Lesson Plan
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Break the Pentomino Code!

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students read and analyze the book, Chasing Vermeer. They discuss the main story elements, analyze how pentominoes are important to the story, use a pentomino code to decipher a message, and create a secret code of their own.
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It's All in the Making: Our Local Organizations

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Young scholars study African American nonprofit organizations. In this nonprofit organizations lesson, students discuss African American organizations. Young scholars research the NAACP and NUL website. Students design posters for both...
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Where Oh Where

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Learners read a current event article orally and make connections regarding the geographic themes of the newspaper location. In this current event article lesson, students use a map to locate where the event from their...
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Folktale Unit Ideas

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students read a variety of folktales and participate in writing, drawing, measurement, and time activities that relate to the stories. They graph the number of different versions of one folktale that the class finds and reads.
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Writing a Children's Book -- Young Authors

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers practice their writing skills by creating a children's book. They integrate five elements of short stories into the narrative. They share their stories with their book buddies.
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The Eighty Yard Run

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners read and explore the themes of the book The Eighty Yard Run. In this literature lesson, students discuss their observations and predictions. Learners develop their own story which is similar to that of The Eighty Yard Run.
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A Moroccan Fairy Tale vs. European Folk/Fairy Tale

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders explore world geography by reading two different fairy tales. In this cultural storytelling lesson, 2nd graders read Snow White and the Seven Dwarves and the Moroccan story The Girl Who Lived with the Gazelles. Students...
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Understanding the Effects of Water Pollution

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders examine the effects of water pollution by participating in a story. After reading the story, they determine the best way to get rid of the pollution in a river using different objects. In groups, they complete a worksheet...
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Subtraction

For Teachers 1st
First graders write and illustrate a story for a subtraction problem subtracting from the number ten. Students explore subtraction situations by using counters to represent a familiar number- based literature selection. Students role...
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Rosa Parks

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scholars identify the heroic actions of Rosa Parks. In this African-American instructional activity, students read the book, Rosa Parks: My Storyand create a timeline of the events from the biography.
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Order My Steps

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students organize and sequence their writing ideas using different graphic organizers. They use the ideas to write a story that takes place over two days.
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Places We Live

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students compare/contrast rural and urban communities, and view and discuss the images on the Illinois quarter. They discuss Abraham Lincoln's life, complete a chart and a Venn diagram comparing urban and rural settings, and create a...
Lesson Plan
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Reasons for English Colonization

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students explain the reason for English colonization. They review the reasons for the colonization and settlement in Virginia and trace the route from England to Virginia through the Chesapeake Bay to Jamestown on a map.
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Lesson on Ethnic Discrimination

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Students study ethnic discrimination. In this discrimination lesson plan, students define ethnicity and ethnic discrimination in the global community as well as steps against it. Students examine their own ethnic backgrounds...
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Philanthropy and You

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students identify human rights and study the values of historical figures who fought for human rights. In this human rights instructional activity, students define the term human rights and research examples of human mistreatment in...
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Traveling on the Sea of Gold: An Adventure in Japan Through Literature

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners explore the geography and culture of Japan through the story "Sea of Gold" by Yoshiko Uchida. They draw a travel poster of Japan, label a map of Japan, use chopsticks to eat Cheerios, read and discuss various books about Japan,...
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Creating a Human Rights Community

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students work together to create lists of rights and responsibilities that set a standard of behavior to foster human rights in their community. They participate in class discussions, draft a plan of action to establish these behaviors...
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Where Does Water Come From: The Water Cycle

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students explore the water cycle. In this water cycle lesson plan, students read the book The Magic School Bus Wet All Over and summarize the steps of the water cycle. Students label a picture map of the water cycle.
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Tuck Everlasting: UDL Team Lesson Plan

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners participate in a differentiated activity about Tuck Everlasting. In this Tuck Everlasting activity, students work on comprehension strategies that are leveled for their reading ability. They focus on the ability to tell the main...
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Making Public Policy

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders examine a Legislative website to view the biography of a member and a map of the district that the member represents. They are then visited by the member who engages students in a discussion about how legislators make...
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Decision Making, Take a Seat or Get off the Bus

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders explore the positive and negative consequences of choosing to fight against discrimination. They read the story of Rosa Parks. Students discuss the movement against segregation. Students read other books about...
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Down on the Ocean Floor

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students build a map of the Atlantic Ocean floor and mark the different depths.  In this ocean floor lesson students identify parts of the ocean floor that they created and discuss patterns that they see.
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Grandfather's Journey

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders explore world cultures by reading a children's story in class. In this Japanese heritage lesson, 3rd graders read the book Grandfather's Journey and identify the characters, setting and plot that takes place. Students...
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Lesson 22: The Great Chicago Fire Survivors

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students, in groups, create a historical fiction story of a Great Chicago Fire survivor by writing a survival narrative.