Twins always have double the fun, right? Sara, in Jacob Have I Loved, always is in the shadows of her twin sister. Scholars identify synonyms, answer comprehension questions, foreshadow, and create alliterations as they read about how...

Scholars become STAR deputies in a lesson that encourages them to be problem-solvers. Small groups gather to complete a worksheet by answering questions. A discussion presents a scenario in which a problem occurs on the playground. Small...

Don't give your classes the third degree when working with polynomials! Teach them to recognize the successive differences and identify the degree of the polynomial. The lesson leads learners through a process to develop an understanding...

Scholars reflect upon their reading strengths and challenges to create personal reading goals. Participants use goal-setting verbiage in an accordion-style graphic organizer, a first step in writing a letter that details their reading...

Sixth graders explore strategies authors use to make characters and setting seem real to readers. They develop characters and describe setting in original narratives. Students read myths and determine common themes found in myths from...

Students, through two pieces of writing, identify poetic/language devices through the speakers, personification , imagery, metaphor, etc. They assess the patterns those devices are used in and analyze the theme of each. Each student...

Considering using Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry for book circles or whole-class study? First time teachers, and those who have used the text before, will find some interesting tidbits in this overview.

Set the stage for Nightjohn, Gary Paulsen's young adult novel about slavery set shortly before the Civil War, by asking readers to indicate whether they agree or disagree with several statements that are connected to issues...

Young scholars identify productive resources. In this economics instructional activity, students read the book Charlie Needs a Cloak and discuss productive resources the character used in the book. Young scholars participate in a...

Eleventh graders discover the thematic connections between classical literary and popular song lyrics.  For this English lesson, 11th graders research a specific topic to be presented to the class.  Students analyze song lyrics...

Students identify the main ideas in a passage from literature, and in a painting, and justify their conclusions using logic and language arts skills.

Young scholars identify characteristics of good poetry and compose their own.  In this marine poetry lesson, students are introduced to several different types of poetry with a marine theme.  After discussing the elements...

Students identify characters who exhibit conflicting character traits.  In this Crime and Punishment lesson, students identify and discuss characters who have opposing character traits.  Students relate their character study to...

Students identify the Presidents of the U.S. by their physical characteristics and their impact on America. In this Presidents lesson plan, students read about each President, look at their pictures, and identify each of them based on...

Third graders discuss the importance of putting events into the correct sequence. In groups, they put the order of events of different stories into the correct order while completing a worksheet. To end the lesson, they identify the...

Students explore nouns. In this grammar lesson, students read the book If You Give a Pig a Pancake and identify the nouns in the text. Students classify the nouns under the categories of a person, place, or thing.

Pupils identify geographical information about landscapes found in student literature, demonstrate an organizing tool, developed around geographical themes, for the recording of information, and share uses of this approach.

Students analyze fables and trickster tales from various cultural traditions. In this fable analysis instructional activity, students identify the elements of fables and trickster stories. Students read Aesop's fables and Ananse...

Young scholars explore baseball. This is a cross-curricular plan that includes math, history, and agriculture. Pupils use their five senses to observe the materials a baseball is made from and identify the agricultural products used. In...

Tenth graders study and examine the life of Miguel Hidalgo while working to identify major themes. Small groups create sequence of event chains, analyze and label maps of Hidalgo's travels, and work together to create giant chalk maps...

Students explore "emergency safety" rules through a series of activities led by the teacher. In this safety lesson, students practice dialing 911 on a paper or play phone after listening to the interactive book It's Time to Call 911:...

Students discuss different community organizations. In this philanthropy lesson, students define for-profit and nonprofit organizations. They identify examples of both and discuss the common themes and characteristics of each group.

Students develop their own social studies textbook using a blank theme book as they complete activities and learning experiences throughout the year. The activities are in art, music, simulations, read alouds, shared writing and a class...

Fourth graders advance to new levels in the activity we're dealing with here. It is the fourth of a sequence of six dealing with the same theme. These develop from Level 2 to Level 5. In the process they involve number concepts at the...