...

Examine story development and historical disaster with your class. Learners view a video depicting the incidents surrounding The Triangle Shirtwaist Disaster. They use graphic organizers and the Internet to gather enough information to...

Students view a Cyberchase video and participate in a calculation of points exercise. In this summing of positive and negative integers, students calculate the principal character points to see if he can qualify for a contest.

Soldier's lives are often a topic when studying the Civil War, but what about the lives of civilians? Scholars use the characters from the novel Bull Run to better understand the lives of those not directly on the Civil War battlefields....

Develop a better understanding of "Blackbeard's Ghost" with this differentiated lesson plan. Working in groups on a creative project, middle schoolers can reinforce their reading comprehension and literary analysis skills. Use this...

Before writing their own fables, class members select an animal or insect to use in their story and research its character, habits, movements, etc. After reading a wide variety of fables and identifying the elements of a fable, writers...

Investigate the life of Mahatma Gandhi by researching non-violent lifestyles. Learners define the word ahimsa and discuss the personal characteristics that made Gandhi a peaceful warrior. They also create a poster about the story "The...

Practice sequencing with your 2nd graders via Patricia Polacco's Civil War book Pink and Say. Begin with a blindfold and a bag of mystery items. Connect their use of clues to identify what they can't see with the skill of making...

Little learners recognize symbols, objects and how to depict numbers. In this matching lesson plan, they can match the number names with a set of items, model ordinal numbers, and complete a cute, cartoon-character worksheet.

Explore language arts by completing a story worksheet in class. Readers will identify the importance of plot, setting, and character while they write their own short story. They also retell their story to a classmate and participate in a...

Work on characterization with a narrative writing lesson, in which middle schoolers interpret a character's perspective. They discuss family traditions and examine how culture can influence a character's perspective. Next, they read...

Mirroring Jerry Spinelli's style in Wringer, chapter 5, pupils use the "counting up/down technique" to recall an important moment in their lives. In the book, the character is being punched, and between blows he remembers details...