Core Knowledge Foundation
Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue
Young adventurers embark on a journey, setting sail along the blue ocean with Christopher Columbus. Teachers will find that this unit makes their lesson planning smooth sailing!
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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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Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl
In this unit, students examine the many different themes in Anne Frank's diary. They connect the themes to their own life and keep a journal to explore the triumphs and challenges in their own life.
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Soliloquy Performances
Young scholars investigate soliloquies. In this performing arts instructional activity, students discuss figurative language within soliloquies and then perform a soliloquy to the rest of the class.
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When I Heard the Learned Astronomer
Students recognize different purposes and methods of writing and to identify a writer's tone and point of view.
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Diary of Anne Frank: Act 1 Scene 1 & 2
Eighth graders read act 1 scenes 1 & 2 of the play Diary of Anne Frank. For this Diary of Anne Frank lesson plan, 8th graders discuss how the setting of the play affects the mood of the story and answer short answer questions.
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Create Your Own COMMUNITY
Students discuss "their community" and the elements they have chosen to include in their ideal community by presenting to the class a collage of ideas incorporating the ideas presented by the instructional activity rubric.
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Open Sesame: A Magical World of Reading
Third graders, through six lessons, study tales of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves and Aladdin and the Lamp from The Arabian Nights.
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Amazing Grazing: Keeping Our Ecosystem Running
Learners discover the value of sustainability within our ecosystem. In this ecological lesson, students discuss the importance of a food cycle in our society, and how humans can improve the conservation of a healthy ecosystem. Eventually...
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Heroes, Kindness and "To Kill A Mockingbird"
Learners read To Kill a Mockingbird and relate the action sof the characters to behaviors in students lives. In this heroism, bullying, kindness and compassion lesson plan, learners identify characters who are heroes in the story....
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Map Your State: Regions of Arizona
Fourth graders define vocabulary and locate physical features on maps. In this mapping instructional activity, 4th graders explore regions of Arizona through landforms found on topographic maps. Students research the history...
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Red Tail Ridge Wetland Study Project
Fifth graders use a real life scenario of the wetlands to gather information on creatures of the habitat. In this wetlands lesson plan, 5th graders research the interdependence of organisms in a healthy habitat. Students collected...
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A River, Dead or Alive: Native Americans and European Colonists' Treatment of a River
Students write an expository paragraph about the uses of the Nashua River for the Native Americans and the European Colonists. In this river uses lesson plan, students determine the causes and effects of both parties using the river.
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Africa: Small Sounds From a Big Country
Students explore the music from Burundi, Zimbabwe, and Pygmy cultures. They listen to and discuss music from the African cultures, analyze the musical elements, write a song, and perform music.
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50th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education
Students examine a poster of Brown v. Board of Education and discuss what the important details are. They read the story behind the poster and court case. They role play different sections of the case such as the court case or Linda...
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Exploring Heroism
Students examine the concept of heroism in this lesson plan, through personal reflection, group activities and a thoughtful analysis of the documentary, HEROES OF GROUND ZERO. They explore their own understanding of what it means to be a...
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"STARGIRL" BY JERRY SPINELLI
Students explore websites are about the book "Stargirl" and author Jerry Spinelli. Explore the author's official website to research him. There are also worksheets, excerpts, book reviews, and discussion questions for the book.
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Teaching Phonics Through Poetry
Students understand rhythm and rhyming words in poetry. In this poetry lesson, students listen to poetry and are able to find the ABAB pattern. Students recognize the "ow" sound. Students complete various activities to practice the...
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Dividing by 4's
Third graders explore math functions by completing problem solving activities. In this division lesson, 3rd graders utilize the division strategies acquired earlier to divide multiple digit numbers by 4's. Students complete problems on...
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Richie's Rocket
Fourth graders, while working in centers read Richie's Rocket by Joan Anderson, and then create a puzzle using ideas, emotions, and experiences from the story. In addition, they write specific definitions for certain words, use those...
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Iditarod
Fourth graders, after reading "Woodsong" by Gary Paulsen, explore/research what an Iditarod is and then create a speech about their selected musher and present their new found information to their classmates. In addition, they...
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Richie's Rocket
Fourth graders, after reading with intonation and expression the book, "Richie's Rocket," by Joan Anderson, circulate in centers to create a puzzle with emotions and experiences from the ideas in the story, write the definition of words...
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On With the Show: Fifty Years of the Public Theater
Students view video clips from the program NY VOICES: "The Public" at 50, which examines Joseph Papp's passion and commitment to bring theater to diverse communities of New York. They create a playbill highlighting productions for an...
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Music of the People - Native American Music
Third graders complete a unit of lessons on the singing, instruments, and dancing of Native Americans. They identify and play various instruments, complete worksheets, define key vocabulary, sing songs, and perform dances.