Third graders examine and better explain a character and their traits by writing a letter from their point of view.

Students compare/contrast the media messages they see in two different communities in their city. They list the elements of art and the principles of design in the photographs they have taken in those two different communities. They...

Theodore Taylor's The Cay provides the text for an assignment that asks each reader to craft a biopoem for one of the characters.

Seventh graders explore psychology by writing reflections about quotations. In this human behavior lesson, 7th graders read a list of famous quotes about trust by men such as Benjamin Franklin and William Shakespeare. Students complete a...

Students recognize the difficulty of knowing who wrote a letter from the envelope. In this writing "voice" lesson, students understand the meaning of voice in writing and detect who the writers are in a worksheet.

Students discuss what it means to be responsible. As a class, they brainstorm a list of how they are responsible in their daily lives. In groups, they read the story of Liliuokalani and locate Hawai'i on a map. They discuss the...

Should primary graders have their own computers? Should animals be kept in captivity? Young writers learn how to develop and support a claim in this short unit on persuasive writing.

What are the most important values a person possesses? Teens and parents take a collaborative survey and discuss what values are important to them. They return the signed form to the teacher to confirm they completed the activity. 

Students study conative and cognitive strengths through characters in literature. In this conative and cognitive strength instructional activity, students read about a favorite character or historical person. They make a chart of the...

Fifth graders study comprehension. In this writing instructional activity, 5th graders remember what they read and write an introduction for a character from a novel just read including a good description of that character.

Students examine the trait of courage. In this character traits instructional activity, students discuss how to their face fears in order to do the right thing as they discuss the corageous acts of Jackie Robinson.

Students define the word endeavor and then practice the art of self-discipline. They create character trait charts and discuss how strong character traits help students meet their future destinations.

Familiarize your class with philanthropy and involve individuals in philanthropic activities. First, determine the traits of philanthropic people. Class members attach sticky notes with character traits written on them to each side of at...

Students examine the character trait of perseverance and identify a message's purpose. They read a biography of Jackie Joyner Kersee, discuss the main message, and develop an action plan with goals and a message.

A thorough guide to all ten chapters of Barbara Park's The Kid in the Red Jacket would be a great addition to your reading unit. Each page covers one chapter of the book, complete with vocabulary and content questions, and...

Learners make a list of "modern day prophets" and explain how they have made considerable contributions toward the common good. They write a letter to a community leader in which they advocate the solution to a problem or issue in their...

Here's a thought-provoking and engaging lesson for your charges. It's a Webquest about Thanksgiving. Groups of learners research Thanksgiving customs, history, and experiences. They are assigned the task of renaming Thanksgiving in order...

Students create a list of characteristics for the heroine of a fairy tale and discuss ways these images affect behavior and self-esteem.  For this, The House on Mango Street gender equity lesson, students identify common...

“Mirrors” or aspects from a story that reflect a personal text-to-self connection, and “windows,” an aspect that gives insight into a different way of being, are the focus of an activity designed for Alice Walker’s story. Readers select...

Students consider the different genres of literary and movie characters. In this character types lesson, students brainstorm character genres from books and movies. Students read the article 'Which Wizard Beats 'Em All?' and develop...

Students read and analyze the story. In this language arts lesson, students read Come on, Rain! and examine how mood and tone are created, the use of figurative language and the characteristics of the genre. Students research the...

Learners train themselves to recognize the good in others. In this character traits activity, students discover what put-ups are as their teacher models giving put-ups to others. Learners then discuss how to recognize the good in their...

Students identify community helpers. In this philanthropy lesson, students read Strega Nona and identify different characters' responsibilities in the story. Students use character traits to describe the main characters and make a list...

Students work in pairs to decode a message that uses character adjectives vocabulary and counting skills. They design an "ideal friend" by listing their top five desired character traits.