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The Monkey and the Coconuts
For this puzzle based worksheet, young scholars read a short story featured in the Saturday Evening Post in 1926. After reading the story, students determine the starting number of coconuts that were available to the shipwrecked island...
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Protest Art in Pre-Revolutionary Russia
Students study the social class conflicts that existed during the Russian Revolution by reading the short stories of Anton Chekov and Leo Tolstoy. They analyze the stories to find criticisms of pre-Revolutionary Russia before designing...
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Make a Book Into a Movie
Turn your high schoolers into casting directors with this instructional activity, which focuses on turning a class novel into a movie. Choosing the cast for a movie based on a class reading, as well as designing a poster for the movie,...
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Critic's Choice
Third graders read three to five genres and choose one as a favorite. They write an essay persuading the class to read the genre. This instructional activity serves as a nice introduction to different styles of literature.
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An Unfinished Tale...
Challenge your writers to compose a proper ending for the short story "The Talisman." Class members start out by either listening to or reading the first nine paragraphs of the story. The rest is up to them! Encourage kids to resolve the...
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"The Necklace" and "Cinderella"
Tenth graders complete literature analysis activities using Guy de Maupassants "The Necklace" and the Grimm Brothers "Cinderella." In this literature analysis lesson plan, 10th graders discuss the life and career of Guy de...
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Summarization Safari
Young scholars summarize a piece of fiction text. After reviewing the correct way to question while reading, students independently read a short story. They complete a summary organizer using the five Ws outlined by the instructor during...
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Science Fiction
Students complete compare and contrast activities for two stories about racism and tolerance in the science fiction genre. For this literary analysis lesson, students read a Ray Bradbury short story and Walter Mosley poem, watch a...
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Langston Hughes: Voice Among Voices
Learners study Langston Hughes's poetry, short stories, and his first autobiography. They read and appreciate the candid, honest and powerful creative masterpieces of this black genius and discuss the numerous universal themes and...
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Wrapped in Mystery
Sixth graders can identify five basic elements that most mysteries contain. They put the elements of mystery into a graphic organizer they can follow. They construct meaning after reading Poe's short story and identify or infer the...
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Kolam: A Living Art of South Asia
Students will read the short story "Meenakshi's Magic Hands" by Santhini Govindan and view a slide show of photo images interspersed with the text to learn of the art form of Kolam. Students read and reflect upon a nonfiction essay,...
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"Blackbeard's Ghost" Differentiated Lesson Plan
Develop a better understanding of "Blackbeard's Ghost" with this differentiated lesson. Working in groups on a creative project, middle schoolers can reinforce their reading comprehension and literary analysis skills. Use this...
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Summarizing Summer
Fourth graders summarize a piece of text. After reviewing the correct way to read in order to summarize, 4th graders independently read a selection of their choice. They write a summary paragraph using the graphic organizer outlined by...
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Writing a Narrative
Sixth graders read the short story "Eleven". They write a narrative composition focusing on the use of voice. Students use a computer to create a pre-writing graphic organizer and type their final draft.
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Regents High School Examination Comprehensive Examination in English Session Two (2004)
In this Regents High School Examination Comprehensive Examination in English worksheet, students read a short story excerpt and an autobiographical excerpt and answer reading comprehension questions. Students then write...
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Storyboard for Persuasive Text
Middle schoolers demonstrate their knowledge of the main elements of a story by creating a storyboard. In this persuasive writing instructional activity students create storyboards that are intended to persuade a director to make a...
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Baseball Cards
Students read a short story on baseball cards and reflect on Honus Wagner's decision to withdraw his card. In this baseball cards lesson plan, students study how children used cards in the 1930's and express their understanding of Honus...
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A Movie in Your Mind: Persuasive Text
Students listen to a broadcast of War of the Worlds and illustrate what they hear. In this persuasive text lesson plan students prepare for making a movie poster intended to persuade a director to make a film based on a short story.
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Make Lemonade
Students participate in pre-reading activities such as looking at the graphics on the cover, reading the synopsis on the back cover, reading the dedication, and discussing the title. Students read the text aloud, stopping at strategic...
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Logical Sequence
Students examine logical and illogical sequences in writing. They identify illogical sequences of sentences in a letter. Students retell short stories using a logical sequence and students place sentences in logical order.
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Small Actions with Big Results
Students explore philanthropy in literature. In this literature lesson plan, students read text from three different genres that all have a moral. Students compare and contrast these pieces of literature, focusing on the character traits...
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A Fish Tale
Students brainstorm a list of famous events that took place on the sea. They write a poem or short story from the fish's perspective about the famous event they have chosen. Students share their work with the class.
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Plot Structure
Ninth graders review the parts of a plot sequence for a short story. They think of a famous Disney movie and plot the events of the movie in the correct plot sequence. They do the same for a comic strip, labeling the exposition, rising...
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Beginning Your Journal
Students develop a deeper awareness of the use of journals and gather inspiration to begin their journal from their graphic time lines. They explore, ponder, test and illustrate self-expression through daily journal writing. Each student...