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Stories of Nepal
Students explore folktales and fairy tales from Nepal to help them understand the Nepalese culture, and to compare the stories to the ones the students may know. After reading the stories, students consider what rural life is like in...
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Poetry
Fifth graders preview different poetry selections form different poets to narrow their criteria for a favorite poem. They use the web and written sources to find a favorite poem and then give an oral interpretation of their poem in class...
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Oregon Trail Maps
Fourth graders explore the Oregon Trail. For this Oregon Trail lesson, 4th graders collaborate to conduct Internet research regarding states along the Oregon trail route. Students present their findings to their peers.
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Eckstine, Stayhorn, and the Dorseys: Masters of Swing
Students explore the history of swing music. In this music history lesson plan, students research the Dorsey Brothers, Billy Eckstine, and William Strayhorn to learn about swing music. Students define swing, develop a timeline of events...
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The American Dream Poetry
Students analyze how poetry can reveal themes of 'The American Dream.' In this poetry themes lesson, students discuss the elements of poetry and define imagery. Students read 'Lost Sister' by Cathy Song and complete a related worksheet....
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Dawdle Duckling
Young scholars read the book Dawdle Duckling and complete different activities about the book. Students research the wetlands, research ducks, complete an oil and water experiment, map a cove, and more.
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Mrs. Katz and Tush
Pupils read Patricia Polacco's Mrs. Katz and Tush before comparing Jewish heritage with Black history using a Venn Diagram. They complete the diagram either as a whole group or in a small group setting. Next, they sample the Jewish...
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Modernism
Students engage in a study of the literature of modernism in America. They conduct research and read different texts for clarification of the genre style. Students discuss the background influences of culture that shaped modernism.
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Newspaper Stories
Middle schoolers examine the structure of the newspaper. In this newspaper lesson, students look at the different types of articles about giving, sharing, and acts for the common good. They realize the types of voice that are used in the...
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Haiku Poetry
Third graders write their own haiku poem after a lesson plan on the history and format of a haiku. In this poetry lesson plan, 3rd graders write a haiku with the correct lines and symbols.
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Cause and Effect
Young scholars identify cause and effect relationships in a short story. After reading a short story, they participate in a discussion of how one event in a story can lead to several others. Students are then paired for a matching task...
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911 As History
Middle schoolers recognize persuasive techniques, think criticaly about the messages contained in various media, and discuss controversial issues in constructive ways. They analyze the deeper messages contained in children's literature,...
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Families of Instruments
Students identify families of instruments. In this music lesson, students read Berlioz the Bear and identify the families of instruments. Students sing "Mr. Gus Goes Goofy," and listen for the sounds of the instruments.
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Introducing the Essay: Twain, Douglass, and American Non-Fiction
Students analyze American essayists Mark Twain and Frederick Douglass in an introduction to American literary non-fiction writing. For this essay history lesson, students identify methods for writing essays. Students read and analyze...
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Lesson 10:Media
Second graders share their expository writing pieces. In this expository writing lesson plan, 2nd graders create a visual media product to give to their parents to invite them to an author celebration. They bring props and share their...
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"Once a Jolly Swagman" (Australian vocabulary)
Young scholars listen to the song "Waltzing Matilda" in order to become familiar with some Australian words.
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Hong Kong Symphony: Heaven, Earth, Mankind
Students complete a unit on the reunification of Hong Kong with China in 1997. They watch and discuss a documentary, write an essay about unification, conduct Internet research on three artists from the film, complete a data sheet, and...
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Interesting Idioms
Students are introduced to the topic of idioms in figurative speech. Using the definition of idioms, they use literature to view examples. They identify idioms in different forms of writing and practice using them in speech. ESL...
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Conventions and Proofreading
Students explore and apply their proofreading skills in order to prepare their project essays for peer editing and final drafting. They refine their final project essays by identifying and correcting spelling and grammatical errors.
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Coast-to-Coast Book Design-Part 3: Brainstorming the Book
Students examine the process of designing a book and identify the steps necessary to publish a book. In small groups they analyze ABC books, and discuss the similarities and differences between the books. Students then brainstorm ideas...
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Creative Writing Lesson Plan
Students practice recognizing the elements needed to produce a piece of creative writing and become aware of those elements in their own original pieces of writings. In groups, they creatively write a new story utilizing all the major...
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Christmas Carol Project
Eighth graders create a researched presentation comparing and contrasting holiday celebrations from the period surrounding Charles' Dickens 'A Christmas Carol.' For this Christmas celebrations lesson, 8th graders discuss differences...
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Storyboard for Persuasive Text
Middle schoolers demonstrate their knowledge of the main elements of a story by creating a storyboard. In this persuasive writing instructional activity students create storyboards that are intended to persuade a director to make a...
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Ugly? Says Who?
Students explore biology by writing animal poetry in class. In this animal characteristics lesson, students research the Internet for facts about an "ugly" animal such as a bug or small critter. Students complete worksheets about animal...