Students rework their forgotten/abandoned drafts by cutting and covering up selected words. By creatively manipulating text, they explore portal writing, a strategy for envisioning a new story or story direction.
Cut up, Cover up, and Come Away with Ideas for Writing!
Grades
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American Folklore: A Jigsaw Character Study
3 - 6
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
Groups of students read and discuss American folklore stories, each group reading a different story. Using a jigsaw strategy, the groups compare character traits and main plot points of the stories. A diverse selection of American folk tales is used for this lesson, which is adaptable to any text set.
Grades
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Sí, Se Puede: Making a Difference, One Letter at a Time
6 - 8
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
After reading the book ¡Si, Se Puede!/Yes, We Can!: Janitor Strike in L.A., students learn about labor unions, strikes, and organizing for change. Students interview staff members in their school to learn about their daily work life, and write persuasive advocacy letters.
Grades
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Vocabulary Solutions: A Mixture of Science, Conversation, and Writing
3 - 5
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
In this lesson, students conduct a science experiment and later discuss the events of the lab during shared writing. Students explain the procedure in their own words and then revise to include content specific vocabulary. Finally, students reflect on new words added to their writing using the Trading Card Creator interactive.
Grades
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Sharing Information about Careers with Infographics
6 - 9
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
Students research careers of their own choosing. Then using Piktochart, students create their own infographics to illustrate their research.
Grades
|
Getting Graphic with Alternative Energy Sources
7 - 12
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
After researching alternative sources of energy, students create online comic books to present their information.
Grades
|
A Blast from the Past with Nuclear Chemistry
11 - 12
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
After researching the history and basic facts of a nuclear chemistry topic, students utilize the Web 2.0 tool Timetoast to create an electronic timeline that they use to present their research to the class.
Grades
|
Fashion Fun with Fossil Fuels
9 - 12
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
After researching specific fossil fuel issues, students create their own clothing brands that express their opinions about the issues and then share their information and clothing line using either PowerPoint or Prezi.
Grades
|
Using Repetition and Picture Cues to Foster Independent Young Readers
K
Lesson Plan
| Minilesson
Kindergartners share their knowledge of letters and sounds in a large group setting, giving teachers an assessment opportunity. Each student contributes a page to make a repetitive classroom book.
Grades
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Using Children's Natural Curiosity to Lead to Descriptive Writing
K - 2
Lesson Plan
| Minilesson
Inspired by the book It Begins with an A, kindergarten students are invited to turn their curiosity and guesswork into a class book, complete with illustrated objects and descriptive language
Grades
|
Quantitative Civic Reasoning: A Guide for Centering Civic Innovation in Math and English Language Arts Classrooms
4 - 12
Professional Library
| Professional Library
This guide explores quantitative civic reasoning in English and math classrooms.
Grades
|
Brainstorming and Reviewing Using the Carousel Strategy
Grades
5 - 12
Strategy Guide
This strategy guide introduces Carousel Brainstorming, also known as Rotating Review, and offers suggestions to implement this technique in your classroom for brainstorming about new topics or reviewing learned information.
Grades
|
Assessing Student Interests and Strengths
Grades
6 - 12
Strategy Guide
In this Strategy Guide, you'll learn about a number of specific methods that can help you to gain a fuller picture of the interests of your students as well as what your students understand, know, and can demonstrate by doing.
Grades
|
Teaching with Zooming Slideshows through Prezi
Grades
6 - 12
Strategy Guide
Through Prezi, a web application, students create "zooming" presentations for various purposes, such as presenting research, defending an opinion, or sharing a digital story.
Grades
|
Exchanging Ideas by Sharing Journals: Interactive Response in the Classroom
3 - 5
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
Pairs of students respond to literature alternately in shared journals. Mini-lessons are presented on responding to prompts, creating dialogue, adding drawings, and asking and answering questions.
Grades
|
Crossing Boundaries Through Bilingual, Spoken-Word Poetry
7 - 12
Lesson Plan
| Unit
Students explore the idea of "crossing boundaries" through bilingual, spoken-word poetry, culminating in a poetry slam at school or in the community.
Grades
|
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
|
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
|
Q is for Duck: Using Alphabet Books With Struggling Writers
3 - 5
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
A is for zoo? Q is for duck? The alphabet as students know it is transformed when students create a class book that contains clever associations for each letter of the alphabet.
Grades
|
Combining Read-Alouds With Economics in the Primary Grades
K - 2
Lesson Plan
| Standard Lesson
Students learn that what you read in books can really add up when they analyze literary texts for economic concepts.