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Cornell Notes with I Tunes
Note taking is an invaluable skill and requires practice. This lesson incorporates the Cornell Notes format, however the plan itself could be implemented to teach any style. The basic idea here is to use university lectures on podcasts...
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ELA.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.4
Your assessment is to figure out if I am being figurative or connotative with this statement: This is a great resource. Can’t do it? Then you had better review how to break down Common Core skill RL.11-12.4. In simple language that you...
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Earning a buck? and stretching it?
Learners write a feature article and create a visual display explaining how teens can save or invest their money wisely. They research ways to earn interest in today's economy, even if you don't have much money. Students use Internet...
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The Great Debate
Groups of learners investigate the persuasive genre of writing as they research and present on an issue. They research the Internet (possible websites are included) for a topic and locate information to present to the opposing team. In...
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Forget The Dictionary!
Accessing Web sites and playing interactive word games enliven the study of Greek, Latin and Anglo-Saxon roots and affixes. Alas, the link to resources appears broken. Take some time to find game links.
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Five Elements of a Story
Here’s a graphic organizer that permits learners to chart the introduction, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution of a story. The PDF file can be customized to work with any narrataive.
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"Get A Life!" Career Exploration Project
Students create a cover letter that they can use. They discuss the type of employment they are seeking. Students discuss the parts of a cover letter, body, and closure. They use a template to make their own cover letters. Students go...
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Treasure Hunters
Students design an on campus treasure hunt to find various architectural vocabulary words which they then create definitions for on the blog page on the Environmental Design website.
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Reduced Time Adverb Clauses
Looking for a way to improve your students' writing conventions? Include this adverb clauses learning exercise in your next grammar lesson. Middle and high schoolers read a three-paragraph selection and rewrite adverb time clauses to...
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What Were They Thinking Then, What Are We Thinking Now?
Choosing an issue from a play or novel, researchers find two primary sources from different time periods to compare how people's views have changed. Many questions are listed to guide young writers. In the end, learners produce a...
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How to Locate and Evaluate Information, Part III - Internet Sites
This is the third in a series of lessons scaffolding the research paper. It purports to teach researchers how to evaluate internet sites, but the lack of links, specific criteria, or site evaluation rubrics would require additional...
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Poem in Your Pocket Day: Ideas for Celebrating
First instituted in New York City in 2002 and recognized nationwide in 2009, "Poem in Your Pocket Day" is part of National Poetry Month (April) and celebrates poetry in everyday life. A brief news story includes 9 ideas about how to...
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Idea-Noun Definition: Source Searching
A great idea for showing language arts pupils the universality of themes, even in the real world! Have class members choose an idea-noun (peace, justice, war, love, etc.) at the beginning of the year or semester. They complete weekly...
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Cause and Effect Worksheet 2
Why does Scout fear Boo? Why does George kill Lennie? Whether in literature or life, helping young learners recognize the relationship between actions and consequences is an important lesson. Have your class match twelve observable...
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Sentence Fragments
Tired of finding sentence fragments in your students' writing? Use this straightforward activity to help them identify when a sentence is not complete. Sixteen sentences prompt learners to rewrite fragments as parts of a complete...
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Beauty Queen Heads to Iraq
Pupils study about Jessica Gaulke, a beauty queen from Minnesota. She is then deployed to Iraq with the National Guard unit she is in. They have to role play her and react to what they think they would feel if they were in her shoes.
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Hunger Games Fan Mania
"I'm just going to cry!" One fan said while waiting to meet The Hunger Games cast. Read an article with your class about the mobs that waited for a chance to meet the cast of the movie sweeping the country by storm. Read this article...
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Reading Comprehension 3: Level 9
A statistics-loaded passage about home sales provides the text for a reading comprehension exercise. Although the subject matter might challenge some readers, the answer key explains how to approach and answer the three multiple choice...
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Columbine Tapes: The Media's Right To Know
Students research the Columbine tragedy. They read about the media role of watchdog on the government. Students discuss and debate how the media has been involved in the latest release of Columbine videos and other material.
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Singing at the Vatican
Students read article by The Plain Dealer columnist Sam Fulwood III, told largely from one student's viewpoint, and write reaction paper on topic: "What will I remember the rest of my life?"
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ELA.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.10
Assess whether your class members can comprehend complex informational text with a series of drills based on selections from Emerson, Thoreau, and G.K. Chesterton. The exercises could also be used for group work or a full-class discussion.
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Create a Holiday
Students create their own holidays, describing them in booklet form. They develop the holiday's name, symbol, colors, food, and historical significance.
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Writing Children's Literature
Students examine the common themes and characteristics of children's literature. They develop a list of characteristics, read and discuss examples of children's literature, and create an original children's book.
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Twelfth Night, Act 4 Scene 1
Students watch the scene (divided into three segments). After each segment is played, students are given time to annotate and answer briefly the context questions.