Simon & Schuster
Classroom Activities for The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
A 16-page packet includes three activities for a unit study of Mark Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Before beginning the novel, class members identify the factors in their lives that helped create their frame of reference,...
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Life Size Characters
Sixth graders analyze character traits and create a life size character outline. In this character analysis lesson, 6th graders analyze character traits of a character using character webs and poems. Students then create a life size...
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Building Believable Characters
Young scholars use descriptive strategies such as physical descriptions, background, and comparison of characters when writing narratives. They develop the topic with supporting details and precise diction to paint a visual image in the...
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Chinese Zodiac
Fifth graders identify the basic elements of a narrative story, such as the beginning, middle, and the end; to analyze the character traits in the story to write a summary using the 5 Ws and How chart included; through sample stories...
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The Name Jar
Students participate in a lesson that focuses on the literature of Korea. "The Name Jar" is read by students to practice some essential reading skills. This would include the recognition of sequence in a story, characterization, and...
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Building a Literature Pyramid
Students create a literature pyramid. They review and discuss their assessment task and rubric and select the literature for their pyramid. They read the literary selection and complete a pyramid sheet for one of the four literary...
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Solving an Original Character's Problem With Voice and Emotion
Students read the story A Bad Case of the Stripes and then write their own story conveying a lot of emotion. In this writing lesson plan, students select a title, an emotion, brainstorm, and then start writing.
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Personality Poems
Students create a bio-poem for themselves or characters in stories they have read. They explore common character traits.
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Dr. Seuss Diaries
Young scholars find a Dr. Seuss quote or saying from a selected book and relate it to their own life experience by using the quote in a short story. They choose a Dr. Seuss book from a pre-selected group or from the school library. ...
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Trickster Tales
Students study folk tales and moral lessons from cultures around the world. In this character traits lesson, students study moral lessons through the character traits in various cultures folk tales. Students complete 11 activities...
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A Friend Is...
Students investigate characteristics of friendship through literature and interviews then share their ideas through posters. They role play scenarios related to friends and problems they might have. This instructional activity reflects...
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Building Two Literature Pyramids
Middle schoolers create literature pyramids. They read selections of various societies, eras, and ideas. They complete two pyramid sheets for the same literary element including either plot, character, setting, or theme. They color-code...
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Narrative Writing Outline
Students explore the elements of a narrative for its purpose, type of audience, mood, main character, minor characters, setting, and conflicts in the story. A story outline is developed and a five paragraph essay composed in this lesson.
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Who am I?
Pupils develop their writing skills by creating a character sketch about themselves. Students read character sketches, view portraits by famous artists, select one personality traits, and affix a mug shot of themselves into a famous...
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Problem/solution
Students examine presentations of problems and reaching solutions in literature. In this writing skills instructional activity, students read "The Three Little Pigs," and respond to several discussion questions about plot, characters,...
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Seussville Meets the 4 Blocks
First graders read and examine Dr. Seuss books, and create and write their own stories.
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Multimedia Book Reports
Students read a chapter book of 100-200 pages in length. They create a story map and multimedia book report. Pupils review the elements of a story map such as: characters, setting, problem, important events, solution, etc.) Students...
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Bear Hunt
Students are introduced to the technique of pantomime. In groups, they take a story and create a pantomime for it to perform in front of the class. They also practice ways to change their body posture and facial expressions to...
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Where is Flat Stanley?
Young scholars create a story map of the basic elements and significant events of the book Flat Stanley. Students brainstorm places they would like to visit if they had been flattened and then, write about an imagined experience. Young...
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The Tale of the Feral - Care and Multiplication of Feral Cats
Students differentiate between a feral cat and a domesticated cat. In this cat lesson plan, students use the scientific method, calculate averages, solve story problems, and learn how a caretaker can help a feral colony live safely.
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Help, I'm a Prisoner in the Library
Fourth graders complete activities with the book Help, I'm a Prisoner in the Library by Eth. In this reading ideas instructional activity, 4th graders are broken into tiers based on their reading ability and complete different...
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Heroes
Learners explore heroism. In this character development and Holocaust lesson plan, students generate adjectives that describe familiar heroes. Learners view a video clip that includes testimonies of Holocaust survivors, and compare the...
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Mini-Unit: Natural Resources
Students explore how their choices affect others. In this character development and ecology lesson, students debate choice-making issues. Students listen to The Lorax by Dr. Seuss and identify choices the characters made...
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A Community of Givers
Students explore charitable organizations. In this character development lesson plan, students read about children who have contributed to charitable organizations, research a variety of these organizations, plan a project, and prepare a...