The character traits children assimilate during their growing-up years will determine how they behave, how they see themselves, how they treat others, and the type of adults they will become. Children who develop character built on honesty, respect, diligence, and self control will be better able to handle the frustrations and disappointments of…

Based on Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel "Crime and Punishment," this lesson plan presents activities designed to help students understand that: a close study of the characters of a literary classic will yield important clues to an understanding of the work as a whole; an effective analysis of stylistic devices depends upon selection and interpretation…

Based on George Orwell's novel "1984," this lesson plan presents activities designed to help students understand that the historical context of the novel is based on the mood and political climate of 1949 Europe; the society Orwell created and modern society in the United States have similarities and differences; and modern privacy issues and the…

Based on Gustave Flaubert's novel "Madame Bovary," this lesson plan presents activities designed to help students explore the theme of "illusion versus reality" in the novel; identify and list alternate themes in the novel; and cite specific examples of illusion versus reality from the novel. It includes objectives, materials, procedures,…

This is a prewriting activity for personal memoir or autobiographical writing. Grade 6-8 students brainstorm for important memories, create graphics or symbols for their most important memories, and construct a life map on tag board or construction paper, connecting drawings and captions of high and low points with a highway. During four 50-minute…

This lesson uses students' areas of interest both in and out of school to generate personalized vocabulary lists. Working in small groups, grade 3 to 5 students select their own vocabulary words and research their meanings. In a culminating activity that uses text and illustration, each student will create a "My World of Words Journal." During…

This paper focuses on the writing process and young children, suggesting prewriting activities and discussing writing, revising, and publishing in the classroom. The paper also enumerates what children like, such as interesting topics, self-selection, listening to stories, reading their writing to peers or younger children, and special formats for…

Noting that picture books can invite students to engage in critical discussion of complex issues of race, class, and gender, this lesson plan helps students to confront the injustice of barriers that separate human beings from one another and to examine the role of prejudice and stereotypes in sustaining these barriers. During the five 45-minute…

Closing the Loop (CTL) is a science curriculum designed to introduce students to integrated waste management through awareness. This document presents five lesson plans focusing on developing an understanding of natural resources, solid wastes, conservation, and the life of landfills. Contents include: (1) "What Are Natural Resources?"; (2)…

While California has frameworks defining what concepts are necessary for understanding science, math, history-social science, and other disciplines, there has been no such framework for technology. The framework presented in this paper proposes a strategy for thriving in a future that will be strongly influenced by technology. That strategy is…

This booklet represents an effort to combine research findings, strategies, teaching and parenting tips, activities, career profiles, and print and online information that can help make technology more accessible to girls. Chapters include: "Why a Focus on Girls & Technology: New Priorities"; "Girls & Technology: Different…

The study of the natural space environment and its effects on spacecraft is one of the most important and least understood aspects of spacecraft design. The Space Environments and Effects (SEE) Program prepared the Meteoroids and Orbital Debris Lesson Plan, a SEE-focused high school curriculum to engage students in creative activities that will…

This book is a comprehensive guidebook that shows K-6 teachers how to structure the first 6 weeks of school in order to lay the groundwork for a productive year of learning. The book features: (1) daily plans for the first 3 weeks and commentary about these plans at three grade levels: primary (K-2), middle (3-4), and upper (5-6); (2) detailed…

This book contains more than 500 "scary story" resources that are designed to fascinate, delight, and educate students in grades K-6. Written by a school librarian who thinks storytelling is essential in the classroom, the book includes many lesson plans and activities for all curricular areas--English, language arts, social studies,…

This book's purpose is to assist school library media specialists in incorporating specific learning objectives into a storytime format, thus extending the storytime experience into standards-based reading and writing lessons. The book is intended for veteran and beginning school library media specialists and teachers who collaborate with them.…