Beacon Learning Center
Challenging the Human Spirit
High schoolers select a theme-related essay topic from Night, by Elie Wiesel, or The Metamorphosis, by Franz Kafka, and develop an essay that relates the theme to modern-day personal experiences. The essay follows a preset rubric...
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Nutrition an Food: Taking Control of What You Eat
Students examine what they eat and how they can improve their health by changing what they eat. They research nutrition and different foods. They also examine new vocabulary words.
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Picture This
Students, after explaining the famous quote, "A picture is worth a thousand words," supply the missing words to a wordless story by Mercer Mayer called "A Boy, A Dog, and A Frog." They brainstorm the setting, plot, descriptive words,...
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Sharing Compliments- King Day
Young scholars research Martin Luther King Jr. In this African-American history lesson, students read the book A Picture Book of Martin Luther King, Jr. and discuss how he was a philanthropist. Young scholars use kind words towards each...
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Spelling with /ou/ Sound
Fourth graders recognize spelling words with ou and ow sounds. In this spelling lesson, 4th graders begin with ground and town and build lists of words with similar spelling. Students complete a worksheet with antonyms and synonyms for...
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"Flip-it" - Where Do I Go From Here?
Twelfth graders interview themselves reflecting on various topics. For this self-reflection lesson, 12th graders video tape four different interviews throughout the year of themselves discussing various topics, with the last prompt...
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Poems "I Feel Happy"
Second graders discuss various things that make him/her happy. In this I feel happy instructional activity, 2nd graders express feelings in a poem. Students reflect on the poems they have written.
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Beyond Louisiana
Students examine the challenges that faced the United States as a new nation, especially those related to exploration, expansion, and international affairs. They study the chronology of events related to the expedition of Lewis and Clark.
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Celebrate Comprehension with Classical Characters
Students listen to books and answer questions using reading skills. In this reading lesson, students develop reading strategies such as decoding, understanding characters, and comprehension. Students relate characters and events in the...
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Portfolio Autobiographies
Third graders create an autobiography on the computer. They write, design and illustrate using word processing and graphic tools on the computer.
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Which Would You Choose?
Fourth graders investigate two types of water vessels that were used by Lewis and Clark during the exploration of the Louisiana Territory. They interpret data to determine which vessel was more efficient.
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When I Was Young in Brooklyn
Students identify various techniques used in memoirs. They reflect on similarities and differences betwee two authors. Students define the term memior. They write about various techiques they noticed the authors used. Students write...
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Cultural Logo Design
Students create a logo design to express their own identity. In this logo design lesson, students list ten words to describe who they are and choose two of them to use in a logo. Students draw images and choose various forms of...
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About Life: The Photographs of Dorothea Lange Image as Metaphor
Students define metaphor in both art and writing. In this metaphor lesson, students examine a photograph by Dorothea Lange and discuss the metaphor that is displayed in the picture. They write about an object that symbolizes a personal...
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Customer Service Day
In this Customer Service Day lesson plan, students complete activities such as reading a passage, matching phrases, fill in the blanks, choose the correct word, multiple choice, unscramble the words, sequencing, unscramble the...
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Picture This: Visualization
Sixth graders practice visualizing and understanding that visualization is an important comprehension strategy. They share their visualization of the story through original artwork and determine that ideas, and cultural settings can...
PBS
Looking for Lincoln Throughout His Life
Young historians gather information about Abraham Lincoln through a variety of activities. They match vocabulary words with pictures to create a timeline. Additionally, learners read books and articles that teach them...
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Identifying the Theme in a Story
Students recognize Theme through the use of simple, short stories. Using Pro Quest, students begin by researching the literary element, theme, and how it can be identified. They then identify the themes in Aesop's Fables and...
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Zen and the Work of Frank Lloyd Wright
Young scholars experience Zen philosophies reflected in artwork, poetry, and architecture. Students will explore these connections and expand the discussion to include a professional author of their choice.
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Defending Great Literature
Students defend Mark Twain and the study of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn using persuasive techniques, appropriate word choice, and correct letter format, in response to a fictional letter by an upset parent.
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The Story of My Life
Students complete autobiographical writing assignments throughout the school year that they save and rewrite to put into a published book during the last month of class. They include photographs, drawings and mementos of their lives in...
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I Am a Book
Third graders discuss books that have been banned and the things that they have in common. They explore the concept of freedom of speech and write poems based on their discussion.
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Famous Landmarks
Students investigate countries by identifying their national landmarks. In this World Geography lesson, students utilize the Internet to research a historic landmark in a foreign country and complete a landmark survey worksheet....
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Image Conscious
Students take a stand on the concept of changing their appearance. For this changing of ones image lesson, students create a design that would change their image and discuss the age they think they should be to...