Curated OER
Local Heroes
Students investigate heroes in their community by presenting a story of a true hero to their class. In this storytelling instructional activity, students interview a local person who has performed a heroic deed and create a presentation...
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Writing Myths II
Students complete a final draft of a myth. In this writing myths lesson, students complete their rough drafts, have a one-on-one meeting with the teacher to enhance ideas, and peer edit. Students use the comments and critiques to...
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Recording Instructions
Young scholars listen to another's presentation and take notes. After that the student in is paired with another student to recreate the instructions of the demonstration. They will have to have proper notes recorded down and be able to...
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Language Conventions:
Pupils assess their own book club performance during today's instructional activity. They share what they wrote in their journals and discussed in their small groups. They critique their individual performances as well as the...
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The Editing Process
Learners in upper-level college-bound English classes review the editing process and terms such as, tone, diction, transition, and conclusion. They read and evaluate a sample essay and identify parts they feel they could improve on. ...
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Literary Wizardry
Students discuss what they already know about the Harry Potter series. After reading an article, they examine a critic's reaction to the latest book in the series. As a class, they brainstorm what parts of their school day could use...
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Storytelling
Why are some people such good story tellers? Help youngsters demonstrate the art of storytelling. They start off by listening to a story and sharing what they noticed about the storytelling that made it exciting. Then, they study a story...
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Sink or Float
Second graders explore floating and sinking and make predictions about whether certain objects are likely to sink or float. They read the story Who Sank the Boat? by Pamela Allen. Pupils loacate rhyming words and discuss the events of...
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Setting the Story: Techniques for Creating a Realistic Setting
“It was a dark and stormy night.” Thus begins the 1830's novel Paul Clifford and, of course, all of Snoopy’s novels! Encourage young writers to craft settings for their stories that go beyond Edward Bulwer-Lytton’s often-mocked phrase...
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Aztec Myths: Writing Editorials
Middle schoolers write an editorial giving an opinion of whether or not Quetzalcoatl has arrived and if so, what the Aztecs should do. They discuss whether or not they believe Quetzalcoatl is a god or a man, and use an Editorial...
CPALMS
Analyzing Vonnegut's View of the Future and His Commentary on the Present in Harrison Bergeron
Kurt Vonnegut's short story "Harrison Bergeron" engages adolescents with its theme about the dangers of complete societal equality. Learners complete a graphic organizer to track literary elements in the story, as well as an inference...
EngageNY
Presenting a Research-Based Claim: Effective Speaking Techniques
Take note. Scholars receive their claim drafts back to revise and write their claims and three pieces of evidence on notecards. They save the notecards to use when the verbally present their claims to the class. At the end, individuals...
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The Abstraction Ladder (Using Examples in Essays)
Students examine and discuss most appropriate format for giving examples in the American discourse style.
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The Abstraction Ladder (Using Examples in Essays)
Pupils study the appropriate formats for giving examples in American discourse style. A ladder approach is used to demonstrate the concept. They write paragraphs about abstract concepts, such as beauty, wealth, and love, using methods...
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Original Children's Books
Bring the fun and creativity of children's stories to your language arts class. Middle schoolers write, revise, and publish an original student book which incorporates the elements of a short story. They put their story in the form of a...
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"One-Minute Monologue" Builds Communication Skills
Get everyone talking! It's rare that a lesson can potentially span from third to twelfth grade, but this one really can! Get two paper bags. Fill one with the names of each learner, and fill the other with random topics you brainstorm....
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Up-to-Date Aesop
Students translate one of Aesop's fables into a modern setting with modern language. They illustrate a fable using art supplies or illustration software on the computer.
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Book Smarts
Students identify the ideas and themes that are most significant in a work of literature, then propose ways to visually represent these themes through art.
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Emily Dickinson Poetry
Students identify a poem by Emily Dickinson for analysis. They apply a set of critical questions to a poem in order to interpret poem and find literary elements used by author. They organize information for a PowerPoint presentation...
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Creating Characters
Students examine the methods of effective characterization. In this writing skills lesson, students discuss how emotions, dialogue, actions, and physical descriptions build believable characters. Students then use the methods of...
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Can You Hear Me Now?
Students demonstrate their ability to give and follow verbal directions. They explain steps to guide another student to reproduce a drawing, and evaluate their partner's articulation abilities.
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Journal Writing: Daily Activities
Students use present tense verb endings by describing his/her routine daily activities, demonstrating verb endings. They listen to teacher's description, taking notes. They write their own journal entries about their own daily routines.
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Heads Up for Headlines!
Learners write headlines expressing the main idea of a group of de-headed news stories.
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Casting a Wide Net
Students investigate topics that would be suitable for classroom podcasts. They read an online article, write and produce a podcast.