C is for Culture in this lesson in which students research a culture different from their own and compile an alphabet book that showcases cultural symbols for each letter of the alphabet.
Promoting Cultural Values Through Alphabet Books
Grades
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Thoughtshots Can Bring Your Characters to Life!
3 - 5
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
Students will walk a mile in the shoes of Solomon Singer as they learn how to use flashbacks, flash-aheads, and internal dialogue to develop realistic characters.
Grades
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Make a Splash! Using Dramatic Experience to "Explode the Moment"
3 - 5
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
Students will have a blast as they use descriptive language to write about an "explosive" and dramatic moment in their lives.
Grades
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Nature Study Outdoor Treasure Hunts (with Spanish language option)
6 - 8
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
Students take a walk on the wild side when they research an animal and create a scavenger hunt activity for their classmates.
Grades
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Describe That Face: An Interactive Writing Game
6 - 8
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
Students write descriptions of characters, incorporate new vocabulary words, practice using simile and metaphor, engage in peer editing, and post their revised descriptions on the walls for a matching game.
Grades
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Solving the Math Curse: Reading and Writing Math Word Problems
3 - 5
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
Students' reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills add up as they decipher word problems and use what they've learned to solve a crossword puzzle.
Grades
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Plotting a Plan to Improve Writing: Using Plot Scaffolds
6 - 8
Lesson Plan
| Unit
Students really get into character in this lesson as they act out the parts of a script and analyze character motivations and dialogue.
Grades
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Descriptive Video: Using Media Technology to Enhance Writing
3 - 5
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
Students will have a roaring good time when they watch a scene from The Lion King as a way to compare standard and described programming media.
Grades
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What Are My Rights? Exploring and Writing About the Constitution
9 - 12
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
Students speak up in this lesson about rights, examining the Constitution in the context of issues that affect their everyday lives.
Grades
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Giving Voice to Students Through "This I Believe" Podcasts
9 - 12
Lesson Plan
| Unit
Students write and record their own essays for a class blog by first completing a series of activities designed to get them thinking and writing about their experiences.
Grades
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A Musical Prompt: Postcards From the Concert
3 - 5
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
Students won't miss a beat in this musical lesson that combines listening with personal response on a postcard.
Grades
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I've Got It Covered! Creating Magazine Covers to Summarize Texts
6 - 8
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
Start the presses! Catchy titles, eye-popping graphics, and attractive fonts are all on students' agendas in this lesson as they create magazine covers to summarize a topic.
Grades
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That's Not Fair! Examining Civil Liberties With the U.S. Supreme Court
9 - 12
Lesson Plan
| Unit
Students have the right to have fun in this lesson in which they create a PowerPoint presentation about civil rights and the Supreme Court.
Grades
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To, Too, or Two: Developing an Understanding of Homophones
3 - 5
Lesson Plan
| Minilesson
The classroom becomes a stage in this interactive lesson in which students sing, act, and design comic strips to learn the meanings and spellings of common homophones.
Grades
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Using Word Webs to Teach Synonyms for Commonly Used Words
4 - 8
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
Students use word webs to choose synonyms for generic adjectives and to learn to adjust their word usage for different contexts.
Grades
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Scaling Back to Essentials: Scaffolding Summarization With Fishbone Mapping
6 - 8
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
Students work in pairs and groups as they complete fishbone maps that highlight main ideas and relevant details from a cause-effect text and then write summaries of content area texts.
Grades
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Persuasive Essay: Environmental Issues
6 - 8
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
How can we convince others to agree with us on important issues? In this lesson, students explore relevant environmental issues and gather information to write persuasive essays.
Grades
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I've Got the Literacy Blues
9 - 12
Lesson Plan
| Unit
Students will be singing the blues in this lesson in which they identify themes from "The Gift of the Magi" and write and present blues poetry based on those themes.
Grades
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Blending Fiction and Nonfiction to Improve Comprehension and Writing Skills
3 - 5
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
Students use a text set to increase understanding of content area material and demonstrate what they have learned by writing an original piece that blends together narrative and expository elements.
Grades
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Exploring Disability Using Multimedia and the B-D-A Reading Strategy
9 - 12
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
History takes on new dimensions in this interactive multimedia lesson that emphasizes the B-D-A approach to research as students investigate the experiences of people with disabilities since the early 1800s.