ELA.5.V.1.1

This is lesson #3 in the paired text unit series for The Great Seal of the United States by Terri DeGezelle and The Great Seal of the United States by Norman Pearl. In this lesson students will apply information from both texts to examine their observations and inferences made in prior lessons and determine the symbolism represented on the front of the Great Seal of the United States. Then students will write an expository paragraph explaining why the Great Seat of the U.S. is a symbol that represents the United States.

This ELA/Civics Integrated Text Unit is designed to support students with the integration of civics into the ELA classroom through the reading and studying of Norman Pearl’s book The Great Seal of the United States. Throughout the unit, students will identify new vocabulary, describe both Florida and USA seals, as well as the importance of national symbols and their meaning. Using timelines, graphic organizers, worksheets, and other activities they will connect these symbols to other documents like the Declaration of Independence and the understanding of unalienable rights. Each lesson in this series leads to a culminating activity in which students will use their knowledge and understanding of symbols and relevant details to create their own Great Seal.

This resource uses books that you will need to obtain before implementing the resource. The Great Seal of the United States by Terri DeGezelle is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list.

Type: Lesson Plan

This is lesson #5 in the text unit series for Shh! We’re Writing the Constitution by Jean Fritz. Students will learn more about the preamble to the Constitution after reading pages 33-38 and 49. Using the text and the Declaration of Independence, they will answer text-dependent questions to deepen their understanding of the preamble and how it helped define their rights as citizens.

This unit will help students understand why and how the Constitution was created, including: the original thirteen colonies and important historical figures present during the creation, the challenges and conflicts that state representatives faced during writing the Constitution, motifs and themes during the “Grand Convention,” and the relationship between state and national constitutions. Lessons will allow students to identify citizens’ civic duties outlined by the Constitution, the relationship between the federal and state Constitutions, and important historical symbols. Each part of the unit will include an in-depth dive into vocabulary and how it applies to the meaning of the text.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

This is lesson 4 in the text unit series for Shhh! We’re Writing the Constitution by Jean Fritz. Students will compare and contrast the information about two founding documents, the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution. They will complete a graphic organizer that shows how these documents are alike and different. Students will take information about the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution and use them to demonstrate understanding of text structure while completing a graphic organizer.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

This is lesson # 2 in the text unit series for Shh! We're Writing the Constitution by Jean Fritz. After the class reads pgs 14-21 in whole group, students will complete a graphic organizer to identify and describe the structure and functions of the three different branches of government. Students will then summarize using their graphic organizer including the central idea and relevant details of the text.

This unit will help students understand why and how the Constitution was created, including: the thirteen colonies and important historical figures present during the creation, the challenges and conflicts that state representatives faced during writing the Constitution, motifs and themes during the “Grand Convention,” and the relationship between state and national constitutions. Lessons will allow students to identify citizens’ civic duties outlined by the Constitution, the relationship between the federal and state Constitutions, and important historical symbols. Each part of the unit will include an in-depth dive into vocabulary and how it applies to the meaning of the text.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will create a children’s book to explain Aaron Burr’s and Alexander Hamilton’s political participation and political views. Students will use carefully chosen text features and a specific text structure that best contributes to the overall meaning of the text. This is the culminating lesson in a unit using the text Aaron and Alexander: The Most Famous Duel in American History by Don Brown.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

After learning about The Revolutionary War and reading Aaron and Alexander: The Most Famous Duel in American History By Don Brown, students will write an essay either comparing and contrasting Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton's political participation or their political views. Students will engage in a cooperative learning activity to brainstorm, use a graphic organizer to compare and contrast and use a rubric to evaluate their final product.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will use the U.S. Constitution and their web searching skills to determine the constitutional qualifications for office, term length, authority, duties, activities, compensation, and names of elected officials for Florida and their district.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will mimic a wrecking ball by manipulating the variables of a pendulum in order to move objects with different masses. It is recommended this lesson follow Pendulum Inquiry (see CPALMS Resource #28568), which will build students' content knowledge on pendulums. Students can apply their understanding of pendulums gained from the lesson Pendulum Inquiry to assist them in designing wrecking ball pendulums in this lesson.

Type: Lesson Plan

This lesson will ask students to read an excerpt from Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. In the targeted passage the students will determine how the description of the setting helps the reader better understand the novel's plot. Students will have opportunities to respond to and discuss, open-ended questions about the characters and the setting.

Type: Lesson Plan

This series includes four parts focused on the Challenger explosion. Students will read President Reagan’s address to the nation presented on the evening of the Challenger Space Shuttle explosion in January 1986. Students will then analyze the speech and determine which relevant details support Reagan’s central idea. Additionally, students will complete close reading activities individually, with partners, and in small groups as they prepare to draft an expository essay outlining the relevant details that support Reagan’s central idea.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will explore various types of figurative language through music. They will see how figurative language is used in poetry and music. They will examine different types used in current songs and determine the deeper meanings of the figurative lyrics. Students then analyze a song and present their findings about figurative language to their peers.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students create a model (drawing) after learning the parts of the water cycle. The drawing will be in their science notebooks and will be something they will build on in future lessons. This lesson is intended to be the beginning of a unit on the water cycle for students to have a basic understanding of the stages within it and the vocabulary associated with it. Vocabulary words will be examined and connected to a model of melting ice in a water bottle.

Type: Lesson Plan

Water, Water Everywhere! Research the Water Cycle asks students to conduct their own research on the water cycle. Working collaboratively in small groups, students will research and write about the relationships between stages in the water cycle and the three states of matter relating to water. After completing this lesson, students will be prepared to create a model of the water cycle.

Type: Lesson Plan

Learn about the prefix auto with Ray at the racetrack in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

In this activity, students will match homophones with their meanings by playing a card game.

Type: Student Center Activity

In this activity, students will read two meanings and write the matching homograph.

Type: Student Center Activity

In this activity, students will match antonyms by playing a memory game.

Type: Student Center Activity

In this activity, students will identify antonyms by playing a domino game.

Type: Student Center Activity

In this activity, students will identify synonyms by playing a bingo-like game.

Type: Student Center Activity

In this activity, students will match homographs with their corresponding meanings.

Type: Student Center Activity

In this activity, students will produce synonyms and antonyms to match targeted words.

Type: Student Center Activity

In this activity, students will produce synonyms as more precise alternatives for overused words.

Type: Student Center Activity

Using this case study, students can discuss types of strategies that would be successful for adjusting to changes or setbacks.

Type: Text Resource

Francisco Márquez was born in Venezuela and spent his childhood in both Venezuela and the U.S. He studied political science and law in Venezuela and earned his MBA in the United States. After receiving his MBA, Francisco returned to Venezuela. Under the authoritarian Nicolás Maduro regime, Francisco was arrested as a political prisoner and spent time in a Venezuelan prison. Eventually, Francisco was released and is now a political rights activist.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Born in 1949, under the dictatorship of Joseph Stalin, Tatiana Menaker grew up in communist Soviet Union (now the Russian Federation), witnessing first-hand the inequalities that occurred under Stalin’s rule. “Refuseniks,” Tatiana and her family applied for permission to emigrate and became “Refuseniks” when they were denied permission to emigrate. Eventually, Tatiana engineered a plan that would allow her and her family to escape the Soviet Union.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation