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Illinois Biodiversity
Young scholars examine the amount of biodiversity in the state of Illinois. They practice using new vocabulary and listening to stories about animals. After given time to reflect, they write their own haiku. They work together to create...
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Deciphering the Mechanics of Poetry
After a review of poetic terms, groups are given an object and they create a poem using a simile, a metaphor, internal rhyme, end rhyme, alliteration, and personification. Groups then exchange objects and repeat the process. Consider...
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Odd and even
Learners play a game requiring them to select groups of odd or even numbers of objects with the aim of reaching a total which is an odd number. They carry out a more formal investigation of patterns in additions of odd and even numbers.
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Bones
Fifth graders observe real bones and models to learn about the structure and function of the skeletal system. In this skeletal system lesson, 5th graders manipulate objects and models of bones. They handle real bones and determine the...
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Proportions and Scale Factor for Measurement
Learners explore the concept of proportion. In this proportion lesson plan, students use google maps to find the distance the their school is from home. Learners discuss what a scale factor is through teacher led discussion. Students...
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Here's an Instant Activity for March 7, 2005
Fifth graders complete a spelling activity for homographs. For this spelling lesson, 5th graders complete a crossword puzzle using homographs.
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Giving and Taking Directions (Middle School)
Students describe the difference between a declarative sentence and a command. They complete a diagram verbs, prepositions and numbers. They follow directions on a map and create directions of their own to another location.
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How Do You Get to School?
Students, through a literature based assignment, explore basic modes of transportation and examine how different things move at different speeds.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Teach Mrs. Jones' Class about Microbes
During a biology activity, scholars research microbes, design a lesson plan using an outline, and present the activity to the class.
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Circumlocution
Young scholars describe unfamiliar objects and situations using existing vocabulary and circumlocution techniques.
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A World of Symmetry
Students identify lines of symmetry. In this symmetry lesson plan, students create objects and identify their lines of symmetry. They answer questions about lines of symmetry. Students cut shapes out of cookie dough and...
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Density and Mass
Students experiment to find which liquids are more dense. In this density and mass lesson plan, students predict and then test objects to observe and measure their density. students observe which items sink and float. Students...
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Urban Life: What Lives in Our Schoolyard?
Students research living organisms by exploring their school grounds. In this microscopic observation lesson plan, students gather materials, insects, and objects from their playground and schoolyard and bring them into class. Students...
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Relative Location
First graders use landmarks to describe relative locations of a place. In this geography and mapping lesson plan, 1st graders draw picture maps of their bedrooms to show an object's location in relation to other objects. As an...
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Junk Sort
Students analyze objects by one or more attributes. In this sorting lesson, students use manipulatives and string or yarn to create a sorting game. Students read books and items from the classroom to sort.
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The Great Spoon Challenge: Form and Function
Students organize objects in terms of form and function. In this architecture lesson, students are introduced to the ideas of form and function by playing a game in which they organize spoons in different ways. Extension activities are...
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Still-Life Painting: Arranging Nature—Lesson 2
Learners choose meaningful objects for a still-life arrangement and paint it using watercolors. After reflecting on their choice of objects and composition, students begin to write an artist's statement.
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Fossils and our Past (part 1 of 3)
Third graders investigate how some extinct organisms resemble organisms that are still alive today. They watch and discuss the Magic School Bus video about fossils, then create clay fossil imprints, matching the imprints to plaster of...
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Introduction to the Scientific Method
Learners recognize and follow the steps of the scientific method to complete an experiment. In this scientific method instructional activity, students use inquiry tools to measure objects. Learners record their data.
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Total Physical Response Storytelling
Fifth graders are introduced to the strategy TPRS (Total Physical Response Storytelling) for studying world languages. They utilize this strategy as a vehicle to storytelling and expand their vocabulary by contextualizing it in high...
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Simple Machines
Fourth graders discover the principles and uses of gears noting that they can be used to change the direction of motion or the speed of an object. They may also change the force and/or distance through which an object turns. They then...
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Sequencing / Story Events
Students read a story and use sentence strips to order story events. In this sequencing lesson plan, students learn new vocabulary words centered around the story Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, preview the story, make...
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Math - "Where Am I?" Position in Space
A big part of understanding mathematical concepts is by mastering the vocabulary associated with those concepts. Students identify and explore positional/directional words as they relate to math. Students answer eleven fill-in-the-blank...
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Clay Story Adventure
Students build three-dimensional rough draft for a story by creating objects, people, places, animals, etc., with clay, and write story in a journal, poem, or other written form.