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Character Traits

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Using a three-column chart labeled "Character," "Action," and "Trait," pupils analyze the traits of several characters from a short story. The activity is designed for a SMART board, but a teacher could easily do the activity without the...
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Assessing Reading Fluency Using the Flip Video

For Teachers 1st - 12th Standards
Utilizing a video camera, learners will read a story while being recorded. Later, they analyze the footage. After identifying their strengths and weaknesses with the teacher, they discuss reading fluency techniques. Adaptation: Instead...
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Three-Meal Weather: Food inspired adjectives from "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs"

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students complete a list of food adjectives based on the book Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs. In this adjectives lesson plan, students also compose a 3 part piece of writing based on an entire day of raining food. 
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Living Together as One

For Teachers 7th - 12th
The ultra-glamorous Muppet, Miss Piggy, launches a study of discrimination and ways to develop a more inclusive community.  A series of videos and activities raise awareness of discrimination and journal prompts asks participants to...
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Gary Paulsen's Canyons: Vocabulary Activity

For Teachers 7th - 8th
The final chapters of Canyons (chapters 17-24) present readers with more challenging vocabulary. Two activities provide readers with an opportunity to figure out what they know, and then to use what they know to complete a word search...
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Lucha Music

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers listen to four styles of Mexican music, and create percussion instruments which they use to play each style. Additionally, learners create Lucha Libre masks which are also a part of the colorful culture of Mexico. These...
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Que Llueva! It's Raining, It's Pouring!

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students learn to sing a song in another language.  In this music instructional activity, students learn a song about rain in English and Spanish.  Students listen to the song Que Llueva in Spanish and It's Raining, It's...
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Following in Their Footsteps

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Pupils discuss earlier lessons on tikkun olam. They plan their own tikkun olam project and set deadlines for its completion. They reflect on the project after it is finished.
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Common Good in Aztec Culture What Is Sacrifice?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine contemporary examples of sacrifice while listing the reasons and benefits of these acts. They discuss the idea of when a sacrifice is a violation of human rights. They write a personal goal to make a small sacrifice.
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Match the Environment Group with the Correct Sector

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students identify different types of environmental organizations. They connect each organization to one of three economic sectors. They examine how each organization is different in their goals and purposes.
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Growing Up

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine the definitions of philantrophy and common good. They identify non-profit organizations in their community and research organizations that existed in colonial times with the same goal in mind. They create a timeline for...
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Running Out of Time: Picture Book Activity

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Ease your class into reading Running Out of Time by first reading The Boy Who Stopped Time, a picture book with some similar concepts and themes. After a reading of the story, learners participate in a discussion and journaling exercise.
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Flight Formation: The V's Have It!

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Read, revisit, and reflect. Older elementary students summarize main idea 6using key details. They consider the V formation that birds fly in, summarize an informational text, and write critical thinking questions.
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Bio-Poems and U.S. History

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students explore U.S. History by writing poems. In this United States leader biography lesson, students identify elements needed to create a good poem, and write a Bio-Poem about themselves. Students utilize the same form to write a...
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Comparing Apples and Oranges

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students understand that many organizations in the community have needs. For this philanthropy lesson, students research pros and cons of a philanthropic organization. Students create a multimedia presentation to show why their...
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Dolch Homophones

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
In this effective language arts lesson, students study homophones and practice using the correct words as they fill in the blanks to sentences. Sentence ideas are provided in the lesson, as is a very nice 35-page booklet of language...
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Dalai Lama: Day 2 of 5

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders explore philosophy by researching the Dalai Lama. In this Tibetan history lesson, 6th graders discuss the influence of Buddhism on the Dalai Lama and the unique view on life a Buddhist must have. Students read a Tibetan...
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If I Could Fly

For Teachers K
Students listen to an oral reading of the book Tar Beach, start and exit the Kid Pix program, use the mouse and the keyboard as input devices, and use the software to create a painting to express their ideas generated by the reading of...
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Challenge to Communicate

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Students use Lewis and Clark's journals to identify the forms of non-verbal communication they used. They discover the problems they faced on their journey and how they overcame them. They practice using the non-verbal language of the...
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Through the Looking Glass: Eudora Welty's Photography and The Ponder Heart

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study the context of The Ponder Heart through Welty's photographs. They analyze how illustrations and photographs interact with written text and create their own images to illustrate a well-known Welty short story....
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Our Unique Legacy of Giving

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students view The Gift of All, a Community of Givers. In this philanthropic lesson, students discuss the gifts of philanthropists they've seen. Students research and write a two page paper with four bullet points. Students include a...
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Exploring Philanthropic Motivations

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students understand the reasons people give to those less fortune. In this philanthropic lesson, students read Passing the Dream by Penny Caldwell. Students respond to the poem by making a list of things they would like to change...
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Westward Movement

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore the concept of philanthropy in historical context. In this Westward Movement lesson, students read Our Journey West and explain examples of settlers working together for the common good.
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Building the Foundation

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students understand the purpose of the judicial branch of government. In this judiciary lesson, students participate in exercises to understand how the court system works. Students complete activity sheets to develop understanding of...