Builds word mastery through parts of speech, Greek and Latin roots, and morphological analysis of prefixes and suffixes. Develops nuanced comprehension using context clues, shades of meaning, and idiomatic expressions.
A grammar lesson focusing on the homophones 'accept' and 'except' through an award-show-themed role-play activity and video analysis.
A dynamic lesson for middle schoolers to master four sets of commonly confused homophones: advice/advise, aloud/allowed, break/brake, and bear/bare using mnemonics and creative writing.
Students will analyze the 'how' behind effective mnemonic devices for confusing homophones and then work in groups to engineer their own visual and rhyming memory aids for a new set of tricky word pairs.
Students will physically act out word meanings for commonly confused homophones (advice/advise, aloud/allowed, break/brake, bear/bare) to reinforce spelling and retention through movement and mnemonics.
Students learn to distinguish between commonly confused homophones (advice/advise, aloud/allowed, break/brake, bear/bare) using clever mnemonic devices and creative sketching.
A grammar lesson for 5th-6th graders focusing on the common confusion between 'affect' and 'effect' using the RAVEN mnemonic and sentence transformation activities.
A summative assessment where students apply all editing skills to a messy, error-ridden transcript to produce a final, polished piece of writing.
Teaches students to bridge the gap between spoken casual language and formal academic writing by identifying filler words and elevating vocabulary in their dictated drafts.
Introduces the bimodal loop of using text-to-speech technology to listen to dictated work, leveraging auditory processing to catch errors that are easily missed during visual proofreading.
Focuses on the structural issues of dictated text, specifically the lack of punctuation and the tendency for run-on sentences, teaching students to impose order on 'stream of consciousness' transcripts.
Explores why speech-to-text software confuses homophones and teaches students how to use context clues to identify and fix these common errors.
Students present their best jokes, riddles, or slogans to the class in a 'Comedy Club' or 'Ad Pitch' format. The audience must identify the specific homophones or homonyms used in each presentation.
Students draft their own riddles where the answer hinges on a homophone or homonym. They practice guiding the reader toward the wrong meaning before revealing the correct one.
Students analyze real-world advertisements that use homophones to catch attention. They evaluate the effectiveness of this wordplay and brainstorm their own catchy slogans for common products.
Students look at headlines and newspaper clippings that are accidentally funny due to homonyms and sentence structure. They discuss how word choice can lead to unintended meanings.
Students dissect puns and jokes to understand how homophones and multiple-meaning words create humor. They identify the conflicting meanings that lead to a punchline.
Students apply their wordplay skills to write and perform their own jokes or comic strips in a 'Comedy Club' format.
Students explore how advertisers use puns and wordplay to make slogans memorable and persuasive.
Students use critical thinking to solve riddles that rely on homonyms for their difficulty, analyzing how double meanings create linguistic traps.
Students analyze the comedy that arises when characters like Amelia Bedelia confuse homophones or take literal meanings.
This lesson guides students through an analysis of Día de Muertos, focusing on the cultural significance, historical roots, and identity-affirming power of the tradition. Students will practice synthesizing information from multiple paragraphs to construct a meaningful written response about resilience and memory.
A high-stakes reading game where students compete as jockeys to master multi-syllabic vocabulary and fluency through a horse-racing themed challenge.
In this lesson, students will master identifying and using main ideas and supporting details through the lens of investigative journalism. They will build a technical vocabulary to describe how authors construct arguments and narratives.
Final assessments and a project-based learning activity where students explore the book's themes creatively.
The aftermath of the rescue, Winnie's big decision, and the ultimate resolution of the story (Chapters 21-Epilogue).
The tension rises as the man in the yellow suit makes his move and the Tucks face a dire threat (Chapters 13-20).
Exploring the Tucks' home life, their explanation of the spring, and Winnie's growing bond with the family (Chapters 6-12).
Introduction to the Foster family, the woods, and the initial encounter with the Tucks (Prologue to Chapter 5).
A deep dive into the Ceremony of Twelve, focusing on themes of individuality, community control, and the mysterious role of the Receiver of Memory in chapters 6 through 8 of The Giver.
A comprehensive lesson exploring the Latin root 'man/manu' (hand) through visual slides and practical word-building activities.
The capstone of the intervention where students integrate all context clue types and focus on selecting the 'strongest' evidence to support complex inferences. Includes a final 'case' to solve.
Covers example and contrast context clues to determine word meaning. Students practice making logical predictions about plot outcomes based on foreshadowing and environmental clues in the text.
Teaches students how to use synonyms and antonyms as context clues while inferring character traits and emotions from dialogue and actions. Practices focus on identifying 'clues' in a character's behavior.
Focuses on identifying explicit definition clues in text and distinguishing between literal facts and implied meanings. Students begin building their 'Investigator Handbook' and practice with a bioluminescence nonfiction text and a mystery fiction text.
A 15-minute center rotation focused on using context clues (synonyms, antonyms, examples, and definitions) to infer the meaning of unfamiliar words through a 'Word Detective' theme.
Students will explore the historical context of the 1900 Galveston Hurricane, practice identifying central ideas and supporting details, and complete a STAAR-formatted assessment.
Final assessment of comprehension and the presentation of creative student projects reflecting on the novel's themes.
Covers the resolution of the story, character growth, and the ultimate lesson learned by the 'Man with the Plan'.
Tracks the execution of the heist, focusing on pacing, suspense, and the climax of the novel.
Analyzes the logistical planning of the heist and the internal conflicts that arise within the group.
Explores how Griffin assembles his specialized team, focusing on individual character traits and unique skills.
Focuses on the initial conflict: Griffin Bing's discovery of the Babe Ruth baseball card and S. Wendell Palomino's betrayal.
A lesson where students learn to 'diagnose' and 'treat' common writing issues in their personal essays using the ARMS and CUPS strategies. Students practice on a sample 'sick' essay before operating on their own preassessment drafts.
This lesson empowers 6th-grade students with advanced vocabulary strategies, focusing on context clue analysis and morphology (roots, prefixes, suffixes). Students will engage in interactive activities to decode unfamiliar words and effectively integrate them into their own communication.
A vocabulary assessment for the novel 'The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963' focused on the words desperate, exasperated, hypnotized, jabber, and tempt. Designed with accessibility and clear character context for scholars.
A lesson focusing on the themes of choice, aging, and suppression in The Giver Chapters 4 and 5.
Students explore their unique personality traits and strengths to prepare for an 'All About Me' essay using a visual brainstorming web.
A comprehensive review lesson using an 8-paragraph, 1200 Lexile passage to practice all previously learned structures and elements.
Explores descriptive text structure and how diagrams clarify complex anatomical and functional information.
Focuses on sequential text structure and the use of maps to convey historical and geographical information.
Focuses on identifying main ideas and supporting details while analyzing the effectiveness of images in informational texts.
Students explore the Seven Wonders of the World through video analysis and persuasive writing, culminating in a 'Travel Agent Pitch' brochure. They will master descriptive vocabulary and learn to blend historical facts with compelling travel copy.
A creative writing lesson for 4th-6th graders where students analyze the humorous and descriptive narration of a nature documentary and write their own 'wildlife scripts' using figurative language.
Students explore the world of Bald Eagles through a nature video, focusing on descriptive vocabulary, sensory details, and informational writing about hunting and survival adaptations.
A descriptive writing lesson where students explore Yosemite National Park through video and sensory observation to write a travel blog entry. Students move from silent observation to active listening before crafting their own nature-inspired prose.
A Language Arts lesson for 4th-6th grade where students write a narrative from the perspective of a dung beetle, blending creative writing with scientific facts about anatomy, senses, and ecology.
Students explore the world of saltwater crocodiles through film and scientific observation, culminating in a descriptive writing piece from the perspective of an explorer. The lesson focuses on technical vocabulary like 'scutes', 'apex predator', and 'opportunistic'.
Students will explore how descriptive text structure supports an author's purpose by using sensory details to observe and describe objects. The lesson culminates in a 'Sensory Stations' activity where students draft organized descriptive paragraphs.
Students will learn to use descriptive, sensory, and emotional language to transform 'boring' text into vivid imagery, ultimately translating visual art into precise written instructions for a partner to recreate.
Students will learn how to use emotional and sensory language to create specific moods in their writing, inspired by the 'Painting With Words' video. They will analyze a text excerpt and then practice their own descriptive writing through a 'Mood Ring' challenge.
Students will analyze how character actions drive a story and reveal character growth by creating a visual 'Arc Map' timeline based on a class novel.
A lesson focused on transforming 'lifeless' writing into vivid narratives using sensory imagery and descriptive language revisions. Students watch a video model, 'operate' on a skeleton story using colored pens, and practice upgrading their own writing.
A lesson where students act as 'Script Doctors' to evaluate the realism of story plots, using vocabulary from Khan Academy to propose creative edits.
Students will learn to identify tone through word choice and register using a 'Tone Detective' theme. The lesson includes a video analysis of Khan Academy's tone lesson, an emoji-based adjective analysis activity, and a writing extension.
Students explore the morphology of adjectives by applying comparative and superlative rules to invented 'nonsense' words, building on concepts from a Khan Academy grammar video.
A lesson for grades 4-6 where students act as 'word detectives' to explore how suffixes change nouns into adjectives, featuring a Khan Academy video on culture and influence.
Exploration of the daily struggles in Redding, Tim's growing responsibilities, and the increasing pressure of the war on the tavern.
Introduction to the book club, the Meeker family dynamics, and the initial conflict between Sam and Father over the start of the war.
A quick vocabulary and character recognition activity based on the classic story of Peter Pan, featuring a themed word search and answer key.
Explores the long-term impact of the word 'frindle', the eventual reconciliation between Nick and Mrs. Granger, and the deeper themes of the book. Students synthesize the story's message and create a final summary of the book's legacy.
Covers the escalation of the 'frindle' movement, the conflict between Nick and the school administration, and the national media attention. Students focus on synthesizing multiple perspectives and advanced summarizing.
Focuses on the introduction of Nick Allen and Mrs. Granger, the initial invention of 'frindle', and the first stages of the word's spread. Students practice the SWBST summarizing technique and begin synthesizing character traits.
A comprehensive reading guide for Kate DiCamillo's 'Because of Winn-Dixie', focusing on vocabulary acquisition and deep inferential comprehension through the lens of Opal's journey in Naomi, Florida.
Students explore the diverse habitats of the ocean and write a descriptive narrative from the perspective of a migrating Humpback Whale, using sensory details and movement words inspired by nature cinematography.
A 6th-grade ELA lesson focused on identifying analogies and explaining the logical connections between compared items using visual metaphors and a matching activity.
Students present their analogy projects and act as 'Logic Detectives' to evaluate the validity and effectiveness of their peers' conceptual comparisons.
Students apply their understanding of analogy types to create visual concept maps for a topic in another subject area, translating complex ideas into familiar relational structures.
This lesson bridges the gap between verbal logic and mathematical proportions, teaching students that the A:B::C:D structure is the fundamental language of ratio across disciplines.
Students analyze historical analogies, such as the American Revolution as a teenager rebelling against a parent, to simplify and understand complex geopolitical relationships and historical causation.
Students explore the classic 'Cell as a City' analogy to understand how structural comparisons help explain biological systems, identifying relationships between organelles and urban infrastructure.
The capstone project where students apply their knowledge by designing, building, and play-testing their own analogy-themed board games.
A kinesthetic lesson combining physical movement with mental agility as teams compete in a relay race to solve complex analogies.
A twist on the classic game where students must match logical relationships rather than just words, reinforcing deeper conceptual understanding.
Students work collaboratively to solve a series of analogy-based puzzles to 'unlock' the classroom, emphasizing logical reasoning and narrative engagement.
A high-energy introductory lesson focused on identifying different types of analogy relationships (Synonym, Antonym, Part/Whole, etc.) with speed and accuracy.
A culminating lesson where students synthesize all learned relationship types to solve mixed analogies and name the logic used.
Students examine functional relationships (tool:action) and descriptive relationships (object:adjective) in various contexts.
Students distinguish between an item being a part of a whole versus a member of a category through sorting and inquiry.
Students focus on vocabulary-based analogies using synonyms and antonyms, learning to distinguish between nuances and precise matches.
Students explore the standard A:B::C:D format and learn to create a 'bridge sentence' that defines the relationship between A and B.
A professional development workshop for educators to design a cross-curricular unit connecting Language Arts and History through the evolution of the English language.
This lesson explores the historical roots of English spelling, focusing on irregular plurals like 'children' and 'oxen'. Students investigate word origins (etymology) to understand why English rules aren't always predictable and how history shaped the modern language.
A middle school grammar lesson that deconstructs the myth of the terminal preposition, exploring its Latin origins and the difference between formal style and natural English flow.
A middle school grammar and science lesson where students learn to pluralize scientific loanwords from Latin and Greek. Students identify rules for ending changes and sort species names into categories.
Students explore relative adverbs (where, when, why) through the lens of history and a dragon named Peggy, debunking the 'wherefore' myth along the way.
A lesson for 5th-grade students to explore relative adverbs through a historical lens, comparing modern usage with archaic forms like "wherefore" and "whence."
Students synthesize their research skills to present the 'life story' of a specific word, detailing its origin, evolution, and modern usage.
An exploration of loanwords and how English adopts vocabulary through cultural exchange, trade, and conflict.
Students investigate semantic shifts, tracking how definitions have changed over centuries using historical dictionary resources.
Learners use reference tools to identify Greek and Latin morphemes, practicing morphological analysis to decode academic vocabulary.
Students are introduced to the concept of etymology and the layout of etymological dictionaries, identifying root languages and word timelines.
A cumulative review session using an 'Escape Room' style challenge where students must apply their knowledge of spelling, definition, and usage across all language categories.
An inquiry-based lesson where students research 'untranslatable' words from around the world, analyzing why English adopts specific foreign terms instead of creating new ones.
Students investigate the vibrant and expressive world of Yiddish loanwords, focusing on terms that describe human character, behavior, and social dynamics.
Focusing on terms from the worlds of art, architecture, and war, students categorize Spanish and Italian loanwords and study their distinct vowel-heavy orthography.
Students explore German loanwords, focusing on compound word structures, morphological analysis, and specific Germanic pronunciation patterns (sch, ei, au).
In this culminating workshop, students write a creative narrative about a clumsy spy, using a checklist of foreign expressions to establish character and setting. They finish with a peer review focused on effective usage.
A culminating project-based lesson where students research a specific category of loanwords and present their findings through an etymology tree.
Students investigate the use of Latin abbreviations and phrases in informational texts. They learn to distinguish between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.' and practice incorporating them into precise academic writing.
An exploration of Spanish loanwords related to the American West, geography, and weather, mapping language to physical landscapes.
A 6th-grade ELA workshop focused on proofreading frequently confused words: desert/dessert and complement/compliment. Includes a video-based lesson, an editing activity titled 'A Trip to Arizona', and a creative writing extension.
A small-group intervention lesson focused on identifying ambiguity and using clarifying questions to resolve confusion, featuring a video analysis and hands-on sentence rewriting.
A digital literacy lesson for middle schoolers focusing on the role of context in social media and online communication. Students analyze viral misunderstandings and create their own 'context collisions' to understand how surroundings change meaning.
A lesson where students explore polysemous words and the importance of context in digital and face-to-face communication, featuring video analysis and role-play activities.
An intermediate ESL/ELL lesson focused on distinguishing between 'affect' and 'effect' using word forms, context clues, and a visual mnemonic. Includes a video-based discussion, a kinesthetic card-sorting activity, and a visual anchor chart.
A 30-minute introductory lesson where students learn to decode complex words using a list of 24 common morphemes.
A hands-on literacy center where students use building blocks to construct 'Word Towers' using prefixes, suffixes, and root words found in 'The Most Beautiful Roof in the World'. Students act as canopy architects, assembling complex scientific terms and documenting their meanings in a field log.
A lesson for grades 6-8 exploring the Greek and Latin origins of grammar terms, specifically focusing on the history of the apostrophe and other punctuation marks. Students act as etymology detectives to connect ancient roots to modern definitions.
Students will learn the structure of etiological myths by watching a comparison of Shoshone and Greek legends, then write their own 'how-it-came-to-be' story following a specific three-step narrative pattern.
A high-energy grammar lesson where students use role-play and video analysis to master the use of commas with essential and non-essential appositives. Students physically arrange themselves into sentences to see how punctuation 'interrupts' to provide extra detail.
A vocabulary lesson where students explore the Latin roots 'similis' and 're-' through a video-guided investigation to decipher complex words like 'simultaneous' and 'rejuvenate'.
A vocabulary-focused lesson for 6th graders exploring the nuances of 'simulate,' 'leisure,' and 'recreation' through creative writing and illustration. Students will analyze the etymology and historical context of these words before crafting 'wacky' sentences and participating in a gallery walk.
This lesson explores how geography and the absence of mass communication led to the development of diverse English dialects, using the historical anecdote of William Caxton's 'Eggs vs. Eyren' confusion as a primary case study. Students will analyze the Germanic roots of English grammar and the impact of modern technology on linguistic standardization.
Students learn to decode complex vocabulary using morphological analysis (prefixes, roots, and suffixes) inspired by David's 'word surgery' techniques from Khan Academy.
A 6th-grade lesson focusing on deciphering word meanings using affixes (prefixes and suffixes) through the metaphor of a word assembly line. Students will learn to use roots and affixes as 'keys' to unlock complex vocabulary.
A creative exploration of Greek and Latin roots where students invent new creatures, machines, or sciences by combining word parts. Students will watch a Khan Academy video, analyze the word 'Pterodactyl', and present their creations in a gallery walk.
A lesson where students explore the relationship between different parts of speech using the focus words survive, endure, and extreme, featuring a Khan Academy video and a 'Transformation Station' activity.
Students will explore the historical linguistic processes of i-mutation and vowel harmony, learning how the physical mechanics of the mouth shaped the 'mutant plurals' we use in Modern English today.
A creative writing lesson for 6th graders exploring the boundary between concrete and abstract nouns through personification and character design. Students learn to 'manifest' intangible ideas into physical characters using etymology and creative prompts.
A 6th-grade linguistics and science lesson where students explore the suffix -logy, analyze Greek/Latin roots, and design their own scientific fields of study.
A linguistic exploration lesson where 6th-grade students use etymology (word origins) to master the difference between concrete and abstract nouns, featuring Latin root analysis and root-word trees.
Students will master the -dge spelling pattern, learning when to use it (after short vowels) and applying these words in sophisticated sentences and short narratives. This lesson is designed for 6th-grade ESE students who need high-interest, age-appropriate content.
A comprehensive lesson on the prefixes 're-' and 'de-', featuring guided instruction, word analysis, reading comprehension, and interactive matching activities set in a 'Prefix Lab' theme.
Book club celebration with discussion and a creative 'Carving' activity.
Exploring the symbolism of Sistine's name and her character growth.
Reading Chapter 30, focusing on the resolution and the sun coming out.
Reading Chapters 20-21, analyzing the encounter with the tiger and vocabulary.
Reading Chapters 10-11, focusing on the wood-carving imagery and vocabulary.
Deep dive into summarizing the entire narrative arc using a 'Story Suitcase' organizer.
Final vocabulary review with a comprehensive matching and sentence challenge.
Reading Chapters 2-3, focusing on Rob's character and the introduction of Sistine.
Introduction to the book club, building background knowledge about the setting and the tiger, and reading Chapter 1.
A lesson focused on the prefix 'semi-' through a high-stakes sports narrative and analytical comprehension questions.
An exploration of the biology and behavior of the Great White Shark, focusing on vocabulary development and anatomical features through an underwater explorer lens.
Students synthesize information from multiple texts to create a comprehensive comparison and write a final evidentiary paragraph.
Students learn about hurricanes and practice organizing information into a structured paragraph with a clear topic sentence, supporting details, and a conclusion.
Students explore the science of tornadoes while focusing on identifying key details and mastering domain-specific vocabulary.
An engaging figurative language enrichment activity for students who finish assignments early, focusing on simile, metaphor, personification, alliteration, onomatopoeia, and idioms.
A comprehensive guide to building strong opinion paragraphs using the OREO method, designed with visual supports for 6th-grade special education students.
A modified introduction to Sandra Cisneros's 'The House on Mango Street,' focusing on Esperanza's identity, her neighborhood, and key character relationships through simplified vignettes and visual aids.
A creative writing application where students rewrite a narrative passage from a different perspective, using a tone checklist and structured scaffold to demonstrate mastery of voice.
Students compare a narrative account of cultural identity with an informational news article to analyze how different perspectives and formats shape the delivery of a shared theme.
An introduction to literary voice using excerpts from The House on Mango Street, focusing on word choice and sentence structure as tools for building character personality.
A creative writing application where students rewrite a passage from a new perspective. Includes scaffolds for tone and sentence structure, concluding with a formal rubric for assessment.
An introductory lesson focusing on identifying and understanding eight key types of figurative language through the lens of the Watson family's journey.
An in-depth exploration of 'Wonder' by R.J. Palacio, featuring detective-themed discussion prompts, vocabulary evidence, and empathy-building activities.
A culminating presentation where students showcase the evolution of their chosen idiom, synthesizing their research into a gallery walk for peers.
Students conduct deep research into a specific idiom, using etymology tools to trace its earliest citations and debunking common false origin myths.
An exploration of how the nautical and agricultural industries of the past provided the vocabulary for modern expressions through a categorization and inference game.
Students explore the impact of William Shakespeare on the English language, comparing the original context of his phrases to their modern idiomatic usage.
