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Endangered Animals
Fourth graders research different endangered animals in media center as part of unit on Earth Day, animals, and environment, create project based around multiple intelligence related to an endangered animal, and produce Powerpoint...
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Comparing Fiction and Nonfiction
Fifth graders compare and contrast an informational article with a fictional story. They read the story "The Contest" as a class, and discuss the different types of literature genres. Next, they complete a vocabulary worksheet and a...
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The Civil War Comes to Kansas: The Battle of Mine Creek
Seventh graders explore the impact of Price's Raid and the Battle of Mine Creek. In this American Civil War lesson, 7th graders examine a list of events based on the war in Kansas and then put them in chronological order. Students also...
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Guided Reading Lessons
Guided reading lessons can help students learn important strategies and appeciate literature.
For the Teachers
Cause and Effect Matrix
Study cause and effect in both literature and informational text with a lesson designed for several different reading levels. After kids review the concept of cause and effect, they read an article or story and note the causes and...
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Unsent Letter: Characterization in Briar Rose
After completing Jane Yolen’s Briar Rose, class members assume the voice of Gemma and craft a personal letter to her granddaughter telling Becca how she feels about Becca’s actions and the discoveries at Chelmno. Complete directions for...
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Because of Winn-Dixie
Take an in-depth look at a passage from Kate DiCamillo's Because of Winn-Dixie. Included here is the reading passage as well as a step-by-step procedure for reading the text, a set of text-dependent questions, and a final writing...
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Lord of the Flies - Sentence Starters and Vocabulary
Pupils prepare for the reading of iam Golding's novel, The Lord of the Flies, by exploring the theme through a discussion and sentence starter activity.
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The Woman Who Outshone the Sun
Third graders read the story "The Woman Who Outshone the Sun" from the Scott Foresman reading series. They create puppets and a setting out of a shoebox and retell the story with props. They research the Oaxaca region and the Zapotecs.
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Mercer Mayer-Just Me and My ...books
Students read various Mercer Mayer books. They discuss the enhancement of family and relationships within the family. Students write a book with their peers about their relationship with a member of their family. They practice their...
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Lewis and Clark: Reliving the Journey
Second graders explore Meriweather Lewis and iam Clark. They explore their contributions to history, and what their significance is in a timeline of Vermillion, South Dakota history.
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Earthquake!
Students gain an understanding of earthquakes. They examine vocabulary associated with earthquakes, how earthquakes happen, and preventive measures taken to diminish damage or harm in the event that an earthquake should happen.
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Star -Spangled Illustrations
Third graders create a PowerPoint presentation to show their patriotism and express their thoughts on the meaning of The Star-Spangled Banner with this exciting and creative activity.
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Historical Background of Nightjohn Lesson Plan
Eighth graders use first-hand slave narratives that show conditions of slavery. They paste text into Appleworks and publish with a picture clipped from web sites. They create a group account of life during slavery to prepare for reading...
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Solar System: Let's Take a Trip
Third graders consider outer space. For this introductory solar system lesson, 3rd graders complete a KWL chart and listen to the story The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System, by Joanna Cole & Bruce Degen. They will...
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Cloze Instruction And Herringbone Technique
Students sort out important information and create a visual framework for reviewing in the future. They organize a large quantity of information thus helping with learning and remembering details, cause and effect, comparison and...
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Inference
Making inferences about what you read is an important skill for both elementary, middle, and high school learners. Focusing on events which occurred during World War II, they answer a series of questions related to what we can infer as...
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Erie Canal: Journey Back in Time
Fourth graders read the novel, The Eric Canal, identifying the characters and setting. They respond to daily reading by writing in journals and complete a short answer test upon completion of the novel.
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American Quilts
Third graders are introduced to new vocabulary associated with slavery and the Underground Railroad. In groups, they use the vocabulary to identify the various ranges of freedom and create their own vocabulary webs. To end the lesson,...
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Whoo Knew There Were Owls
Students research information on owls using the Internet and Kidspiration. They work in groups to create a poster which includes habitat, diet and life cycle and present to the class.
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Kindergarten Holocaust Unit
Students determine that we are the same. They discuss that we have differences and realize our differences make us special. They recall the ways in which human beings and Sesame Street characters are alike. They create a second...
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YANG AND THE YOUNGEST AND HIS TERRIBLE EAR
Young scholars perform a web scavenger hunt to find information about the author of the book, YANG THE YOUNGEST AND HIS TERRIBLE EAR. They develop an understanding of how writers use personal experience to add voice to their writing.
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The Unraveling of a Poem
Students study poetry and poets from different countries and time periods. They analyze various poems, present a dramatic reading of a poem and teach a poem they like to their class.