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Picturing a Story
Young scholars view slides from the movie "Hoot" and discuss characters, setting and the caption. They identify where in the rise and fall of the plot this scene takes place. They brainstorm elements needed to create a story from a...
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Holes
Students read and analyze the story elements of the novel "Holes" by Louis Sachar. They play a "Holes" matching game, complete a timeline of story events, complete a Cause-and-Effect graphic organizer, conduct research on Louis Sachar's...
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Making Magic
Students assess the elements of J.K. Rowling's 'Harry Potter' series that have made it such a success. They incorporate these elements into a short film, incorporating such concepts as pop culture mythology, urban legend and archetypes.
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Pride and Prejudice
Help your class recognize classic literature with universal themes. They will demonstrate their familiarity with Pride and Prejudice by updating a selected scene from it to the 21st century. Tip: Bring in a modern movie clip that shows...
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Oliver Twist Goes to Hollywood
How does Oliver Twist, the novel written by Charles Dickens, compare with its screenplay adaptation? Although the activity doesn't require learners to have read the novel, the similarities and differences of the highlighted passages...
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Macbeth Presentations
Young scholars make Powerpoint presentations or Web pages about Macbeth. Their presentations must include at least three elements from a provided list. They write reflective papers about their learning experience.
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Louisiana's Tragic Hero - "Evangeline"
"Ye who believe...List to a Tale of Love in Acadie." Longfellow's epic poem, "Evangeline," launches a study of tragic heroines, epic poetry, the expulsion of the Acadians from Canada, and their subsequent migration to Louisiana. The...
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Camera Movement
Students focus on different ways director and cinematographers use the camera to convey meaning, setting, tone, point of view, personal style, as well as telling a story.
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Irony
What are the three types of irony? High schoolers engage in a lesson about the use of irony while reading O.Henry's short story "Gift of the Magi." They'll discuss rising action, climax, and resolution in the text before highlighting the...
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Investigation of Polarized Light
Students investigate how polorizers filter light. In this physics lesson, students record their data and plot their results using a computer logging software. They discuss practical applications of polarization.
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Charlotte's Web
Students complete a variety of activities related to the book "Charlotte's Web" by E.B. White. They create a comic strip based on the characters, setting, and plot of the story, and examine the author's writing process. In small groups...
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"Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen
Students complete a variety of activities that revolve around the book "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen. They view and discuss stills from the move "Hoot" and compose original storylines, conduct Internet research about the life of Carl Hiaasen,...
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Arts have Emotional Impact
Young scholars explore how various artists use color, line and composition to create a mood. In comparison, students explore various elements of specific art forms that affect the viewer's emotions in dance, theater music and the...
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Creative Book Reports Make Reading Fun
Giving students a variety of options for reporting on chapter books is simple to do.
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A Pixie Biography Report
Students practice biographical writing after completing research on the subject. In this journalism activity, students read a story of an important person's life and discuss the important moments along the way. Students...
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Screening the Silver Screen
Students write New York Times Movie Guide Reviews using descriptive and persuasive language.
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Classic Storytelling with a Technology Twist
Students use technology to improve their knowledge of literary terms, math, and technology skills. In this technology storytelling lesson, students learn about character, plot, and setting in various stories by using technology like...
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Multimedia Final Project
Students work with a partner to compile a new movie. They comprehend tat the movie requres a lot of preparation and media releases. Students use one computer, create the serval different materials for their film: A Publisher Flyer...
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Cinderella - Digital Storytelling
Pupils analyze four versions of the Cinderella story. In this fairy tale analysis lesson, students read four versions of Cinderella and work in groups to identify the plot for each. Pupils illustrate the stories and use Movie Maker...
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The Magic in Writing
Students watch a portion of a familiar film and write responses to a series of questions. They apply their observations to short stories.
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I Served in the American Civil War
Students research soldier's lives in the American Civil War. They create a video about a soldier's life
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Dr. Seuss
Learners read books by the same author and compare what they find. In this Dr. Seuss instructional activity, students learn about Dr. Seuss' writing style, listen for the rhyme scheme in his stories, and create a KWL chart on Dr....
Other
Essays on the Craft of Dramatic Writing
This site, by the author of a workbook on the craft of writing, is filled with essays about many elements of dramatic writing, from the principles of storytelling, to plot development, to character development. There are also numerous...