Based on John Steinbeck's novel "The Grapes of Wrath," this lesson plan presents activities designed to help students understand the universal nature of Steinbeck's characters' struggles and some of the complex forces affecting their lives; and the value of primary source material in presenting an authentic picture of a given period in history.…

Based on Herman Melville's novel "Moby-Dick," this lesson plan presents activities designed to help students understand that the novel is grounded in facts that Melville acquired in his own experiences at sea; New England was the center of a prospering whaling industry in the 19th century; and journal keeping was not uncommon among 19th-century…

Based on Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel "The Scarlet Letter," this lesson plan presents activities designed to help students understand that the ending of a novel does not resolve all of the questions that may occur to readers; and that readers may imagine characters living out their lives beyond the ending the author gave to a novel. The main…

This lesson plan, focusing on an elementary school day in Germany, is intended for use at the elementary level (grades 2-5) and requires two 30-minute class periods for implementation. The lesson plan states objectives, addresses applicable National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) standards, lists materials required, presents a rationale,…

The popular "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series of books demonstrates the tremendous desire of people in all walks of life to tell their stories. A professor of reading/language arts methods for students in a program leading to teacher certification reads to his classes every day from a wide variety of materials, including stories from…

Teachers can confront issues of students' infrequent reading and infrequent choice of content area texts by using specific instructional strategies that are highly motivating. Five research-based language arts strategies that many teachers use to successfully teach content area information are: (1) previewing vocabulary and content; (2) developing…

As teaching argumentative and persuasive writing returns to the classroom, so does the question of how to do so effectively. Process writing reforms over the past 30 years have sought to change the ways writing is taught from drill and practice in grammar exercises to a focus more on continuous writing and revision. Arguing from an ecological…

This paper presents the results of qualitative analyses that were designed to assess the validity of teachers' responses to items that measure topic coverage in mathematics and language arts. Using data from 12 "think-aloud" interviews and drawing on psychological theory about how respondents answer survey items, this research explored a number of…

By the time a student who has reading problems reaches adolescence, patterns of avoidance, denial, and resistance may hinder classroom participation. This book shows a teacher how to convince a student who is mistakenly labeled as unmotivated and without goals that academic success is attainable. The book provides tips, techniques, and strategies…

This multi-purpose book is for teachers, librarians, and parents who want to develop children's awareness of environmental matters while building and refining their language arts skills. In response to the challenge for school districts to integrate environmental education into the curriculum, this book presents environmental awareness topics to…

Since the 19th century, educators have used songs to captivate and motivate students, underscore a point, or make a lesson memorable. Research in cognitive psychology has confirmed that there are "multiple intelligences" and different, but often mutually reinforcing "ways of knowing" and learning. Intended for teachers who want…

This book provides a multitude of strategies that uncover students' greatest strengths and learning styles, while improving literacy skills. It offers activities that are organized according to Howard Gardner's multiple intelligences theory. The book is divided into eight sections, each addressing one of the intelligences identified by Gardner…

In this lesson, students study census data showing the names and occupations of early settlers of the English settlement at Jamestown, Virginia, to discern how life changed in the Jamestown settlement in the first few years after it was founded. Learning objectives of the lesson plan are: (1) to gain experience gathering information from primary…

This performance guide is designed for teachers to use with students before and after a performance of "Tales from the Brazilian Jungle" with storyteller Antonio Rocha. The guide, called a "Cuesheet," contains four sheets for use in class. The first, "About the Performance," prepares students for understanding…

To believe that students are not using reading and analytical skills when they watch or "read" a movie is to miss the power and complexities of film--and of students' viewing processes. This book encourages teachers to harness students' interest in film to help them engage critically with a range of media, including visual and printed…