Virginia Department of Education
Quadratic Equations
Review the multiple methods of solving quadratic equations through an analysis of the discriminant. Scholars use the discriminant to determine the best solution method and then solve various equations. As a challenge, learners build...
Perkins School for the Blind
Stuff, Seal and Stamp Mail
Have your class practice functional skills that can be applied to a wide variety of job opportunities. They will use a folding jig to help them fold, stuff, seal, stamp, and mail letters. Students with visual impairments will build...
Academy of American Poets
Teach This Poem: "somewhere i have never travelled,gladly beyond" by E. E. Cummings
Scholars engage in a role-play exercise, compare their demonstration to a time-lapse video, and to a poem by E.E. Cummings. The ensuing discussion asks learners to consider the similarities among the three.
Curated OER
Build a Better Pencil
Students develop awareness of constraints. In the early grades, children may be inclined to go with their first idea with little testing. Therefore, students should be encouraged to reflect on the practicality of their designs. However,...
Overcoming Obstacles
Giving and Earning Respect
Middle schoolers learn what respect means to them and their classmates with the opening exercise in a series of confidence-building lessons. Participants list people they respect and why they respect them. They generate a definition,...
EngageNY
Solving Problems in Two Ways—Rates and Algebra
Build confidence by using multiple approaches to problem solving! This resource uses a visual and algebraic approach to solving application problems. A discussion is included about efficient approaches to different problems.
Overcoming Obstacles
Staying Healthy
The third lesson in the Building Confidence module focuses on healthy habits. Middle schoolers engage in activities that underscore the need for a healthy diet, daily exercise, and a good night's sleep. They create customized food and...
Curated OER
Poetry for the Elementary Classroom
Use Shel Silverstein's poem "Batty" to introduce poetry to young readers. This lesson is not formatted well, but the plan does suggest learners memorize a poem, recite the poem individually, and then recite the poem as a class. Poetry...
EngageNY
Completing the Square (part 2)
Give classes confidence in completing the square with a resource that develops the process of completing the square of more complex problems, including fractions and values greater than one. It then uses quadratic modeling for profit and...
Curated OER
At The Firehouse With Dad
Students participate in a guided reading of the children's book "At The Firehouse With Dad" They improve reading comprehension skills with the use of independent practice. The students then answer discussion questions while reading the...
Curated OER
Guided Reading with Hey! You're Eating my Homework
Students practice vocabulary via a discussion of pets and animals that may have interfered with homework. They view the title of the book, and discuss what might be happening in the picture. Students discuss strategies for reading...
US Institute of Peace
Responding to Conflict: Negotiation Role-Play
After a lesson like this one, your class won't hesitate to negotiate! Pupils pair up and negotiate opposing sides of a conflict during the ninth installment in a 15-part series. Once they determine their wants and needs, individuals...
US Institute of Peace
Negotiation Role-Play
War-torn Kosovo is experiencing another crisis—thousands of broken-down cars clogging the damaged highways, making travel impossible. Which local auto shop owner will get the contract to clear the road for progress? After some research,...
Curated OER
Frederick Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass an American Slave, Written by Himself
Foster reader confidence when encountering complex text and reinforce the skills readers have acquired to build and extend their understanding of text. The plan uses a section of Douglass’ narrative as an exemplar text. Directions for...
Curated OER
The Tone Map
Poems are meant to be heard. Hearing a poem being read enriches one’s understanding of the tone and mood of the piece. Introduce your class to the sounds of poetry with a packet that not only details how to use poetry recordings in the...
Curated OER
Simple Texts for Primary Pupils
Can literacy get any more fun than this? Learners not only have fun, but gain confidence as well when presented with familiar text in another language. Select books, songs, poems, even recipes written in another language, and using the...
Curated OER
It's About You
Young scholars explore the U.S. Census and come to understand more about it. In this census lesson, students build reading confidence, explain who is counted in the census, and recognize the connection between census information and...
Lisa Staab Shadburn
Play Therapy Activities to Enhance Self‐Esteem
Discover activities to help learners increase self-awareness, build peer and family relations, and develop positive self-esteem. Here you'll find six suggestions for instilling a sense of confidence and self awareness in youngsters. Each...
Food a Fact of Life
Brilliant Baking
Young chefs are introduced to the use of the oven with an activity that asks them or whip up a batch of fruity flapjacks or tropical granola bars. Yum!
Curated OER
Sentence Combining
Learners practice sentence combining at increasingly difficult levels throughout a week. They begin with nouns and verbs and build to contrasts, parallels, etc.
Curated OER
Pre-AP Strategies for French Language and Culture
Build vocabulary, fluency and confidence in your French speakers by having them participate in some of these engaging activities. Several suggestions are given, but you will have to design the actual lesson yourself.
Curated OER
Drama: The New Friends
Reader's Theater is a great way to build fluency, intonation, and dramatic flare. The class reads the theater piece, "The New Friends" paying attention to how they express emotion and feeling as they read. They discuss the use of plot,...
Curated OER
Our Wonderful Stories: Lesson Plan 5
The fifth installment in a writing unit that culminates with a Hyperstudio illustrated group story project, this plan is ripe with ideas for ways to design group writing projects for elementary writers. Use the whole unit as a base from...
Curated OER
Prepositional Phrases
There are two types of prepositional phrases: adjectival and adverbial. Gather teaching strategies from this resource to give your learners lots of practice and meet Common Core standards! First, review prepositions by providing a...