Curated OER
Ye Olde English Sayings
Discover the historical roots of modern English with your young learners, and then discover the meaning of many old English sayings. What a great chance to explore the history behind many of the words and phrases we use today!
Curated OER
Become a Word Detective
Students investigate the origin of words in the English language. In this language history lesson, students examine words by breaking them down and finding their roots. Students analyze words from a poem and complete a word detective...
Curated OER
Introducing New Vocabulary Words
Using context clues, synonyms, antonyms, dictionaries, and original sentences, middle schoolers work through a new list of vocabulary words. A SMART board file guides them through the process of learning and reinforcing the words. After...
Curated OER
Building Original Narratives
Fourth graders act out and write original narratives. In this theater meets writing lesson, 4th graders work in groups to create original narratives; after students act out their story, they write it down as a narrative.
Utah Education Network (UEN)
Greek and Latin Roots- Introduction
Improve vocabulary by reviewing Greek and Latin roots with your ELA class! A fun and easy way for your class to memorize roots, groups are given a set of nine roots and nine definition cards which they must then match. Encourage groups...
Curated OER
Alexander Hamilton and the Roots of Federalism
Explore the origin of political parties in the United States. Learners work in groups to read and analyze copies of the "Report on Manufactures" written by Alexander Hamilton. Then, they complete a worksheet comparing the Federalists to...
Curated OER
Primary Grades Vocabulary Instruction With Word Wizard Dictionary
Elementary schoolers discover that the world is at their fingertips as they acquire new vocabulary. Several suggested activities and strategies are provided here, building new reading and oral vocabulary.
Curated OER
It's Greek To Me!
In this language lesson plan, scholars use Greek root meanings to determine the meaning of words. After being shown how Greek roots are used in many words, such as, photosynthesis, pairs are given two excellent black line masters...
Curated OER
Words That Sell
Explore words, definitions, their connotations and associations with brand names. Middle and high schoolers identify words used in commercials and determine their effect upon the consumer population. They explore how meanings are...
Curated OER
The Roots of Medical English
Learners determine the origin of everyday words. In this language and literacy lesson plan, the teacher identifies words that students use that have roots in another language, then learners work in pairs to determine the original...
Curated OER
Greek and Latin Roots Lesson Plan: Create a Super Hero!
Students create a new super hero based on their knowledge of root words. In this word roots and origins lesson, students choose a Latin or Green root word to use as part of their super here name, then create a drawing and description of...
Poetry4kids
Onomatopoeia Poetry Lesson Plan
Two exercises boost scholars' knowledge of a onomatopoeia with excerpts from famous poems. In exercise one, participants circle onomatopoeia words. Exercise two challenges writers to choose three words to use in an original poem.
EngageNY
The Painted Essay for Opinion Writing: Developing a Conclusion and Adding Linking Words
Let's get colorful! Scholars use the Painted Essay technique to analyze and color code the conclusion of a model essay. Working in small groups, pupils then write a conclusion paragraph for their draft editorials about offshore drilling.
Curated OER
Rudyard Kipling's Rikki-Tikki-Tavi: Mixing Words and Pictures
Create meaningful illustrations to accompany stories in a web-based art and literacy instructional activity focused on "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi" by Rudyard Kipling. The class takes a virtual art safari with the Museum of Modern Art and then...
Curated OER
The Tell-Tale Hearts of Writers
Knock, knock, knock...Creep out your class with a critical thinking lesson focused on word relationships in Edgar Allen Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart." They investigate the relationship between word choice, mood, and interpretation of a...
Curated OER
Remembrance of Things Past
Engage critical and social thinking by exploring the value of language and word choice. The class considers the article "The Silence of the Historic Present" and analyzes several presidential speeches. They engage in class discussion,...
Curated OER
A Positive Spin
Study word choice and connotation in advertising. Readers examine campaign ads, both negative and positive, from the 2006 mid-term election before discussing an article and analyze a campaign of any candidate they choose. Finally, they...
Curated OER
Strong Descriptive Writing: James and the Giant Peach
Support your writers! Clear procedures and appropriate support make this a superb resource for elementary writing instruction. Ready your class to compose original descriptive paragraphs inspired by the episode in Roald Dahl's James and...
Curated OER
Music in Words
Your class can build strong, well-represented opinions about the music they hear. They listen to, and share thoughts about, a piece of classical music. Then they write a piece of music or a poem, and analyze their peers' work and their...
Curated OER
The First (and Last) Words
What does "freedom of speech" mean to your class, especially in the context of Internet communications? In round-table discussion format, middle and high schoolers address the issues discussed in "State Legislatures Across U.S. Plan to...
Curated OER
Press Review
How can word choice affect a political speech? Middle and high schoolers examine the text of the 1999 State of the Union Address, and then determine how newspaper articles and television reports describe and analyze the event. Use this...
Curated OER
Who Could Have Been Who
Can word choice affect a candidate's likeability? Use a New York Times lesson to explore how a presidential candidate's likeability factor can fluctuate in public opinion polls. Young readers choose a presidential election from their...
Curated OER
Story With Words on Top
Students create a scene for an original story in this instructional activity. They think of a favorite place or event from memory or their imagination. They draw the scene that will be the setting of their story. Finally, they write the...
Curated OER
Language Arts, Word Choice
Third graders practice replacing words in a sentence to make it more interesting. For this word choice lesson, 3rd graders listen to the story The Hard-Times Jar by Ethel Smothers and discuss the author's word choice. Students then...