Study word choice and connotation in advertising. Readers examine campaign ads, both negative and positive, from the 2006 mid-term election before discussing an article and analyze a campaign of any candidate they choose. Finally,...

Working with thermometers, sixth graders compare the value of positive and negative numbers. Plenty of teacher suggestions and independent practice ideas are presented. This website links to two more parts in this first of three integer...

Students engage in a discussion about how to write an acrostic poem. They demonstate the ability to use a word processor by typing an acrostic poem by following instructions. Word processing skills such as, centering text, changing font,...

Teach cube roots by building on an understanding of square roots. The third installment of a 25-part series asks learners to solve simple quadratic and cubic equations using roots. Scholars compare square roots and cube roots throughout...

Eeny, meany, miny, moe. It's time to choose a side. Scholars learn about taking a position by watching a video of a speech about local organic food. Next, pupils use graphic organizers to plan their speeches about which food chain is...

Time to pick a side! Building on the Fishbowl activity from the previous instructional activity, scholars choose a position about whether the American Academy of Pediatrics should raise its screen time recommendations. Using notes,...

“Who’s This Guy Dylan Who’s Borrowing Lines From Henry Timrod?” The basic question in this lesson from the New York Time’s Learning Network is whether artists and authors who use the words of others are stealing from that artist or...

Class members come together to study Amanda Gorman's poem "New Day's Lyric." After a close reading of the poem, learners watch a video of Gorman reading her poem, and then craft additional lines for the poem where they offer suggestions...

Although this vocabulary-in-context activity is focused on Judith Viorst's book Alexander, Who Use to Be Rich Last Sunday, the strategy can be applied to any book budding learners read with you. First, introduce the three...

Do any of your budding readers have parents who work the night shift? Eileen Spinelli's book Night Shift Daddy, which can be found on YouTube if you don't have it, examines this family dynamic in a positive light and is an...

Your class examines F.D.R.'s speech for examples of repetition, alliteration, emotionally charged words, etc. They listen to the speech and interview a person who heard it delivered. They finish by writing an article about the experience.

Students complete an obstacle course.  In this following directions lesson, students read the book Going on a Bear Hunt.  Students learn how to maneuver through the obstacle course, walk through the obstacle course and then...

First graders decode words containing the letter o when it is followed by a consonant and silent e.

Welcome to the backward world of negative numbers. This introductory lesson teaches young mathematicians that negative numbers are simply the opposite of positive numbers as they use number lines to plot and compare...

Besides the dictionary definition, words also carry the added weight of meanings that are inferred or implied, meanings conferred on words, or connotations. To gain an understanding the importance of connotation, class members...

The best sandwiches aren't always edible. Pupils use a Quote Sandwich graphic organizer to plan paragraphs two and three of their position papers about the best food chain. Next, they begin drafting their body paragraphs for the mid-unit...

Sixth and seventh graders compare and order integers. After locating integers in a newspaper, they describe examples of negative and positive integers. They draw a thermometer and locate positive and negative integers on the scale. In...

Students explore some different concepts in relation to using a number line for instruction. Given some number values, they graph the position on the number line. The lesson ends with them playing Bingo.

Beginning readers study the short /i/ sound. First they determine how the mouth moves when they say the target words in a tongue twister. They complete letterbox activities by making words with the short /i/ before reading What Is It and...

Word processing practice and vocabulary blend with proofreading in a multi-purpose lesson that makes excellent use of an hour in the computer lab. Learners edit the grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors in a given paragraph (not...

Tone and Mood are not synonymous! Introduce young readers to these literary devices with a series of exercises that not only point out the significant differences between the terms but also shows them how to identify both the tone and...

Give a little clue! Readers learn how context clues can help them determine the meaning of words by viewing a Context Clues Resource sheet then completing a Context Clues practice sheet. They then compare events presented by two...

Students role-play the position of a presidential candidate. They create their platform to include social justice programs and present it to the class. They answer questions to end the instructional activity.

Here's a very well organized lesson plan on learning the terminology of ballet. Learn the names of some basic positions, and how to perform them. Learn the names, which happen to be in French, of basic movements in ballet. Not only are...