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Kandinsky on Computers
Students investigate expressionist art by researching Wassily Kandinsky. In this abstract art lesson plan, students utilize the Internet to visit a web museum which showcases Kandinsky's compositions. Students analyze the artistic lines...
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Writing Essays
Students compose expository essays. In this written communication lesson, students examine paragraphs from sample expository essays and then discuss the attributes of well-written essays prior to writing their own expository essays.
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Reviewing Proper Writing Techniques
Students use proper writing techniques to write an effective description of the best or worst meal they have ever eaten. In this proper writing techniques instructional activity, students review the parts of a composition and...
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Number Writing Poems
Learners read the short poem for each number to help them with number formation. In this numbers lesson plan, students follow directions of the poems.
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Basic Paragraph
Students with special needs examine how to write an organized, basic, five-sentence paragraph. Students write a paragraph with a topic sentence, supporting sentences and a concluding sentence. They first practice by viewing and...
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Autumn Writing
Students review and brainstorm the signs of autumn through a PowerPoint presentation/ lesson with embedded video clips. After brainstorming ideas as a group, Students use Kidspiration to develop a graphic organizer and follow the writing...
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Topic Sentences and Transitions
High school writers identify the purpose of both a topic sentence and a transitional statement. They write a topic sentence which denotes the paragraph topic and the author's stand on that topic. Then they write an effective transitional...
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Tornado Brainstorming
While the focus of this lesson is on writing about tornadoes, any topic could be substituted. The lesson provides a well-thought out overview of the writing process. Learners come up with a thesis statement, supporting details, and...
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Civil War Essay
Upper graders explore equality by writing an essay. They read the story Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco, and discuss the meaning of the story and its relevance to Civil War events. Learners investigate the five writing process steps and...
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Getting Hooked, Introduction for a Narrative
How can you interest your reader? Here is a great lesson on reading and discussing the characteristics of a narrative. Elementary schoolers explore writing techniques to hook the reader. They identify their hook and share their...
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Counting Sentences' Words
Explore language arts by completing a worksheet with class. They read the story Owl Moon and discuss the rhythm of the writing and how action verbs are used appropriately. Then complete a writing worksheet which discusses writing...
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Contemporary Civic-life Issue Research Based Essay
Seventh graders write a five paragraph persuasive essay on a contemporary civic-life issue.
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The Missing Link
What is the missing link? Provide your class with this incomplete essay (it's missing transition words), and have writers place words from the transition word bank into the essay. Also, since only three of the five paragraphs are...
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I'm Published! A Parts of Speech Book
Reinforce the importance of the writing process with this publication instructional activity. Elementary and middle schoolers compose a parts of speech book which includes one page each for nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs,...
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Way to Go Bananas
Fifth graders explore bananas. In this interdisciplinary lesson, 5th graders discover the dietary benefits of bananas, complete a fruits word search, write banana myths, research banana recipes, and use their problem solving skills to...
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Venn Diagram for Compare/Contrast
Use this lesson to focus on a compare and contrast writing structure in your middle school language arts class. Here, young writers compare and contrast two texts using graphic organizers. They use a double bubble format for their...
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ESL/ELD: Learning about Ash Wednesday
An overview of the history and tradition of Ash Wednesday in 2 paragraphs is accompanied by an array of language activities: cloze exercise, phrase matching, word jumble, multiple choice, sequencing, interview, group presentation,...
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Email Buddies
Collaborate with another class (or school) and have your learners share ideas about their reading through the use of email. Perhaps you'll create a specific question or a few questions for writers to choose from. Not only will they...
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Run On Sentences
Explore run-on sentences with your language arts class. There is a SMART Board presentation included, but even if you don't have access to this technology, there are several useful pieces here. Provide your learners with the "student...
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Document-Based Essay on U.S. Reaction to North Korean Nuclear Policy
Students compose essays on nuclear policies. In this North Korea lesson, students examine political cartoons and primary documents regarding nuclear build-up by North Korea. Students write essays about North Korea's military goals and...
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Picture This
Elementary writers practice writing descriptive paragraphs by adding adjectives and sensory words to their writing. They use a picture of a monster for their descriptive paragraph. This 12-page lesson plan should increase your charges...
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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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Discovering Saturn, The Real "Lord of the Rings"
Reading, writing, and rings! A instructional activity from NASA combines space science with authentic reading and writing tasks. Included in this instructional activity are pre-reading activities, four mini informational...
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American Studies
Entitled American Studies, this small unit covers various topics related to the study of the United States. Learners warm up by creating a dictionary of democracy, then dive into three different lessons focused on government, famous...