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ELD Lesson Plan: Courage
What is true courage? Your class can explore the answer with these three Houghton-Mifflin stories ("Hatchet," "Passage to Freedom," "Climb or Die," and "The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle"), which feature courageous characters and...
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Great Expectations: DRTA Strategy
A Directed Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA) strategy for Great Expectations scaffolds and guides readers as they begin Dicken's novel. Step-by-step directions are provided, as are chapter one pair-share questions, a prediction worksheet,...
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Directed Reading Thinking Activity: "A Raisin in the Sun"
Students predict outcomes of a text. In this comprehension strategy lesson, students read a poem and compare it to the play A Raisin in the Sun. Students discuss their similarities and the power of dreams.
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Cardboard Radial Weaving
Learners explore cultural history by participating in an arts and crafts activity. In this weaving lesson, students identify the many cultures that used weaving methods and local plant life to create baskets and other useful tools....
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In Cold Blood: A During Reading Activity
Following the method used by Truman Capote, class members research a major character from his novel, In Cold Blood, and then conduct an interview with that character. The resulting research is used to craft a newspaper article about the...
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Agamemnon Theme of Justice and Judgment
In this reading comprehension worksheet, students respond to 4 short answer and essay questions based on themes in Agamemnon. Students may also complete their choice of 3 reading activities suggested.
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All My Sons Theme of Justice and Judgment
In this reading comprehension worksheet, students respond to 3 short answer and essay questions based on themes in All My Sons. Students may also complete their choice of 3 reading activities suggested.
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Cloze Activity
Students brainstorm possible replacements for blanks in a cloze activity. They work in groups to decide which of their possible replacements are prefered for each blank. They then prepare to present their ideas of the text to the class...
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Learning Inference
Making inferences can be a tricky proposition for middle schoolers. In the lesson plan presented here, pupils practice the skill of drawing a conclusion and making a judgment - which are what making an inference is all about! There are...
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Jim Murphy, The Great Fire - Grade 6
The Great Fire by Jim Murphy provides the text for a study of the Chicago fire of 1871. The plan is designed as a close reading activity so that all learners have the same background information require for writing. Richly detailed, the...
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Language Arts: Telling a Painting's Story
Use art museum paintings as inspiration for your class's creative writing works. Observing the paintings closely, middle and high schoolers list details and write descriptions. Their completed stories are displayed on bulletin boards...
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Measure for Measure: DRTA Strategy
“The tempter or the tempted, who sins most?” Prediction, verification, judgment, and extensions of thought are all part of a
Directed ReadingThinking Activity (DRTA) developed for Measure for Measure. The rationale, assessments...
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DR-TA Reading Strategy
Foster critical thinking skills by using the DR-TA Strategy with Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal.” Class members read portions of the essay, stop and discuss what is happening, make predictions based on evidence from the text, and...
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What's My Point: Persuasive Writing
Why do readers need to know an author’s purpose? How do you figure out what that purpose is? Guide your pupils through a series of activities that show them how to identify various techniques and structures used in persuasive writing....
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Fact or Opinion
In this online interactive fact or opinion worksheet, students read a brief selection and respond to 10 multiple choice questions that require them to determine whether the 10 statements are facts or opinions.
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That Is Not My Opinion!
Being an informed citizen requires distinguishing fact from opinion and understanding persuasion methods. Secondary learners evaluate newspaper editorials. They read opinion pieces, identify the writer's purpose and position on an issue,...
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Reading
Students are introduced to various types of folk tales. During a read-aloud, they predict what they believe is going to happen next and practice following the story line. To end the lesson, they answer comprehension questions and...
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Evaluating Your Sources
Students practice making critical judgments about the sources sited when researching a topic on the internet and in real-life situations. They assess how sources vary in reliability and accuracy while reviewing a variety of source...
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My Brother Sam is Dead: A study of the Revolutionary War
Fifth graders complete an analysis of the Revolutionary War through literature. After "My Brother Sam Is Dead," students create a time capsule containing items that would be relevant during the Revolutionary War. They identify key...
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How Are We Different?
Students discuss the differences between boys and girls. In this acceptance lesson, students view pictures of boys and girls and use a Venn Diagram to chart their differences. Students discuss boy activities and girl activities and if...
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Comparative and Superlative Forms
Learners practice identifying the comparative and superlative forms of language. The second phase of the instructional activity focuses on using the comparative and superlative forms actively in small group conversation.
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Enemy Pie
Students complete activities with the book Enemy Pie by Derek Munson. In this literature lesson, students answer questions before and during the reading. They describe how the main character's feelings changed.
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All About Me
Students write a paragraph, make lists, draw, and brainstorm things about themselves, their goals, and their past. In this all about me lesson plan, students recall information about themselves, and interview others in order to write...
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Tall Tales: Read, Write, Draw and Sing
Students get to know the characters and events that shaped American folktales through writing, drawing and singing activities. Handouts and worksheets are included.