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What a Character!
Students look at the role of characters in a story. In this character lesson, students discuss how different types of characters change the plot of the story. They see how storytellers use their body, face, and voice to tell stories.
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"Ivan the Fool" Lesson 1
Students in an ESL class read "Ivan the Fool", a folktale from Russia. In groups, they work with their partner to read the material and discuss what they have read. They write down any vocabulary they are unfamiliar with and write a...
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The Diary of Anne Frank
Eighth graders read the Diary of Anne Frank. In this novel reading lesson, 8th graders read and analyze the story. Students do online activities and create a newspaper giving a summary of three major events in the story. Students answer...
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Current Events
Students research current events and simulate a newscast of a current news story. They watch the evening news and write a summary of a story of interest, conduct Internet research and complete a worksheet on a current event, and...
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Bringing Facts Into Science Fiction
Learners develop a setting, plot and characters for a science fiction story based on current news themes, and then individually write drafts of the story.
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Cultural Creation Myths
Students write original plays based on supernatural explanations of existence. In this cultural creation myths lesson, students listen to five different stories about supernatural creation. Students record similarities and differences in...
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Verdi
Third graders explore language arts by answering study questions about a book they read. In this reading summary instructional activity, 3rd graders read the book Verdi by Janell Cannon and identify the plot, characters and sequence of...
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Learning With Paint And Literature: "Today I Feel Silly"
Students draw a picture related to the book "Today I Feel Silly" using a computer drawing program. They listen to the story and answer discussion questions, view drawings on the teacher's Paint website, and create an illustration of...
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Cinderella Trilogy
Young scholars look at three different versions of the Cinderella story. In this comparative literature lesson plan, students read the Chinese version "Yeh-Shen", the Egyptian version "Rhodopis," and the Native American version "The...
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Nadine Gordimer's Town and Country Lovers
Students are introduced to Nadine Gordimer's Town and Country Lovers in the context of the acts of apartheid. They analyze Gordimer's depiction of racist legislation at its most intimate levels. Students assess how to weave a political...
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King Arthur: Man or Legend
Young scholars research the Legend of King Arthur. In this King Arthur lesson, students explore him as he is presented in stories, poems, and art. Young scholars compare and contrast the real life of King Arthur versus the...
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A Way with Words or Say What?
Students examine Shakespearean language. In this word study lesson plan, students investigate the meaning of words that Shakespeare invented. Students draw and pantomime with the words prior to writing short stories that feature...
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Picture Books, Retelling, and Writing
Students create stories using only pictures. In this visual storytelling lesson, students read Pancakes for Breakfast by Tomie de Paola and analyze the wordless story. Students create new text for the book by writing on...
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The Velveteen Rabbit
First graders discuss and touch stuffed animals and a real rabbit. They complete a KWL chart about rabbits. They listen to the story The Velveteen Rabbit and discuss it. They research rabbits in the library and make a book.
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Greek Mythology: Cultures and Art
Students examine literary arts. In this Greek mythology lessons, students read Greek myths and select characters from the myths to study. Students create watercolor illustrations of the characters, write short stories about the...
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Reader's Theatre for The Little Red Hen Makes A Pizza
Students participate in reader's theatre. In this compare and contrast instructional activity, students read the book The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza. This instructional activity promotes fluency and expression. Students also...
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The Miracle Worker
Young scholars examine the senses and their communicative abilities in this story of Annie Sullivan's heroic efforts to teach her pupil, Helen Keller. William Gibson's novel, "The Miracle Worker" forms the focus of this lesson.
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Self Acceptance
Students explore their own self concept. They draw a picture of themselves, read a story, and write a story that has a character like themselves. Afterward, they write and illustrate their stories in PowerPoint.
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Fairy Tale Maps
Students study direction as they listen to the stories of Little Red Riding Hood and The Jolly Postman. In this cardinal direction lesson, learners create a map to show the path Little Red Riding Hood took in the story and label the path...
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Haunting Music
Students discover music that was inspired by the spooky and bizarre. In this music of Hector Berlioz and Camille Saint-Saens lesson, students identify elements of music and listen to the Symphonie Fantastique and Danse Macabre....
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Chinese Lion Dance
Students celebrate the Chinese New Year and listen to the story behind the Chinese Lion Dance. In this Chinese New Year lesson, students research the geography and culture of China. Students create puppets, dance the Lion...
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Personal Patriots
First graders review the Pledge of Allegiance and symbols of America. Students discuss the sequence used to say the Pledge of Allegiance. They practice reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Students view symbols of things they know and...
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Literature: Watching Anna
Students view the PBS presentation of Leo Tolstoy's, "Anna Karenina." Prior and after each episode, they discuss plot and characterization and in one lesson, use adjectives to describe each of the main characters. Then, students create...