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Comparing and Analyzing Literary Works
Students read two short stories by the same author. For each story, they identify the main structures and style of the author. They use the text to write a summary about each story and how the author used literary techniques.
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New War Against Whom?
Seventh graders write an essay on the Muslims involved with the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. They express how the attacks made them feel and what they can do to help.
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Create Your Island Paradise
Sixth graders create a descriptive essay and map describing their island paradise. They try to evoke the reader's senses: seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, and tasting. They revise their paragraphs using their partner's feedback.
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Elaborate It
Learners read writing samples and discuss the differences between the writing with and without anecdotal examples. They write expository essays that include personal anecdotes.
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"How To Build A Snowman" Expository Writing
Fourth graders write a "how to..." or an expository essay on building a snowman. They practice giving directions by explaining how to draw a person using shapes without mentioning that it's a person being drawn. They revise through the...
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Thoughts to the President
Students write a persuassive paragraph to the President stating their opinion on a topic. To do this, they start the message with a topic sentence such as "War is _____." The blank should contain a word or phrase expressing the student's...
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Creating and Comparing Climographs
Students are introduced to the importance and usefulness of climographs. In groups, they create a climograph of two cities on about the same latitude. They compare and contrast the locations and climates of the two cities and write a...
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From Graphic Organizer to Comparison
Fifth graders brainstorm a variety of topics for writing. As a class, learners create four types of graphic organizers on selected topics. They discuss how to use graphic organizer in constructing a written paragraph.
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Symbiotic Relationships
Seventh graders research types of symbiotic relationships on the Internet and explain what the effects would be in one of the species disappears. In this investigative instructional activity students use the Internet to do research...
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Champions Of The Land
Students write an abstract of a book concerning conservation. In this environmental activism instructional activity, students explore books such as Silent Spring by Rachel Carson. Students choose a book about conservation from a...
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Fretful Over Fast Food
Fifth graders research fast food options and write an essay on the topic. In this fast food lesson, 5th graders pretend they are a babysitter and research fast food restaurant options to eat at while they are baby-sitting. Students write...
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Who Is That Masked Man?
Fifth graders write a narrative essay describing what happened in the classroom after a nystery person has visited.
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Miao Minorities
Students conduct Internet research to identify the cultural aspects of the Miao minority group from China. They, in groups, create a brochure with their research and write an essay on the predicted future of the Miao culture.
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Like Comparing Bison and Fish
Fourth graders examine the cultures of early American Indians in North America and how geographic characteristics impacted the development of American Indian cultures. Students discuss Lewis and Clark, their journey, the Plains Indians,...
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Supreme Court
Eleventh graders explore the redistricting process. In this American Government instructional activity, 11th graders examine the electoral map. Students write an essay posing an argument for the redistricting process.
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Ethos, Logos, and Pathos
Learners compare and contrast "Letter From a Birmingham Jail" and "Civil Disobedience" by writing a paper using MLA format.
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Depression
Students work together to develop a survey to ask people who lived during the Great Depression. Using the information from the survey, they write an essay or a poem describing why it was bad for one of their family members to lose their...
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Using Transitions
Students explore the importance of using transitional phrases in their writing. They discuss why transitions are important to their writing and various types of transitions that they can use. Students practice using transitions in their...
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Narrative Nuts and Bolts
After viewing slides and reading about child labor, young authors compose an original narrative story. They practice note-taking skills and work to effectively engage a reader by incorporating plot, logical order, complex characters,...
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Telling Our Stories of Giving - Writing to Persuade
After identifying the parts of a persuasive piece of writing, young writers explore different prewriting activities for the persuasive essay. They have the option to write a news article, personal narrative, or persuasive essay to...
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Migration and Technology
Students identify a technological innovation associated with human migration, either forced or voluntary. They explain how the migration was influenced by technology and how technology influences migration through a written essay.
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U.S. Leadership in World War II
Students examine the political and military leadership of the United States during World War II. Once they have assessed the qualities of leadership, they compose essays identifying specific qualities of these leaders . Using charts,...
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Expansion and Reform: Applying the Declaration of Independence
Students conduct inquiries and research-acquiring, organizing, analyzing, interpreting, evaluating, and communicating facts, themes, and general principles operating in American history. They use the Declaration of Independence to...
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Participating in Democracy
Students analyze film clips in class. In this democracy lesson, students identify the differences between civil liberties, democracy and freedom. Students view a video regarding Japanese internment and answer study questions as well as...