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Literature Soundtracks
Mix music into your literature class! After reading a novel (either in class or as outside reading), your mix masters create a soundtrack of 10 songs to accompany their reading. What does each song add to the story? A fun activity for...
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Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez
Pupils identify productive resources that are important to migrant workers. In this lesson on resources, students give examples of natural resources, human resources and capital resources that apply to migrant workers. This lesson has...
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Measuring Comprehension in First Graders
Make a prediction! Read The Very Cranky Bear with your first graders, making predictions and asking questions. Consider creating a list of comprehension questions to post while readers are listening to the story. Also consider...
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Science in baseball
Sixth graders examine how science is used in everyday activities, such as baseball.
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Guide Words in a Dictionary
Second and third graders match the five pairs of guide words to the words in a list that should appear on the same page in a dictionary. They look at a second set of five pairs of guide words and circle the word (from three choices) that...
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What's The Story?
Teams of learners integrate reading, writing, math, social studies, and science in this simple, yet effective lesson. They work in groups in order to solve a ten-step problem which requires internet research, the use of a calculator, and...
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Step Into the Past: Change and Growth in Arkansas
The concept of change over time is presented in this history instructional activity. In it, learners discuss how some things stay the same over time, while other things change. Teams of students research and create a timeline of...
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Use of Personification and Imagery in Poetry
A reading of Theodore Roethke’s dark "Root Cellar" and Sylvia Plath’s more abstract "Mirror" launches a discussion of imagery and personification in poetry. After finding examples of personification in the poems, class members...
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"Herstory" in Michigan - Great Women of our Great State
Students discover the struggles and achievements of women throughout Michigan's history, the changes that have taken place in women's roles, and the difference one person can make. This lesson focuses on the impact women have made on the...
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This Just in! Nile Network News Update
Have your young reporters research contributions of the ancient Egyptians, draft scripts, and broadcast their stories live on the Nile Network News. Depending on class size and age, topics may be brainstormed or assigned. The detailed...
BBC
Words In The News: Japan Textbook Back In Spotlight
High-interest articles are a great way to get struggling readers to tackle difficult vocabulary. Here is a lesson that includes such an article. It is focused around a very interesting and controversial article about the teaching of...
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Comprehension: Setting
Young scholars discuss what setting represents. In this language arts lesson plan, students review the three elements of setting: where the story takes place, when does the story take place, and is it past, present, or future? Young...
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Story Mapping: Guide for Cross-Disciplinary Application
In this story mapping learning exercise, students read how story mapping can apply to 3 different areas of study: history, English and science lab. The components of story mapping that are included here are setting, characters,...
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The "Bones" of the Story-Story Elements
In this story elements worksheet, students are instructed to read a Clifford book, then fill in graphic organizer "bones" with the title, setting, characters, problem, events and resolution.
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Story Map
In this story map activity, 7th graders identify and record the elements a story, including setting, problem, plan, and resolution.
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Short Stories: The Puzzle Pieces of Life
Students distinguish the elements of fiction in a short story. In this fiction elements lesson, students complete nine lessons of activities to learn about the elements of fiction in short stories.
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Story Elements Test
In this story elements worksheet, students use the four terms in the wordbank and write in their numbers inside each box to indicate what type of element it is.
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Acronyms - Characters in Hawthorne's Stories
Students create acronyms for book characters. In this literature study, students learn about and create acronyms for characters in Nathaniel Hawthorne's short stories The Minister's Black Veil and Young Goodman Brown. Students' acronyms...
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Introduction to Main Events
Identify main events in a text. Readers will read The Kissing Hand and discuss the main events of the story. They will use sentences strips to write down events and place them in order. Alternative books are suggested.
Power Show
Out of the Dust
Is your class reading Out of the Dust? If they are, or if this is your first time teaching Karen Hesse's Newbery Medal winning novel, check out the ideas in a presentation that outlines what you and your class can do while reading about...
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Lesson Plan for The Little Red Hen
Cultivate young performers while teaching them about helping one another with this interactive storytelling lesson. Elementary schoolers read or listen to the story The Little Red Hen by Mike Lockett and then act out the story while...
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education
Cinderella
Reading fairy tales is so much fun! Learners use dramatic play to assist them in defining and expressing the main theme found in the story of Cinderella. Each group is given a story card and will create a tableau based on the main point...
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Immigration: Stories, Struggles and Debates
Considering including Tatyana Kleyn's Immigration: The Ultimate Teen Guide as part of your course? Check out this curriculum guide designed for use with her book. The activities help learners understand the complexity of the...
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"Spelldown" by Becky Mushko
Learners read Spelldown, by Becky Mushko and consider how it portrays the Appalachian community. They define and discuss vocabulary presented in the story and write a comparison/contrast paper analyzing two of the story's characters. The...