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Twain: Tom Sawyer—Mythic Adventurer
Students take a closer look at archetypes. In this characterization lesson, students examine the setting and the characters of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer as they read and analyze the novel. Students consider how Twain mythically...
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American Born Chinese
Students make thematic connections and organize their ideas using a Venn Diagram. In this Venn Diagram instructional activity, students compare 3 different stories from a novel and fill in a Venn Diagram. Students then discuss their...
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Graphic Accounts
Students identify the use of different types of bar graphs. They analyze graphs used in the New York Times to compare the estimated cost of the war in Iraq to other hypothetical expenditures and reflect on how graphs can help illustrate...
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Freedom and You
Students research the American Revolution. In this Revolutionary War activity, students research facts about the American Revolution, write an expository essay, and peer edit for good content. The paper is suggested to be written after...
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Family Money Matters: Exploring the World of Economics
Students become familiar with vocabulary related to spending money. In this economics lesson, students participate in activities to learn about spending money and budgets.
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Metaphors in Literature
Eighth graders analyze literature and the use of metaphors. In this metaphors activity, 8th graders view and discuss the examples of metaphors. Students complete the phrases by writing in a metaphor.
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Figurative Language Scavenger Hunt
Eighth graders analyze and interpret figurative language. They listen to some examples of poetry which use figurative language. Then, they divide into groups and attempt to find more examples. Finally, 8th graders write what the poet is...
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Comparing Democracy and Republic
Learners use a graphic organizer, a T-chart, to contrast two types of government. They list facts about the two governments, and explain and defend their choice of facts to include.
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What Big Teeth You Have:
Students make their own tooth impressions of a sharp and a flat tooth and compare the differences. They make impression of fossil teeth from dinosaurs comparing the sharp and flat teeth and learning about their uses.
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Cinderella Stories From Around the World
Fifth graders review the basic story of the Cinderella fairy tale. In groups, they read various stories of Cinderella from different cultures. They use a compare and contrast chart to examine the differences between the American...
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The Conditions of Today
Students demonstrate their ability to use the library to research into current working conditions for the American worker. They identify connections and compare findings about contemporary conditions and the in-class readings of The...
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The Sentencing Activity
Students simulate a trial where a crime has been committed and a judge decides on the sentencing. In this trial lesson plan, students discuss why boys and girls may view crimes differently.
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Macbeth
Students discuss the changes the characters go through in Shakespeare's play Macbeth. They discuss the themes of the play write an essay comparing current events to the themes of the play.
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Pre- and Post-Reading Plan
Students are introduced to pre- and post-reading strategies. Individually, they read excerpts of a story while making predictions about what they believe is going to happen next. After reading the selection, they answer comprehension...
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Introducing Models to Elementary School Students
Students explore the concept of models. In this model activity, students examine 3-dimensional models of various objects and body parts to better understand the natural world.
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Word Art with King's Words
Learners investigate equality and racism by creating a word art project. In this civil rights lesson, students discover the life of Martin Luther King Jr. and create a word art project using the Internet site Wordle Web. ...
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Out of the Dust: Figurative Language
Young scholars find examples of figurative language in "First Rain" in Out of the Dust. In this Out of the Dust lesson, students takes notes on various type of figurative language and identify examples of each type in the poem.
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Metaphors
In this metaphor activity, students read statements that contain metaphors, then choose the statement that explains the meaning of each. A reference website if given for additional resources.
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Making Graphs
Students explore statistics by conducting class demographic surveys. In this graph making instructional activity, students identify the family members of each classmate, pets they own, and favorite activities. Students organize their...
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God's Weaving in Taylor's "Huswifery"
Eleventh graders trace Taylor's use of conceit or extended metaphor in his poem "Huswifery" where he compares the process of cloth making to God's salvation of man, and write a poem in which they compare a personal transformation with an...
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Technology-commected Folklife Lesson Plan: Fables
Students discuss ways the stories were alike and different. The teacher demonstrate how to draw a Venn diagram using Microsoft Word. They label the two circles and enter the likenesses and differences on the diagram.
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Exposing Expository Text Structure in a Rainforest Setting
Young scholars create a thematic booklet containing examples of different types of expository text structures. They explore a variety of expository text structures.