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The War of the Worlds
Young scholars discover the concept of media based on literature. In this War of the Worlds lesson, students read the novel The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells and listen to the 1938 radio broadcast adaptation by Orson Welles. Young...
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Writing
Fourth graders review the writing process by using the English Language Arts Writer's Checklist. They examine a piece of writing for the key elements of composition. They help to make the writing pieces more interesting by correcting...
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Can You See It?
Students explore the concept of visualization and how it works to help them comprehend what they read. They read 'Tuck Everlasting' and visualize what has happened in the story. They draw a picture of what they visualized and then watch...
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Scriptwriting Skill Module
Learners identify and analyze conflicts in plots. In this conflict lesson students recall stories, novels and movies they've read or seen and discuss the conflicts contained therein. They then complete some written exercises to...
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Simpson's Lesson
In these Simpson's themed worksheets, students will respond to 10 comprehension questions and then synthesize a new ending to an episode of the Simpson's television show.
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The Journey of the Magi
Students create storyboards. In this pre-Christmas special lesson plan, students produce a storyboard for a TV version of the poem, "The Journey of the Magi". Options to complete with or without technology are included.
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English Novel: Fallen Angels
Students identify a character in Fallen Angels and discuss the changes that occur in that character throughout the Vietnam war. In this Fallen Angels lesson, students participate in literary circles in which each student has a...
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Minding the Media
Students reflect on the fairness of rating movies, television, radio, books, magazines, Web sites and other media. They submit their own entries for a media rating guide.
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Building Fiction: Elements of a Short Story
Students define and interpret the elements found in a short story. Then they identify the elements of plot found in a short story. Students also apply knowledge of plot to an original work of fiction. Finally, they identify the...
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Using a Matrix to Compare, Contrast, and Analyze Connections
Students explore writing techniques by comparing fiction vs. non-fiction. In this literature analysis lesson, students read stories from Aesop's Fables and compare the themes and characters to stories from their own life. Students...
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Fit to Be Tied (In)
How do the films we watch affect our purchasing behavior? Considering the profiles of given consumer demographics, the class analyzes real advertisements and the effectiveness of their power on consumerism. THey create posters that...
ESL Kid Stuff
Time Frequency - "How Often ...?"
How often do you ride a bike? Time frequency words are featured in a lesson designed for ESL/ELD classrooms.
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Louisiana's Tragic Hero - "Evangeline"
"Ye who believe...List to a Tale of Love in Acadie." Longfellow's epic poem, "Evangeline," launches a study of tragic heroines, epic poetry, the expulsion of the Acadians from Canada, and their subsequent migration to Louisiana. The...
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The Ultimate Survivor Using Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
What items would you need to survive if you were stranded in a remote place? Using chapter 10 of Gary Paulsen's Hatchet, middle-schoolers work through a Six Trait writing activity to create a story about their own survival in a similar...
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Making the Old New Again
How does a new version of a Shakespearean play change in the adaptation process? Use this New York Times' Learning Network lesson to consider texts that have been produced in different media. Middle schoolers examine the latest...
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That's Moor Like It!
How do modern adaptations of Shakespearean plays relate to their original source material? Middle and high schoolers focus on Shakespeare's play Othello and its screen adaptation "O" to explore how modern film adaptations of Shakespeare...
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Elements of a Short Story (SMART Board)
Seventh graders view a PowerPoint presentation about short story elements. They complete a plot diagram using a previously read short story. Students brainstorm events in the story. They discuss the difference between major and less...
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Imagining China through Words
When Europeans first came back with tales of China, they provided vivid written accounts and minimal visual imput. This resulted in art rendered mostly from descriptive language. Learners explore this phenomena by listening to...
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Multimedia Storytelling
Experiment with multimedia storytelling. After watching a segment of American Family, first, middle and high schoolers tell a story about their families, clarifying the setting, characters, and script. They work on setting...
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Are Gay Rights "Special"?
Inspire critical thinking with this activity, which prompts students to compare lesbian, gat, bisexual, and transgender rights with the rights guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. By collecting topical articles about...
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Introduce: Main Idea
Begin exploring main idea in a text by telling the class an interesting story. Can they recall the main idea after you finish? What clues told them this was it? Explain that you will apply this concept as you read a nonfiction book....
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Introduce: Prediction
What will happen next? Leave readers at a cliffhanger as they practice prediction strategies while listening to a story. Pupils start by making guesses based on the book's cover and title, discussing the techniques they use to make these...
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Different Points of View
Considering an examination of point of view? Use visual arts to engage learners in of this element of art and literature. Class members select a portrait from the Renaissance Connection and, guided by a series of brainstorming...
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Feelings and Emotions
Students discuss and write about different feelings they or someone else may have. In this feelings lesson plan, students discuss different ways they express their feelings. Then they get a picture with someone who is demonstrating a...