Spreading Gratitude Rocks
Gratitude Quote Poster
According to Cicero, "Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others." Pupils explore similar inspirational quotes after watching a time-lapse video. Next, scholars interpret one of the quotes by creating...
Sundance
Teaching Strategies: The Giver
Can utopia be achieved? Included here are three literature worksheets to pair with Lois Lowry's The Giver. Pupils work in groups to come up with solutions to society's issues, individuals back up a statement related to a topic in the...
Roald Dahl
The Twits - Mrs Twit Gets a Stretching
A cork, a rubber snake, and a bucket of mud may not seem like the best materials for washing a car, but they are in The Twits. The fifth activity in an 11-part unit designed to accompany The Twits by Roald Dahl has readers role play...
Curated OER
How Characters Affect the Plot
How do a character’s feelings and actions influence the plot of a story? The interaction between character and plot is explored in this lesson that uses When Charlie McButton Lost Power to launch the discussion. Charlie’s love of...
International Boys' Schools Coalition
Empathy
Putting yourself in someone else's shoes is a common phrase we hear from time to time, but do children really understand? Explore empathy with elementary schoolers using these activities. Focusing on feelings and emotions, students role...
US Institute of Peace
Responding to Conflict: Negotiation—Identifying Wants and Needs
Let's make a deal! Are real negotiations as simple as they are in the game show? Scholars learn the art of negotiation during the 8th lesson in a series of 15. The activity kicks off with a fun group negotiation, then explores the topic...
US Institute of Peace
Perspectives on Peace
Much like a garden, once the seeds of peace are planted, they need to be tended! How can humankind make and keep peace? The second installment in a series of 15 peacebuilding activities focuses on different perceptions of peace. The...
US Institute of Peace
Maintaining Trusting Relationships
What role does trust play in diffusing a tense situation? Young social scientists explore trust on a personal and global level during a lesson on peace and conflict. After participating in a trust sit, participants work in groups to...
Curated OER
Presenting Ethical Dilemmas in the Classroom
Students explore the dilemma of bioethics. Students review a cast study on a bioethical topic. They research the facts, values, and stakemakers in the controversial debate. Students consider the consequences and discuss their findings...
Curated OER
Aunt Isabel Tells a Good One...
Explore language arts by reading two similar stories in order to compare and contrast them in class. Young readers read two Aunt Isabel books, by Kate Duke, and discuss the main characters, plot, and setting. They complete a graphic...
Curated OER
Exploring A Streetcar Named Desire
Students investigate the dramatic elements of a Streetcar Named Desire. In this drama instructional activity, students explore the theme of the Tennessee Williams play as they read the play and watch performances of some of the acts....
Curated OER
Sticks and Stones
Students explore bullying. In this character development activity, students discuss verbal and nonverbal bullying. Using the "sticks and stones" adage, students write a sentence describing a hurtful act on a gray piece of paper, crumple...
Curated OER
Ocean Pollution
Learners explore ocean pollution. In this ecology lesson plan, students view a video entitled This Pretty Planet and identify common biodegradable products. Learners participate in activities designed to simulate the negative effects of...
Curated OER
Story Summaries; The Three Little Pigs
Young scholars explore language arts by completing a graphic organizer in class. In this story structure lesson, students read the classic tale "The Three Little Pigs" and discuss the main characters, conflict and setting. Young scholars...
Curated OER
Matthew Henson: Heroic Explore Who Conquered Racism
Young scholars explore the concept of racism. In this character building lesson, students read a biography about a hero Matthew Henson. Young scholars discover the challenges he, and others, faced during a time of unfairness.
West Virginia Department of Education
Intelligence of Authentic Character - News Coverage and John Brown's Raid
The resource, a standalone, shows how news coverage of John Brown's Raid began when the event happened and how that reporting shaped perception in West Virginia history. The resource includes interesting anticipatory discussion...
Curated OER
The Exploration of the Writer, His Louisiana History And the Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman By Ernest J. Faines
Learners identify the significance of the author's experiences on his written work; describe the hardships faced by slaves and plantation owners once the caves were set free; explain the role of the Seceses and why they were a threat to...
Curated OER
Beowulf: Lesson Plan and Supplementary Materials
A reading of Beowulf: Dragon Slayer, Rosemary Sutcliff's retelling of the classic epic poem, launches an exploration of what it means to be a hero, a noble leader, and a great warrior. A great way to introduce middle schoolers to this...
Digital Public Library of America
Teaching Guide: Exploring Little Women
Louisa May Alcott's Little Women is a literary masterpiece as well as a timestamp of the formative mid-nineteenth century in America. Using a primary source set of photographs, letters, and portraits, readers discuss the ways...
Curated OER
Character Education - Self Respect, Respect for Others
Students respond the story of Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes and discuss the ways in which she showed respect for herself and for others.
Curated OER
Character Analysis
Young scholars analyze the motivations behind characters. In this character analysis lesson, students reflect on conflicts from previous stories and watch a clip from 'East is East.' Young scholars answer questions for the movie and...
Curated OER
Illustrate With Character
Students examine character traits and apply characteristics of those traits to images and quotations. They design, save and print using a desktop publishing program. They utilize reference tools to locate quotations.
Curated OER
Portraits That Capture Character
Young scholars explore the definition of a portrait. For this portrait analysis lesson, students discuss two of Dorothea Lange's portraits and create their own portraits of their classmates.
Curated OER
The Effects of Character Decisions
Fifth graders analyze the effect of character choices. In this lesson students read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. Students explore the affect of decisions on the plot of the story.