Seventh graders analyze grammatical structures and identify literary elements in a variety of texts. Through the genre of folktales, ancient or indigenous cultures are studied.

Students write and listen to rap songs. They discover how common themes in rap are indicative of the problems, as well as the empowerments, that can be seen in our urban cultures today. They discover how rap is actually an evolution of...

Students use their personal experiences to create students's books for younger students on topics to which they can relate. Students observe a guest speaker who talks about different formats of students's books that are available, then...

Students examine the life and works of Langston Hughes. In groups, they research the characteristics of the Harlem Renaissance and how Hughes' poems relate to the era. They use the themes in his writings and relate it to the Great...

Young scholars read In The Small Small Pond by Denise Fleming. They complete a variety of cross-curricular activities surrounding the study of the pond ecosystem. Included are reading, art, math, science, writing, social studies, and...

Students make kites from patterns. They write haiku poetry. They listen to stories about kite festivals in different countries.

Fourth graders interview community members for a "newspaper". They design a business brochure, write a disappearing ghost story, and experiment with mono-printing. They experiment with a variety of materials, tools, equipment, and...

Research a historic event using textbooks, primary source documents, the Internet, and other library and media resources. Young historians will take the research they have gathered and write an attention-grabbing, historically accurate...

Students read Black Beauty and study the history of the founding of the ASPCA and learn about endangered species today. Then they write a short paper about the book, or on some aspect of the history of the ASPCA, and, after exploring the...

Students act out stories based on lives of famous people from Harlem. In this memoirs lesson, students compare the life of the people in Harlem in 1930 to the people of today. Students explore how "home" is different for different...

Students examine the wit of characters in two plays. In this drama lesson, students read The Shakespeare Stealer by Gary L. Blackwood and Twelfth Night by Shakespeare. Students analyze the puns used in both plays and write essays that...

Students view and discuss short sections of movies that relate to immigration. Working in groups, students create a map that shows directions of internal migration in their assigned geographical area. Students review ads/booklets created...

Students order their classmates from smallest to largest foot length.  For this ordering their classmates from smallest to largest foot length lesson, students trace each of their classmates foot.  Students read a story called,...

Students create an advertising campaign. In this environmental education lesson plan, students research aluminum and aluminum can recycling. Students wrap the lesson plan up by writing newspaper articles, creating public service...

Students examine World War II through the eyes of local journalists such as Al McIntosh. As a class, they discuss how stories about the war affects the public back at home. In groups, they compare and contrast how newspapers reported...

Second graders create their own water treatment system. In this water treatment lesson, 2nd graders create the water treatment system and record how it works. Students list materials they used and write about what they saw. Students then...

Students develop phonemic awareness skills. They recognize consonant sound spellings and distinguish easily confused letter pairs. Students examine common short and long vowel sound spellings. They read stories containing high frequency...

Fifth graders discuss words that are over used in their writing such as good, nice, happy, glad sad, etc. they complete a survey about word choice then hear a story and discuss descriptive phrases used in the story and how they help to...

Students are read the story "That Terrible Halloween Night". Using their senses, they describe what it is like going into a haunted house for the first time. They write their own ending to the story and share it with the class to end the...

Eighth graders read two articles about what is being done with deer dangers. They react to the stories read. They are reacting to if deer should be shot or not to help cut down on the many dangers they impose.

First graders demonstrate their ability to read with fluency, accuracy, and comprehension through phonemic awareness. They use a color-coding system to master the long and short vowel sounds and develop their skills in listening and...

Students brainstorm the definition of honesty. For this honesty lesson, students read Ostrich Egg Wife and discuss events in the story relating to honesty and breaking a promise. Students explore ways the main character showed he was not...

Students research philanthropy in three genres: a play, a fable, and a parable. Students read an Aesop fable and answer questions in groups. Students complete steps in two worksheets from 'The Good San Franciscan' and 'Someone Should.'...

Students explore the concept of a personal budget. In this philanthropy lesson, students use a Venn diagram to compare 2 stories in which the main characters spend money in different ways.