Young readers compare two stories/cultures, identifying how they are alike and different. They share their own version of a well-known story and adapt it to another culture. They explain their adaptations.

Eighth graders discuss photojournalism and then compare present day to historical photographs. They discuss how photos capture daily life and historical events, compare historic photos to those seen today, then take and make a photo book...

Jazz improvisation can be difficult to listen to for some music enthusiasts, however there are patterns and characteristics that can be analyzed. They use this Venn diagram to aid them in comparing two improvisational pieces, where they...

Elementary schoolers engage in a literature study. They make comparisons of two different versions of a story using a graphic organizer. Using the text and pictures elementary schoolers investigate three elements from the story. Then,...

Story elements such as conflict, character analysis, resolution, and moral are discussed and charted as elementary children read folktales involving animals. An element of science is also introduced as learners discover what a keystone...

What are the differences in life style between the President and Vice President? Learners use this chart to help them analyze where they live, how much money they make, and which presidential team really worked together. 

Kids compare the reasons and benefits of teens entering the workforce, then and now. They compare the benefits of working teens in the 1840's to those of working teens in the year 2005. Note: The years can be changed to update this...

Discover the differences in dialect. Inquisitive minds read poems and discuss how words or phrases are different in standard English and other dialects. Using a dictionary, class members locate the definition of each word, find...

What's the difference between an accent and a dialect? Examine the difference between the two with your scholars. In groups, they compile a dialect dictionary. They interview adults to gather information about accents and ethnic words....

Students distinguish various books by David Shannon from other authors, compare three of Shannon's books for similarities, list various possible settings for stories, integrate Shannon's pattern of writing into their own, and formulate...

For this lesson, Events Reactions Feelings, students analyze different events and how they feel. Students compare their feelings or reactions to a particular event with those of their classmates. Students consider why people react, feel...

Compare the Derbyshire accent to Standard English. There are eight common differences between the two languages for learners to discover. A great instructional activity to start a discussion on the various forms and conventions of...

Future public health officials or agriculturists read an article and answer questions concerning the Japanese regulations for pesticide exposure. They compare the maximum residue limit for two, 4-D of Japan with other countries. This is...

Students explore trees around the world.  In this world geography and tree lesson, students compare familiar local trees and discuss similarities and differences.  Students give opinions about why the oak tree was chosen as our...

Bring writing to life with this lesson in which elementary and middle schoolers create a display of the imagery they identify in a series of Gary Paulsen books. They read the suggested materials, identify imagery and descriptive...

Students create new sentences using adverb clauses identified from a book.  In this narrative writing lesson, students write new sentences from some of the dependent clauses used in a book read to them by the teacher.  Students...

Learn about animal habitats, characteristics, and writing in a different perspective. The class composes a narrative from the perspective of a fresh water animal, they include a problem and the animal's reaction to the problem. The...

Examine the life of Amelia Earhart with kids. They will read facts and view a timeline about Earhart's life. They will work in groups to read the last radio transmissions and draw conclusions about what happened in her disappearance and...

Examine three perspectives of the slave trade - captain, sailor, and captive - through this collaborative analysis activity. Small groups study one perspective with a primary source to analyze. They discern what is a historical fact and...

Students explore intersecting lines. In this intersecting lines lesson, students investigate shapes consisting of parallel, perpendicular, and similar lines. Students investigate these lines in shapes around them.

Explore the islands of Hawaii. Investigate Hawaiian culture and compare their personal traditions to Hawaiian traditions. They locate Hawaii on a map and research the history of Hawaii.

Introduce your class to drama! You cast each pupil as a different character from a story you have read. They are given a general outline of the scene, act out the scene multiple times, then discuss the weak and strong aspects of each...

Simplify your study of Christianity with this "back to the basics" activity. Scholars examine a primary source excerpt from the Gospel according to Luke and consider Jesus' teachings. They assess which other belief system has similar...

Being able to identify what characteristics make a good role model is one way for students to better understand their own positive behaviors. The class brainstorms what characteristics make up a good role model, research a role model...