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Practicing Literary Analysis
Ninth graders analyze the poem, "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner." They read, discuss, and critique the poem in small groups focusing on plot and figurative language. They compose a short essay explaining how various literary elements...
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Creating an Anthology
Student compile a poetry anthology. In this literature lesson, students examine notable poetry anthologies. Students then select a theme to build their anthologies of 10 poems pertaining to their chosen theme.
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Comparing Two Poe Classics
Students read and discuss The Black Cat and The Tell-Tale Heart. For this poetry lesson, students construct a Venn diagram to compare and contrast two pieces of literature.
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Jazz in America
Students explore Bebop in America by listening to music and answering questions.
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Jazz in America
Students learn where Jazz came from and why it is an important part of America's history.
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Jazz in America
Students explore the Jazz of today and its future. They answer questions and listen to music.
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Jazz in America
Students explore Free Jazz and Fusion by answering questions and listening to music.
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Jazz in America
Students explore jazz and its origins by focusing on the people in which Jazz came from.
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Jazz in America
Young scholars explore the Swing Era and its implications. They answer questions and listen to music from the era.
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Imagery
Ninth graders explore poems, various poetic devices, and identify imagery used in poetry. In groups, they examine poetic devices, define them, paraphrase and summarize poetry. Students study poetry by Robert Frost as they explore...
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I Am a Person on Character
Sixth graders explore the portrayal of males and females in mass media. In this language arts lesson plan, 6th graders create a digital collage and write a description about themselves using similes and metaphors.
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Long Vowel Phoneme - oo
Learners recognize words by common spelling patterns. The teacher reads a poem to the class and look at rhymes for the word moon. They practice handwriting in conjunction with spelling, and they can even write their own -oo- poem!
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Contemporary Chicago 1936-2000
Seventh graders produce stories, poems, and drawings about Weisenborn's 1936 mural and make a comparable collage about Chicago in 2000.
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The Poetics of Hip Hop
Learners consider the role of rhythm, form, diction, and sound in poetry. In this integrated arts lesson, students discuss the attributes of poetry as they analyze Shakespearean sonnets, hip hop music lyrics, and poems by Nikki...
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Crossroads Blues
The crossroads, and the decisions made and entities met there, are a common theme in literature, pushing readers to examine the choices and encounters that shape life experience. The theme has also been explored in blues music, most...
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The Harlem Renaissance
Students, after researching/analyzing the movement "Harlem Renaissance" and Africa as well as reading literature from that time period, create lists of the major characteristics of the movement and its important writers. They bridge the...
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“Home on the Range”
Fourth graders analyze the song "Home on the Range" and identify its meaning and setting. In this timeline and retelling instructional activity, 4th graders use dictionaries to find definitions of unfamiliar words, create a...
Prestwick House
Catcher in the Rye Activity Pack
The Catcher in the Rye is the focus of a sampler that models some of activities included in a for-purchase packet based on J. D. Salinger's novel.
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Long Vowel Phoneme - ay
Kindergarteners spell patterns of the long vowel phoneme /ay/. After listenting to The Birthday Day, learners work together to construct a class book that utilizes words that end in /ay/. Since the /ay/ phoneme is used so much...
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Spring Fling
Students take part in a number of activities that center around a spring theme. They draw the steps to show process of growing seeds.
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The Witch of Goingsnake
Students listen to The Ballad of Ira Hayes and write paragraphs about his character. In this The Witch of Goingsnake lesson plan, students read the verses and chorus of the ballad aloud and make notes about Ira Hayes. Students write a...
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Literature: Isabel Allende
Students watch and respond to a Bill Moyers Now video on the Chilean author, Isabel Allende. They brainstorm a list of recent events that might inspire writers and choose one to write about in poetic, diary, or short story form.
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Headless Horseman, Heady Author
Twelfth graders explore figurative language as it appears in Washington Irving's original text, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, answer questions based on story, and write sequels to it by using the different types of figurative language...
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Lord of the Rings: The Quest is Achieved
Learners analyze what makes a hero in The Lord of the Rings, Book Six. They discuss the characters and the aspects of their behaviors that make them heroes and write essays regarding the climax and heroic gestures of a character. After...