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Understanding Character
Readers practice character analysis by reviewing Gary Soto's short story "La Bamba" with the whole class (anything you've read together will work). They design t-shirts that feature traits and story elements to reveal the nature of a...
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A Newer, Better, Older Me
First graders engage in a lesson that is concerned with self-respect and interpersonal relationships. They create a character clover as an art project that lists positive character traits and specific attributes of strength. Then...
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Much Ado About Illumination
Students analyze the language and characters in the Shakespeare play, Much Ado About Nothing. In this Shakespeare play lesson, students read section of the play and discuss the speech of Benedick and Claudio. Students record the speech...
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What's the Problem? Exploring Conflict in "On the Sidewalk Bleeding"
Students use the story 'On the Sidewalk Bleeding' to analyze the various conflict types found in literature. In this conflict lesson, students view a PowerPoint about the story and identify the four types of conflict. Students identify...
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Map the Mystery!
Seventh graders read the novel, "The House of Dies Drear", and create a story map to analyze the plot and recall events.
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A Water Droplet's Experience in the Hydrologic Cycle
Students write a story from the perspective of a water droplet on a journey through the water cycle. They use the 6+1 Traits writing method to focus on voice in the writing as they create characters that their water droplet has...
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Novel Analysis
Students read the novel, Lord of the Flies, then write an essay analyzing the novel. They analyze, in small groups, characters, plot, setting, style, symbolism, theme, critical responses, and historical influences
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The Story Project: A Lesson Plan for the Combining Voices Literary Competition
Students analyze Simple Answer, by John Cleaveland, and use this image to inspire a short story. They use both verbal and visual language to help them create the characters and the plot. The lesson plan contains steps that helps the...
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Descriptive Writing
Second graders analyze descriptive writing. In this writing instructional activity, 2nd graders read a story with a villain, describe the villain in words, and create a Wanted Poster describing him on paper.
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"The Fall of the House of Usher" by Edgar Allan Poe
High schoolers read and analyze the short story "The Fall of the House of Usher" by Edgar Allan Poe. They take notes while reading the story, select an element to analyze, and write an essay about the characters, theme, or the setting.
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Window Mural
Middle schoolers analyze visual arts by creating a presentation in their schoolyard. In this mural lesson, students identify the work of Keith Haring by researching the web. Middle schoolers utilize construction paper, markers and...
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Tracking Down Meaning in Great Expectations
Fourth graders are assigned an unique theme, symbol, or character in Great Expectations. They becomes the class expert on that facet of the novel while learning the basic skills needed to write a research paper.
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Pigs: Facts And Fun
Students complete a unit on pigs. They take a field trip to the fair and zoo, watch the video of "Charlotte's Web," create a poster, read and analyze "The Three Little Pigs," write a storybook, participate in a reader's theater, and make...
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Contemporizing Myths
Students examine ancient Greek myths and illustrate origin myths scenes in a contemporary setting. In this Greek myth instructional activity, students analyze Rembrandt’s painting The Abduction of Europa and discuss how the...
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Grapes of Wrath as a Primary Source
Eighth graders consider the plight of migrant farmers during the Great Depression. In this historical perspectives lesson, 8th graders watch the film based on Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath and then discuss the conditions the characters...
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Taxonomy
Students analyze the complexity of organism classifications based on certain criteria. In this classifying organisms activity students study taxonomy and gather information and leaves to do their own experiment on...
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William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying
Pupils analyze William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying. In this literature analysis lesson, students compare a modern novel and play. Pupils analyze Faulkner's interior monologues. Students write a paper about the ways As I Lay Dying is or is...
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Freckle Juice
Students analyze a chapter from the assigned book they are reading. In this reading comprehension lesson, students read chapter four from Freckle Juice by Judy Blume, and discuss the main character, Andrew. Students complete...
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Write Your Own Folk or Fairy Tale
Students analyze folk and fairy tales. In this language arts lesson, students discuss the elements of a tale determining what the differences are between folk and fairy tales. Students then write their own tales using the graphic...
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Cause and Effect with the Treasure of Green Lake
Students, after reading the book, "Holes," answer questions about the story's plot, make decisions about game play that involve cause and effect relationships and utilize problem-solving skills and hand-eye coordination to navigate a...
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American Dragon: Jake Long
Students, after viewing the film "American Dragon," by Jake Long, explore and analyze the importance of legends and the unique cultures others grow up in. They stress the need for having a good self-esteem and assess how to work together...
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Fear and Loathing in Othello
Students research the ideas that people had of African people during Shakespearean times and examine Othello's descriptions of himself as written by Shakespeare.
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No Regrets: a Poetry Analysis
Students read a poem and use the TPCASTT strategy for analysis. In this poetry analysis lesson, students journal about their future goals and read John Updike's "Ex-Basketball Player." Students discuss the purpose of the poem and...
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Comparison and Contrast - Two Short Stories
Students investigate writing techniques by analyzing 2 stories written by Edgar Allen Poe. In this language arts lesson, students choose two Edgar Allen Poe short stories to read and take notes on the setting, theme, characters and...