Museum of Tolerance
Just What Kind of American Are You?
Your parents were both in different countries. You were born in the US. Documents and application forms ask you to identify your racial or ethnic classification. Which box do you check? Class members collect documents...
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Exploring Satire - Jonathan Swift
Students study about satire and find examples Part One of GULLIVER'S TRAVELS. They then write an essay about the examples they found and how the writer used satire in his literary work.
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Understanding Realistic Fiction
Learners write a story. In this genres instructional activity, students learn the meaning of realistic fiction and write a short story in that genre.
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Pablo Neruda
Eighth graders explore the life and works of Pablo Neruda. They complete an author map concerning his personal and professional life. Students identify the key components of an ode. They write an ode to a common object around their...
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Fiction vs. Nonfiction
Students explore fiction and nonfiction writing. They identify the elements of fiction in a short story and identify the criteria necessary in a nonfiction piece. Students distinguish the author's purpose in an expository text,...
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Writing in Different Viewpoints
Students read and analyze the point of view of a selected classic short story. They take notes while reading the story, select a character, and rewrite the story from a different viewpoint.
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Getting to Know You
Third graders explore different types of poetry and illustrate their own experiences through creating their own poem. In this getting to know you instructional activity, 3rd graders create and recite their poems with a self-portrait.
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Identifying Conflicts in Stories
Fifth graders practice analyzing story points by discussing Cinderella. In this reading comprehension lesson, 5th graders identify the four main types of conflicts in stories and how they are presented in modern day...
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Comparing Two Fantasies by J.R.R. Tolkien
Students explore fantasy through The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. In this literature lesson, students investigate character analysis through book comparisons. Students read The Hobbit and one other book by J.R.R. Tolkien and...
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"Tree of Peace": Critical Thinking About Revolution to Global Conflict
Tenth graders explore the importance of peace in society. In this Global History lesson, 10th graders create a common vocabulary for the different elements that exist in a peaceful society. Students discover the connections...
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Twelfth Night Act 3 Sc 1
Students read, act, and write about an act from the play Twelfth Night. In this play analysis lesson, students read a summary of the act and discuss various segments of the play. Students identify literary and vocabulary points and...
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The Group Essay
Learners write an essay of comparison between two works they have studied but have not yet compared. They recognize similarities of themes between two very different works. They submit a group evaluation form.
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Glencoe Literature Themes: Legends
Students prepare for and respond to literature selections. This package includes five lessons from the Glencoe Literature series, each covering a different reading selection. Pre-reading and response activities are included for each...
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Out of the Dust
Seventh graders read a book of poems called "Out of the Dust". In groups, they research the Dust Bowl and how it affected people living through the Great Depression. Using the text, they identify the theme and key turning points and...
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The Cold War in Popular Music
Students analyze pop culture songs to identify cold war themes and chart. They comprehend and explain why the Cold War took place and ended and assess its significance as a 20th century event. Students conduct a song analysis of the...
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How Would You Spend a Million Dollars?
Students plan and organize a theme to spend one million dollars. They select a theme, research prices of items on the Internet, organize the information into a spreadsheet, write an introductory paragraph, and create a final project.
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The Mark Twain Project at the Principia School
Students read and write an analysis of The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn and write a paper on another Twain literary piece. In this Mark Twain lesson, students select a Mark Twain literary piece to write an analysis paper for the work....
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Cyrano De Bergerac: Understanding Drama Through Characterization and Dialogue
Students explore three major dramatic concepts using Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand. In this dramatic concepts lesson, students research the concepts of universal theme, characterization, and dialogue using the given text. Students...
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Bums in the Attic
Students engage in a study about the life of young girl in the book "Bums In The Attic". They read the narrative story while considering the first person point of view. Students write a journal that analyzes the author's style of writing.
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Book Club Discussion: Things Fall Apart
Students read and discuss Chinua Achebe's novel Things Fall Apart. Students are guided to analyze the text through consideration of the author's use of 6 literary devices. Students also evaluate the text according to their personal...
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Up Close and Personal with Black Bayou Lake
Middle schoolers get up close and personal with Black Bayou Lake. Visiting web sites and taking virtual tours, they write multi-paragraph essays using descriptive words and literary devices.
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The Rainbow Fish
Young scholars listen to The Rainbow Fish and select the correct meaning of the story from three examples presented by the teacher. They use a paper sclae to write three descriptive words about themselves.
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Exploring the Self
High schoolers use different pieces of music and writings to explore the theme of self-reliance and individuality. After viewing a video clip, they discuss how the images made them feel. They keep a writing journal to evaluate their...
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Harriet The Spy
Fourth graders investigate the style of diary writing as its own genre of literature. They read Harriet The Spy in order to have a text for this literature study. Students use the skill of prediction to preview the story, and then...