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Bulleted Lists: punctuating items in vertical lists
What is easier to read: a bulleted list or a block of text? Look at different examples with your class and then go over the style guidelines for vertical lists.
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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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Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck: Before You Read the Book
"List reading strategies you have learned that will help you start (and finish) reading a class novel." "What do you like knowing about a novel before you read it?" Although labeled for Of Mice and Men, the prompts included on this...
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Vocab-u-lous! Build a Fabulous Vocab
In this vocabulary worksheet, students decipher the best word choice to complete the sentence. All words begin with the letter "E."
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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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"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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Literature Review Paragraph
Tenth graders review the structural elements of a literary paragraph and organizational paragraph formats. They author a paragraph examining and reviewing a piece of literature currently being read in class. Students peer-review the...
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Western-Genre Films
Young scholars watch westerns and analyze them. They identify the plot, characters and the sounds in the film. They research icons of the American west and prepare a presentation. They share their presentation with the class.
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Columbine Tapes: The Media's Right To Know
High schoolers 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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Challenges of the new SAT
Students write a news feature about the changes of the SAT and how students can best cope with them. Students respond to several questions addressing the new SAT. Students research about the changes in the test, and students interview...
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Beauty Queen Heads to Iraq
Students 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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Extreme Poetry Vocabulary
Challenge your class with this comprehensive list of literary vocabulary words. Learners take a pre-test, look up definitions, come up with an example, and then take a post-test. You might use this prior to a unit about poetic devices in...
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The Meanest English Teacher Ever
Upper graders will use a reading comprehension learning exercise about the meanest teacher to practice comprehension. They will read a 5 page story titled The Meanest English Teacher Ever and answer 4 comprehension questions about it.
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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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Satire Witch Project
Students examine the use of titles with video. They create a short horror film based on a classic work of literature or other subject area writing. Students use a single camera and a single shot. Using Adobe Premiere Elements, students...
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Basic Paragraph
Young scholars with special needs examine how to write an organized, basic, five-sentence paragraph. Students write a paragraph with a topic sentence, supporting sentences and a concluding sentence. They first practice by viewing and...
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Abridged and Unabridged Dictionaries
How can pronunciations and definitions vary in two different dictionaries? Middle schoolers look up words in abridged and unabridged dictionaries. They compare the pronunciation, spelling, and definitions in each version. Additionally,...
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“Pardon This Interruption-Columbus Has Landed!!!”
Students research, design, rehearse, record, and present a 60 second Public Service Announcement, based on Columbus' arrival in the America. The students, working in groups, utilize the design process in creating their PSA. This lesson...
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George Orwell's 1984
Eleventh graders engage in a literature study that is concerned with the strengthening of reading comprehension skills while they practice using context clues to arrange meaning to the text. The total assessments for this unit includes...
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Tense Buster
Students, after using the "Intermediate" selection of the Tense Buster software, recognize and practice using passive voice in their writing. As a result of this task, they correctly use five new vocabulary terms with passive voice in...
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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...