In this lesson from a research skills unit, students read informational text, looking for supporting details. They practice skimming and scanning print resources, and scrolling through electronic resources.
Research Building Blocks: Skim, Scan, and Scroll
Grades
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Research Building Blocks: Examining Electronic Sources
3 - 5
Lesson Plan
| Minilesson
In this lesson, students evaluate and rate the relevance of electronic resources as they research information about their state.
Grades
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Research Building Blocks: Hints about Print
3 - 5
Lesson Plan
| Minilesson
In this lesson from a research skills unit, students examine abstracts on selected books to determine their relevance and helpfulness.
Grades
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Giant Story Problems: Reading Comprehension through Math Problem-Solving
1 - 2
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
Students create posters using images, text, and mathematical equations to represent a story problem.
Grades
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Book Sorting: Using Observation and Comprehension to Categorize Books
K - 2
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
Students utilize their reading and writing skills as they think critically in order to sort books in multiple ways.
Grades
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Book Report Alternative: Character and Author Business Cards
6 - 8
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
Students respond to a book they have read by thinking symbolically to create a business card for one of the characters.
Grades
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Book Report Alternative: The Elements of Fiction
3 - 5
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
Students identify the elements of fiction in a book they have read and share summaries of them by writing and illustrating their own mini-book.
Grades
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Book Reviews, Annotation, and Web Technology
6 - 8
Lesson Plan
| Unit
Students work in groups to create annotated book reviews with links to topics of interest related to their book.
Grades
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Book Report Alternative: Summary, Symbol, and Analysis in Bookmarks
6 - 8
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
Students make bookmarks on computers and share their ideas with other readers at their school, while practicing summarizing, recognizing symbols, and writing reviews—all for an authentic audience.
Grades
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Choose Your Own Adventure: A Hypertext Writing Experience
6 - 8
Lesson Plan
| Unit
Students analyze "choose your own adventure" stories and brainstorm to develop setting, characters, and plots for their own adventures stories and related Websites.
Grades
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Using Picture Books to Teach Setting Development in Writing Workshop
3 - 5
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
Students use a graphic organizer to analyze setting development in picture books. They then apply what they have learned to their own writing.
Grades
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Using Picture Books to Teach Characterization in Writing Workshop
3 - 5
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
Students explore character development through experiences with picture books. They learn about the connections between reading and writing and apply the information they learn to revisions of their own writing.
Grades
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Persuasive Writing: What Can Writing in Family Message Journals Do for Students?
K - 2
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
This lesson engages children in using writing to their families as a persuasive tool to get what they want and need.
Grades
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Letter Poems Deliver: Experimenting with Line Breaks in Poetry Writing
3 - 5
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
Students explore letter poems and experiment with writing letters as poems, using the placement of line breaks to enhance rhythm, sound, meaning, and appearance.
Grades
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Writing a Flashback and Flash-Forward Story Using Movies and Texts as Models
6 - 8
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
Using the film The Sandlot, students are introduced to the literary devices of flashbacks and flash-forwards. They then write their own stories using those devices.
Grades
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How Big Are Martin's Big Words? Thinking Big about the Future
3 - 5
Lesson Plan
| Minilesson
Inspired by the book Martin's Big Words, students explore information on Dr. King to think about his "big" words, then they write about their own "big" words and dreams.
Grades
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What Makes Poetry? Exploring Line Breaks
3 - 5
Lesson Plan
| Minilesson
Students read various poems and explore why lines are broken where they are and how they affect rhythm, sound, meaning, and appearance in poetry.
Grades
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It Doesn't Have to End That Way: Using Prediction Strategies with Literature
K - 2
Lesson Plan
| Minilesson
After listening to the beginning of a story, students use details in the text, personal experience, and prior knowledge to predict the way the story will end.
Grades
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Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges: Critical Discussion of Social Issues
6 - 8
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
Through a series of picture book read-alouds, students engage in critical discussion of complex issues of race, class, and gender.
Grades
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Family Message Journals Teach Many Purposes for Writing
K - 2
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
This lesson encourages children to explore authentic reasons for writing by writing messages to their family in a family message journal.