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Topics and Ideas -- Sort and Seize
Learners examine the writing process. They determine the needs of the readers of their story before writing. They use peer-editing to check for errors and read their story to the class.
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Your Future Occupation
Students write a story about themselves as the main character in a work situation. In this writing perspectives activity, students brainstorm about their future occupation. Students then use themselves as the main character in a short...
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Rain Forests
Students investigate the animals and plants of the rainforests. They define rainforest, watch and discuss a National Geographic video, and write a short story.
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Playing with Puns
Students examine the wit of characters in two plays. In this drama lesson, students read The Shakespeare Stealer by Gary L. Blackwood and Twelfth Night by Shakespeare. Students analyze the puns used in both plays and write essays that...
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The Shape of Home
Students define home and understand that home is not the same to everyone. In this homes lesson, students participate individually and in groups to create a classroom definition of home. Students discuss the events in the story the Shape...
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Legends Old and New
Students listen to a Native American legend and discuss the basic elements of story. In small groups they read and analyze more legends from books and Websites. Then they compose and present an original legend.
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The Woman Who Slept for Thirty Years
Students are given a bit of information, but must share their information with other students in order to learn enough to solve the puzzle. When students have all the clues, they construct a theory to explain the facts. The teacher adds...
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Literature: Esperanza Rising
Young scholars read and discuss the book, Esperanza Rising. After analyzing and identifying the novel's structural elements, they examine working conditions for migrant workers in the 1930s. As part of the lesson, students in groups...
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Counting Crows
Young scholars discuss the fable, The Crow and the Pitcher. In this literature instructional activity, students read the fable and create a crow sock puppet. Young scholars use their puppets to dramatize the fable.
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Tsunami! Examining Earth's Most Destructive Waves
Young scholars investigate just what a tsunami is, what causes it, how fast it travels, what it looks like, and its devastating effects upon landfall. They read the experience of a former Peace Corps Volunteer who went to Sri Lanka...
Creative Educator
Amazing Animal Alliterations
Creatures can cause creativity! Alliteration can make writing more enjoyable and entertaining. Help your pupils grasp this concept by using animals as inspiration for alliterative sentences. Prepare your class for the activities by first...
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Theme: The Search for Meaning
Students explore themes. In this literary elements instructional activity, students view a PowerPoint presentation defining and describing examples of common theme traits. Students read several short passages, then infer the theme of...
Media Smarts
Looking at Newspapers: Introduction
A scavenger hunt introduces class groups to the different sections of newspapers and the different types of articles found in each section.
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Prewriting 2 Getting Ideas
Fourth graders read a poem or short paragraph and have students picture it in their minds. They relate the topic to something in their experience and illustrate, 4th graders generate questions with a graphic organizer, use Prewriting2...
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Narrative Writing
A basic lesson on personal narrative writing is here for you. In it, learners are asked to imagine they're going to share an experience of their own with someone who did not participate in that experience. They verbally tell the story to...
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Four Folk Tales About HYO: The Confucian Tradition of Filial Piety
Learners explore the nuances of Confucianism. In this Korean society lesson, students complete jigsaw reading assignments on the Hyo. Learners compare their own reverence for parents to that described in the pieces about Korea.
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Strategies for Organization and Elaboration of Personal Narrative
Personal narrative writing is usually a favorite form of writing for youngsters because they get to write about a personal experience. The lesson here asks pupils to take a piece of narrative writing and improve it by following...
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Desert Views: First Impressions
Students are introduced to primary source material and the ways in which early travelers viewed aspects of the desert environment. The activity addresses the geography themes of location, region, and human/environment interaction.
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Flat Stanley Visits....Your Imagination in Claymation!
In this literature lesson, students read the Jeff Brown book Flat Stanley and collaborate to create claymation characters from the story. Students create a claymation video and discuss using word cards during hte movie.
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Penguin Writing
After discussing the main events in Mr. Popper’s Penguins, young writers describe in sequence what they would do if they had 12 penguins living in their house. The narratives are then glued onto a penguin cut-out, mounted on construction...
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Author's Purpose
Sixth graders brainstorm the reasons authors write, and they list their responses on the board. Students discuss each purpose they have listed.Students work independently to read the selection "Tarantulas and Typhoid" by...
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Writing Process- Narrative Writing
Graphic organizers are a wonderful tool for young writers to use to help them get their thoughts in order for a piece of writing. Here, learners are coached on what a piece of narrative writing is, and how they must have a distinct...
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Being in the Noh: An Introduction to Japanese Noh Plays
High schoolers read a Japanese Noh play and discuss its structure and traditional characters. They choose a short myth and write a Noh play based on it.
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'Song of the South' a racist tune?
Students read the information about the movie "Song of the South" and watch some of the clips. They write their reaction to the proposal to re-release the movie. Students consider whether it would matter if the studio adds an...