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Sentence Elaboration with Prepositional Phrases
Read a short story, "A Day at the Park" together as a class. Have the class break up into groups to add prepositional phrases to each sentence to make it more elaborate and interesting. Consider having a volunteer from each group...
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Oklahoma Stone Soup
Learners discover the history of the Oklahoma Territory and what foods cowboys used to eat while on the move. In this culinary activity, students read the ingredients to Oklahoma Stone Soup and prepare them in a crock pot over the...
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The Wright Stuff
In this instructional activity, students design an exhibition on the history of aviation for a science museum. For homework, they write short stories envisioning the future of flight in the year 2014.
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The Froggy Page
Students investigate the cycle of life by observing tadpoles. In this biology lesson, students utilize the Internet to read stories, observe pictures, and listen to sounds of frogs. Students create a poster board collage...
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Uncommon Heroes of Today
Students create a photo-biography of someone they consider a real life hero. In this character sketch lesson, students define a hero and identify heroic characteristics in short stories. Students use descriptive words to...
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Redwall
For this literature worksheet, learners read the short story "Redwall" by Brian Jacques and then answer ten comprehension questions referring back to the story.
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Formulae One Champion To Take Driving Lessons
Learners are asked to call out 5 words or expression to do with 'education' and 5 to do with 'crime.' They make up a story that includes at least 6 of the words and expressions. Students are told that they are going to read a text...
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Tell Me a Train Story
Second graders write a short story based on train track safety and make a train-shaped class book.
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Beneath the News: Who's Doing What to Whom, and Who Cares?
Learners investigate the differences between various forms of media (print, radio, TV, Internet). They determine the target audience for each and compare exposure around the world. They write a short story and share it with the class.
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J’adore Blackpool, Chuck*: YouTube Lures the French to the British Seaside Resort
Ninth graders explore the British seaside resort Blackpool. In this British Travel ESL lesson, 9th graders read an article and answer guided reading questions. Students create a short story about what a person did in Blackpool.
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Anansi and the Tug O' War
Read a short book with your first graders! Anansi and the Tug O' War is the focus of this lesson. After reading the African story together, they complete language arts activities to practice reading comprehension. A stellar...
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Graphic Novel Writing Workshop
Khaled Hosseini’s video “Using Real People and Events” motivates learners to reflect on their own experiences and to use those experiences as the basis of a graphic novel that expresses a universal truth. The richly detailed plan...
The New York Times
Writing Fiction Based on Real Science - NYTimes.com
Refuse to alienate your scientific-minded young scholars during your creative writing unit. Learners explore how literary writing can reflect observable fact, and be based in actual science. The links include examples of fiction and...
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The Tell-Tale Hearts of Writers
Knock, knock, knock...Creep out your class with a critical thinking lesson focused on word relationships in Edgar Allen Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart." They investigate the relationship between word choice, mood, and interpretation of...
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Animal Fact or Fiction?
Read and discuss the article "Welcome to Cicadaville (Enter at Your Own Risk)" to gain a better understanding around the confusion regarding cicadas and locust swarms. In groups your young analysts research statements about animals to...
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Mystery Lessons
Learn about mysteries with your readers. They will investigate plot, basic elements of mystery, famous characters, and become familiar with genre vocabulary. Bring in props and mystery books to begin and then have learners create story...
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The Cutting Edge
Young writers examine the writings of Raymond Carver to investigate editing skills. They will develop original sentences. Then read the work of Raymond Carver to edit and analyze the ending. They revise and ending of their original...
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A Look Through My Antonia's Eyes
Thoroughly delve into My Antonia by Willa Cather with a plethora of activities. Engage scholars with videos and web sites in this week-long unit that explains the historical context and creates pioneers in the field of research. An...
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Civil Rights in America
Seventh graders visit the Smithsonian and are shown different exhibits. They are to make their own drawing about one of the exhibits and write about the experience.
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Greed is Good?
From Mr. Merdle to Mr. Madoff? A viewing of the PBS adaptation of Charles Dickens’ “Little Dorrit” launches an examination of greedy characters in literature and a study of greed, unfairness, and economic hardship today. The richly...
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Intermediate Guided Reading Lesson Plan
Learners read Knots on a Counting Rope, by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault. In this guided reading lesson, students evaluate the characteristics of a realistic fiction piece. They are asked comprehension questions during and after...
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Stanley's Story
Pupils create a newspaper story based on the events that occur in the novel Holes. They recall the basic facts of Stanley's story using the 5 W's plus H. Students write a fact based news story based on the information presented in the...
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Get to the Point!
Students summarize a selected piece of text nonfiction text. After reviewing the correct way to highlight important information, students read a nonfiction article. They write a summary paragraph using the five step process outlined by...
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Time: How To Tell What Time It Is
Learners practice telling time using analog and digital clocks. In this time telling lesson, students read the book The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle, and practice telling the time on a model clock that is constantly changing....