Beacon Learning Center
What Goes Up Must Come Down
After your class has completed The Cay by Theodore Taylor, assess understanding of the plot. First, model how to fill out a plot line for your class. Next, have class members fill in the plot of The Cay on the provided story map. Invite...
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Learning About Emotions
Young scholars participate in a series of activities about identifying different feelings and emotions. In these oral language and discussion lessons, students use pictures and photographs to get them involved in oral storytelling...
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Who's Inside The Mitten?
Students use the Jan Brett story, 'The Mitten,' to develop self-confidence and improve their oral language skills. They also practice performing in front of a group. Students take on the various roles that the animals play in the story.
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Math News
Young writers design and publish a newsletter with articles that demonstrate knowledge of mathematical concepts. They explain mathematical procedures and basic operations in a news article format. Next, they compile several articles to...
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3R Activity (Reading-Relating-Responding)
Young scholars read for detail. In this reading comprehension lesson, students read a passage and share their thoughts with a small group. Young scholars reflect upon the passage and develop an oral summary of the text.
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Turn On, Tune In, and Write Down
Students locate, access and listen to a variety of radio and audio samples found on the Internet. They discuss the material in small groups and identify areas of interest for further discussion.
Civil War Trust
Transcribing Civil War History
Primary sources are valuable for understanding the context of historical events, but the diction and dialect in these documents can be difficult to understand. Middle and high schoolers participation in a transcription process in which...
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Fortunately, Unfortunately
In this oral language instructional activity, students are given the first line of a story. The next student must begin the following line with the word "fortunately," and the next student begins the subsequent line with "unfortunately."...
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An Oral Course for Students of Spanish
Students practice new Spanish vocabulary and participating in a dialogue with another student. In groups, they use the internet to pretend to buy an airplane ticket and make hotel reservations on a trip to a Spanish-speaking country. ...
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Diversity: Origin Myths
Fifth graders analyze origin myths and the diversity of First Nations groups. In this history lesson, 5th graders review the geography of Canada and read various origin myths. Students illustrate one of the myths and research...
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Living History
Students investigate historic events through the eyes of people who were their age when the event happened. Through personal interviews, students gain insights on the impact of these events on these people's lives and on the world at large.
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Tall Tales and Urban Legends
Students identify and interpret what tall tales, urban legends, and cyberlore are and to find them in their own lives. They practice telling and listening to these types of tales and explore why people tell them. Students also identify...
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A Sense of Place
Students read "Fish Tale: Falling For a Live One" from The New York Times and discuss the methods and techniques the writer uses to create a strong mental image. Students pick a place in their community they wish to write about and...
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About Life: The Photographs of Dorothea Lange Image as Metaphor
Students define metaphor in both art and writing. In this metaphor lesson, students examine a photograph by Dorothea Lange and discuss the metaphor that is displayed in the picture. They write about an object that symbolizes a personal...
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My Trip to America
Students create their own stories about a trip to America, based on an oral reading. Student stories be compiled for a class Thanksgiving book.
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Could You Repeat That?
Pupils participate in an oral story telling activity designed to show how story embellishments occur. They read "Beowulf" and identify incongruities that suggest additions and embellishments over the years.
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The Story Project: A Lesson Plan for the Combining Voices Literary Competition
Students analyze Simple Answer, by John Cleaveland, and use this image to inspire a short story. They use both verbal and visual language to help them create the characters and the plot. The lesson plan contains steps that helps the...
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Parts of Speech: Nouns
Second graders discuss nouns. In this language arts instructional activity, 2nd graders discuss nouns and pronouns. Students identify various types of nouns on a worksheet. Students play "Popcorn" Nouns.
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Who's Who at Our School?
Young scholars recognize and use language appropriately for varied contexts and purposes. Students integrate listening, speaking, viewing, reading, and writing for multiple purposes. Young scholars develop and use a variety of strategies...
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Vowels: review of short and long e, o
First graders investigate sounds of short and long vowels for e and o. They develop phonics skills through drill and practice sessions. They use a variety of activities that include games. This is a whole unit plan.
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Team Stories
Students work together to write stories. Each one uses creative thinking skills to compose the beginning, middle, or end of a story. The writing skills help the brain to begin to think in new ways to develop the artistic parts of thinking.
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Comparing and Contrasting
Students practice compare and contrast skills. In this science and language development lesson, students complete a T chart generating traits of a snail and a clam. Students complete a related worksheet.
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Hear All About It
Middle schoolers organize and present a short expository speech. They select a topic, conduct research, create electronic notes or note cards, and present their information to the class.
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What’s your Name?
Youngsters work to build empathy, cultural understanding, and a sense of self as they uncover the story behind their own names. They read the book, The Name Jar, discuss immigration and how it feels to be in a new place. Then, they...