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Poetry Gifts
What kind of shoe is this person? What time of day is this person? Aspiring poets’ responses to a list of questions provide descriptive words and phrases that can be crafted into a blank verse poem. A link to sample poems is provided.
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Our Geometic World
Young scholars walk around the neighborhood and identify various polygons and lines in buildings, nature and other objects. They design a building using various geometric patterns, shapes and lines. Students complete a descriptive...
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Introduction to the Writing Process: Character Description Essays
Students analyze and evaluate an essay and write a character description. In this character description lesson, students read and analyze an essay in a teacher-led lecture. Students brainstorm then write a...
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How To Be Persuasive in an Entertainment Review
Students write persuasively through description and word choice while reviewing a topic of interest to them.
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Journal Writing
Students gain a better understanding of good journal writing. They examine how there are two types of journals - personal and public, yet each serves to describe the writers feelings and experiences about a given event.
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Be a Celebrity and Share Your Life with Us
Sixth graders discuss their likes, dislikes, hobbies, goals, and special events in their lives. They write a five paragraph autobiography focusing on style, transitions, and details. This is well-suited for either explanatory or...
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Descriptive and Imaginative Poetry
Students use descriptive and imaginative words and images in poetry. For this poetry lesson, students choose a picture to describe to the class. As the student gives the description, the classmates choose the words and images...
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Word Choice in Writing
Sixth graders explore language arts by writing dialogue. In this vocabulary choice lesson, 6th graders identify synonyms and the importance of using a thesaurus while writing dialogue in their own original work. Students revise and edit...
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Writing Like an Artist Paints Using "Chasing Vermeer"
Young scholars use artistic words when writing about an object moving quickly past a character who is standing still. In this writing and art lesson plan, students read the passage Chasing Vermeer and base their writing off of it.
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Where Are You Coming From?
Pupils examine and discuss author's purpose and the influence of an author's perspective in his or her writing. In groups, they read scenarios and respond to them from the perspective of a designated character. Materials are attached.
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INTERPRETING A WORK OF ART THROUGH CREATIVE WRITING
Pupils create a story based upon their interpretation of a work of art. The story displays students' knowledge of writing conventions, elements of a short story, literary conflict and use of descriptive text.
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Writing and Responding to a Prompt
Eighth graders explore the writing process. They respond to the prompt "if I had a million dollars I would..." Students brainstorm ideas they could write about and they use the writing check list as they write.
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Using Descriptive Words
Second graders focus on how descriptive words help them see, feel, and hear a story better. They listen to a read aloud of Angela Johnson's, "The Leaving Morning," while giving a thumbs up signal each time they hear a "sense or how"...
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Altering Text Size, Color, and Font
Students explore computer text. In this word processing and computer lesson, students practice changing color, font, and the size of their text with guided instruction from the teacher.
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A Garden of Verses: Poems About Class Gardens
Students explore botany by participating in a language arts activity. In this garden poetry lesson, students read the classic poem "Mary, Mary Quite Contrary" and discuss the imagery and rhyming methods used. Students examine their own...
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Gymnastics Lesson
Young scholars investigate the importance of having a healthy body by performing gymnastics. In this physical education lesson, students utilize their flexibility and body strength to perform intense physical gymnastic maneuvers...
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Description and Modifying: What's On Your Plate?
Students create a food product and an advertisement promoting it. In this description and advertising lesson, students read children's book for inspiration and discover advertising techniques. Students complete their ads and...
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The Personal Touch: a Lesson in Expository Writing
Shake hands with all of your class members, sending a different verbal message as you go along. Give them practice in expository writing by having them describe the handshake and how it makes them feel. This is an exploration of...
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Writing Similes
Fifth graders identify and write similes. They define simile and discuss different examples, and with the help of a thesaurus, write original similes that compare the colors of crayons to objects or feelings. Students copy their rough...
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Expository Writing (Informational Brochure)
Students identify the attributes of informative brochures. In this written communication lesson plan, students examine sample brochures and persuasive essays to investigate the layout and the information presented. Students then create...
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Creating Plays from Children's Stories
Students explain how individual elements (e.g., plot, theme, character, conflict, etc.) comprise the structure of a play. They write an original one-act play with developed characters, specific setting, conflict, and resolution.
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Ode to the Ordinary
Ninth graders identify an ordinary object and write an ode for the subject. In this poetry writing activity, 9th graders select an ordinary object and define its uses. Students then write an ode for the poem.
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Shakespeare: The Nature of Writing and the Writing of Nature
This lesson plan uses Shakespeare's writing as a model for elementary students, encouraging them use their imaginations to explore to the evocative powers of language. It gives them a manageable piece of text which they can master and...
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Guess the Author- Using Pseudonyms
Students write a descriptive paragraph about themselves. In this identification and pseudonyms lesson, students discuss why some authors use pseudonyms. Students write a description of their personality, activities and interests but not...