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Science Fiction
Young scholars write a science fiction story. In this science fiction lesson, students read selections of science fiction and compare them to supernatural stories from the Bible. Young scholars identify themes and discuss...
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When I Was Puerto Rican
Students are read passages from When I Was Puerto Rican and asked to respond to the passages in their journals. They decide on a topic for researching and they use this topic to develop their own memoirs.
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Understanding Immigration Through the Use of Triante Poetry
Third graders read a book about emigrating to America. They create and illustrate a triante poem using sensory words, depicting something they liked about the story.
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So You Think You Got A Problem
Students find alternatives to conflicts that they, may confront in their everyday lives Through the use of literature, students are given opportunities to use parallel tasks that will instruct them on how to identify and correct their...
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Intergenerational Friendships
Students complete a variety of activities dealing with the book "Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge" by Mem Fox. They take a field trip to a senior citizen's home and conduct an interview, and complete journal entries having to do with...
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Al Capone Does My Shirts
Students are introduced to the novel "Al Capone Does My Shirts". Using primary source documents, they identify the unique geographical differences between where they live and the setting in the novel. They complete a Venn diagram...
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Chiune Sugihara, Living by Gandhian Principles
Seventh graders read about Chiune Sugihara and analyze the moral situations he faced. In this morality lesson, 7th graders read chapters from A Special Fate, Chiune Sugihara: Hero of the Holocaust and analyze his moral decisions in the...
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Oedipus Wrecks
Young scholars explore the concept of the 'tragic hero' and how such characters are relevant in theatre, literature, and history.
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Waterfalls
Third graders practice identifying the main idea and supporting details when reading informational text. They read text related to waterfalls and practice note taking skills to identify critical details. Students use their notes to...
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Historical Fiction: A Wealth of Interpretations
Students read a book from the Dear America series and contrast different points of view. They respond to the book either by participating in a literature circle or completing a journal entry. They compare and contrast two books or a...
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Buddy, Are You Ready?-Preparing for School Emergencies
Students explore natural disasters by reading stories about volcanoes, earthquakes, floods, and hurricanes. They explore safe behaviors in order to understand what to expect in a catastrophe. Students practice safe evacuation procedures...
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Characters' Coming of Age
Learners develop older versions of child or adolescent characters from favorite works of literature, adapting them for teenage or adult sequels. They each outline a sequel and write its first chapter.
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My Family Tradition
Young scholars examine different family traditions to further explain social patterns. They complete a graphic organizer using educational software.
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"Wright-ing" Biographies for Young Readers
Students research the life of the Wright brothers or another famous person, write a draft biography, peer edit, make edits, and share the final biography with a younger reader. Lesson can be adapted for younger and older learners.
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Science: Identifying Properties of Matter
Students observe a demonstration of the the three forms of matter - air, water, and solids - in plastic bags. After discussing the properties, they transfer them to a Venn diagram. Finally, students identify five items in the classroom...
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Dear Mrs. Parks Teacher's Guide
Students read and respond to the book, Dear Mrs. Parks. In this African-American literature lesson plan, students read the text and examine several vocabulary words from the text. Students answer 11 discussion questions and participate...
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If These Walls Could Talk: Seeing a Culture Through Human Features
Students read Talking Walls and discuss the walls presented and their importance to the culture. In this geography lesson, students locate and label each country/continent discussed in the book on a world map. Students take a walk and...
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Heroes
Tenth graders participate in research and class discussion before attempting to write a traditional five paragraph essay. They use the examples of 16 other hero stories to consider. Students use examples and descriptive details to...
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Mystery and Mayhem
Students use literature to examine the violence and loss of innocence during the 1960s. In this U.S. history lesson, students read Robert McCammon's Boy's Life to investigate the social unrest, violence and loss of innocence in the...
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Character Education-Perseverance
Students learn what it means to stick to a task through the re-telling of the story, "The Little Engine That Could." Personal application is made to their own experiences with the completion of, "I think I can..." endings.
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Native American Culture: The Light in the Forest
Seventh graders read the novel, The Light in the Forest. They work in groups to research and create artifacts for a Native American Living Museum. They complete a Powerpoint presentation of their virtual museum to classmates.
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Human Sexuality Unit
Eighth graders determine how mass media influences human sexuality by looking at advertisements for their sexual content and how the ads affect their decision making. After evaluating the advertisements in a PowerPoint presentation they...
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Author's Purpose
Students discuss and define what folk and fairy tales are. In this literature lesson, students construct their own working definitions for folk and fairy tales. Students choose to work as a class or in cooperative groups. Then students...
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Poetry on the Web
Eighth graders search a website and locate a poem written by a specific poet whose work appears in the grade 8 anthology. After listening to poetry, 8th graders present oral or written examples of imagery and an analysis of the imagery.