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Hand Drawing
Explore contour and shape with your class as they complete a hand drawing. This resource outlines important points to focus on as you teach learners of any age how to successfully draw a human hand using a contour or single-line...
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Mini Me Society Economy Those Doggone Resumes
Third graders practice writing resumes. In this resume lesson, 3rd graders discover the attributes of resumes, complete an activity that exhibits their likes, and write their own resume as they follow the model provided in a PowerPoint...
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The World Around Me
Combining visual and language arts, here is a resource that prompts middle schoolers to write stories based on pictures of their surroundings. They use digital cameras to take pictures of favorite areas in the school. Next, they choose...
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Irony in Poetry and Prose (Fiction and Non-fiction Texts)
Middle and high schoolers examine the impact of irony in poetry and prose. In this figurative language lesson plan, they read instructor-selected literature and identify uses of irony. Then they discuss how irony enhances literature.
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Viewpoint and Persuasive Writing
Practice persuasive writing skills in this thorough lesson. After selecting issues and discovering viewpoints, middle schoolers write letters or brochures created to express the individual's perspective. The ideas are presented to the...
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Responses to Literature
Middle and high schoolers hone their writing skills by reading Rikki-Tikki-Tavi and the poem Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take the Garbage Out. They fill out a graphic organizer (included here), and use the organizer to write an...
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Write a Story
Here is a great way to explore narrative writing! Learners review a previously constructed story map and identify the characters, setting, and main events in the book Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock retold by Eric A. Kimmel. They...
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Identify Intended Media Messages
How does media convey different messages? Use this lesson to explore media by identifying and analyzing selected images. Middle schoolers analyze a poster and discuss the intended meaning of the imagery and how it makes them feel. They...
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Literature Circles
Have you always wanted to try Literature Circles in your ELD class, but couldn't find a good way to start? This instructional activity is made for you, your middle-school readers and ideally, your SMARTboard (though the instructional...
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Heroic Vocabulary: Using Decoding Strategies and Thesaurus
Develop the decoding skills of your middle and high schoolers. Scholars participate in a classroom activity that requires them to decode a word with a prefix and suffix. They apply the skill of breaking the word into parts of meaning as...
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Identify Text Features in Nonfiction
What does a non-fiction text look like? Examine the text features of non-fiction. Middle and high schoolers read non-fiction passages provided by their instructor and analyze the texts for word choice, details, and organization.
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Origami Paper Cranes
Students complete cross-curricular activities to study the culture and humanity in Japan. Students read the book Sadako and the 1000 Paper Cranes and complete social studies and art lessons related to the book as well as develop an...
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The Name Jar
Students participate in a instructional activity that focuses on the literature of Korea. "The Name Jar" is read by students to practice some essential reading skills. This would include the recognition of sequence in a story,...
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In Depth: Pearblossom Highway
Young scholars analyze a photograph and a photo-collage showing the same highway. In this visual arts lesson plan, students write a descriptive paragraph about both images and identify one-point perspective in art. Young...
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And Then What Happened?
Students analyze paintings by using verbs, adjectives, and nouns. In this visual arts instructional activity, students view a painting of a storm and a calm sky. Students use various verbs and adjectives to discuss the characteristics of...
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Post-Secondary Checklist
Twelfth graders answer the question what is next for them and identify how life is going to be different after high school. As a class, they share their life experiences in elementary and middle school and then predict how it might be...
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Art of Egypt Activities
Students understand the visual arts in relation to history and cultures and reflect upon and assess the characteristics and merits of their work, and work of others.
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Palette Knife Painting Inspired by the Works of Brian Rutenburg
Students explore the works of Brian Rutenburg. In this art lesson, students create a work of art using acrylic paint and palette knives inspired by the works of Rutenburg. Students write about their artwork.
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Dripping Paint [Action Painting]
Students create examples of American Abstract Expressionism after studying the art of Jackson Pollock in this Art instructional activity for all levels. It is suggested to work with small groups of students if this instructional...
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Q-tip Pointillism
Students discover artist Georges Seurat and his technique of Pointillism and create Pointillist examples using Q-Tips and watercolors in this exciting multi-level art lesson. This lesson can be adapted for various grade levels and...
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Vincent's Flowers
Students create sunflower paintings using pastels, pencils, and construction paper in this Art lesson for the early-elementary classroom. Emphasis is placed on the artwork of Vincent van Gogh and the book Camille and the Sunflowers by...
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Organizational Patterns: Comparison and Contrast Writing
Students write an essay comparing and contrasting their school experiences. Through guided practice, they create an outline of their elementary school experience and middle school experience. Using their outlines, students synthesize...
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Effective Parent/Student/Teacher Communication
Sixth graders engage in a lesson which address the concerns and issues around new 6th grade students arriving at middle school. They, parents and teachers use this strategy to effectuate good communication.
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"No News Like Ancient News"
Want to know more about Ancient history? Young historians will read a minimum of two web sites to complete the chart "Residents of Olympus". They choose one Greek god or goddess to research. This could be a small group activity or...