Curated OER
Writing Lesson Plan: Stop and Go: Capitals and Periods
Examine writing using a fun, interactive format. Young writers choose a piece of their own writing to proofread for initial capitals and final periods they left out. They work independently using green stickers to add capitals and red...
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"Knot" the Whole Truth: Writing a Modern-Day Story with a Tall Tale's Voice
Beyond Paul Bunyan and his blue ox, tall tales can be a great way to teach young writers about word choice and voice in their writing. Using Jerry Spinelli's Maniac Magee and the Six-Trait Writing process, they begin to write...
Roald Dahl
Matilda - Throwing the Hammer
Full truth, or an exaggeration? How can you tell when a storyteller is exaggerating a story? Readers analyze a story told by Hortensia, and identify the exaggerative language she uses. Then, learners write their own narrative story using...
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Thoreau's Writing Style
Students analyze Thoreau's writing style. In this writing style activity, students describe Thoreau's literary style and use the devices he employs in a response to one of his essays.
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Dear Mrs. LaRue; Letter Writing
Students listen to the story about a naughty dog who writes to his owner in letter form. In this writing a letter activity, students pretend to write to a character in the story and practice their literacy skills. Students then...
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Exaggerated Expressions
Students read literature, write poetry, plays, or explore historical information containing characters with strong emotions. After sketching a picture of the main character, they create a soft sculpture face. Students attach a the head...
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Theater: Create a Script
Figurative language is the focus in the book Teach Us, Amelia Bedelia. After reading Peggy Parish's book, class members dramatize idioms from the text, using dramatic strategies such as characterization, exaggeration, and...
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Writing tall Tales
Learners become familiar with the origins of the tall tale. In this Tall tale technology lesson, students complete worksheets to plan a tall tale. Learners write their tall tales and put it on the computer in KidPix.
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Acting as a Pre-write Tool
Second graders use acting to help them in a prewriting activity to develop a story. In this prewriting lesson plan, 2nd graders form a character map and brainstorm ideas for their story.
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Dance and Writing
Fourth graders use dance moves to perform narratives. In this dramatic performing lesson, 4th graders use strong and soft movements to show what character's voice is portraying. Students also use movement to show the feelings in the...
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When A Story Met A Sandwich
How is a story like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? Use making a sandwich as a metaphor to remind your writers that a good, solid beginning, a rich and rewarding middle, and an ending that brings everything together spices up a...
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Failure-Proof Writing: Assignments for the Student Who Can't/Won't Write
Students with learning disabilities are introduced to the techniques of proper writing. After completing a warm up, they practice writing about what they saw to determine where they are at in the process. In groups, they complete a set...
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Tabloid Tales
Students write news stories to accompany tabloid headlines. In this tabloid lesson plan, students learn the power of persuasion and exaggeration by writing stories based on actual tabloid headlines.
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Discovering Language Arts-Intermediate Fiction
Explore the elements of science fiction. Young scholars investigate the literary elements present in science fiction and write their own science fiction stories.
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Men of Steel
Students explore early 20th century steel making. For this U.S. history steel making lesson, students view and describe a postcard and a picture depicting exaggerated aspects of the steel industry. Students listen to a poem...
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Listening to Poetry: Sounds of the Sonnet
High schoolers investigate how sound influences meaning in poetry by listening to sonnets. They write an analysis after listening to and reading sonnets.
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Tall Tales
Students examine the characteristics of tall tales and how exaggerations are used. They create a character that is larger than life, they brainstorm attributes for their character, before writing a Tall Tale. They plan out their story,...
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Science Fiction Literature
Students identify the elements of science fiction literature. They write and illustrate a science fiction story using real and exaggerated science. In addition, they read their stories aloud in small groups.
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Johnny Appleseed
Students investigate Johnny Appleseed. In this cross curriculum literacy and U.S. history lesson, students listen to Johnny Appleseed by Steven Kellogg, and dictate important events in his life as the teacher writes them on index...
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What To Do? What To Do? Part One
Third graders listen as the teacher exaggerates a way of inappropriately handling losing their job. They review life-changing events and what is in a person's control and what is not. They then are given a life-changing situation slip...
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Hyperboles
Want to see the best instructional activity is the entire universe? Who doesn't love to exaggerate now and then? Get your class cozy with hyperbole as you read the story My Dad by Anthony Browne. During the reading you'll chart...
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Excellent Ehhhh
Students make the different e sounds and practice a chant about the e sounds. They use a letterbox to write different words utilizing the e sounds. They listen to a story about a dog named Red that emphasizes the e sound. They write a...
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American Folktales and Tall Tales
Young scholars explore the elements of American folktales. They discuss how they are passed on from generation to generation, how they use exaggeration, and how they convey a message or make a point. Students identify common elements...