SeaWorld
Polar Animals
Young scientists explore some of the scientific equipment that is used by explorers during expeditions to the North or South Pole. Then, they have a relay race! All of the equipment is lined up at a spot 25 yards away from the lines. The...
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"I am a pirate with a wooden leg": Stomping Iambic Pentameter
What is blank verse? Iambic pentameter? Meter? Use the attached document to review these ideas with your middle schoolers. This plan has learners get up and stomp to iambic pentameter, which is a fun change from just clapping the...
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Nascar Unit Activity 2
Eighth graders divide into groups of 4 or 5. They go to the track and have every student run/walk one lap around the school track. Call out their times as they cross the finish line. In the computer lab, have the students create a table...
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Class Books
Students brainstorm a list of personal information based on a variety of categories. After writing positive comments on their classmates, they spilt into two groups with one entering the information into a database and the other...
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Poetry Beyond Words: Creating Poetry with Linguistically Diverse Students
Models of and directions for how to write 20 different types of poems are featured in an NCTE resource. The introduction to each form highlights the embedded concepts. For example, tongue twisters encourage poets to use alliteration and...
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Popcorn Fractions
Upper graders explore fractions to determine a fractional part of a whole. They are given 30 pieces of popcorn and asked to divide it into halves, thirds, etc. Students practice representing the popcorn groups as a numerator and...
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Spell, Shoot, Score!
Games are great ways to motivate. The class is split into two teams; each team earns points by correctly spelling given words. To score bonus points, teams get to shoot baskets with a small ball. Tip: This game could be used to reinforce...
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It's All In How You Look At It
Students work collaboratively to create artistic renderings of digital photographs using a color value scale and grid techniques in this late-elementary school lesson based upon Ted Rose's book Discovering Drawing. The lesson includes a...
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Shadow Casting
Eighth graders use a meter stick that is placed on a horizontal surface and an object is moved along it so that the shadow length can be measured at different distances from the light source. They solve real-world problems involving...
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Add or Subtract Whole Numbers Up to 1000
Elementary schoolers solve practice problems on the board and are shown how to line up the numbers for addition. They solve various addition problems in small groups. Everyone continues the same process for solving subtraction problems.
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Degrees Of Meaning
Introduce the idea of a word and its synonyms having different degrees of meaning. Each individual chooses a word that he or she wants to work with and fills out the included worksheet using a thesaurus. Consider having a word bank of...
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Mars Fraction Hunt
Learners use fractions and words to find a coded message and the first student to solve the message wins a candy bar.
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Vive Le Quebec Libre!
High schoolers use video, the Internet and CD-ROM's to investigate the cultural and linguistic traditions of Quebec, Canada. They identify the reasons behind the secession from Canada movement.
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Forces and Motion
Fourth graders study straight line motion and the forces that affect motion, including the terms force, gravity, and speed. They determine that gravity, weight, and other forces have an effect on speed and motion.
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You Know the Answer: Math Riddle
Although the riddle is an outdated political reference, this math challenge is a good practice in operations and domain-specific vocabulary. Learners complete 18 problems, using multiplication, division, subtraction, and addition. Some...
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Word Review Card Activity
Pupils play a card game where they match the meaning of the word to the word or its prefix/suffix. They listen for the teacher to call out the definition and, with two players facing off, the first one to slap the correct card wins! Kids...
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Probability: The Study of Chance
Students conduct an experiment, determine if a game is fair, and collect data. They interpret data, then display line graph. They conduct analysis of game for probability.
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Colons, Dashes, Hyphens, and Parentheses
When should you use a colon, dash, or hyphen? Middle schoolers insert different types of punctuation marks into given sentences. Rules for usage are included in each example.
BBC
Words In The News: Japan Textbook Back In Spotlight
High-interest articles are a great way to get struggling readers to tackle difficult vocabulary. Here is a lesson that includes such an article. It is focused around a very interesting and controversial article about the teaching of...
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Wetland Pictionary
Learners create a game for reviewing vocabulary. They make cards with definitions of the words. Then the cards are used to play the game of Pictionary or a modified game. The teacher could have the students generate their own game in...
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Beans Activity
Students participate in an activity in which they analyze the amount of resources. They discuss and answer the questions given to them by their teacher. They work together to research different groups that have been successful in using...
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Lesson 2: Measurement Tools
Elementary schoolers examine the uses of rulers, scales, and measuring cups. They determine the criteria for the use of each tool and visit different areas of school to find items that can be measured with these tools. Everyone takes...
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Perimeter All Around
Students explore perimeter and area of regular and irregular polygons. They experiment with color squares and create different arrangements using the same number squares. Then they compare the area and perimeter measurements of each.
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This Was the Noblest Roman of Them All
High schoolers analyze the problems with staging and character using the play Julius Caesar. They summarize the final scene of the play and view film versions of the scene. Additionally, they prepare a promptbook for the final scene and...