Curated OER
Wanted: Only the Facts!
Students apply three steps to summarizing successfully (delete trivial and redundant material, replace superordinate terms with a list or action term, and invent a topic sentence.) Through guided practice, they follow these rules in...
Curated OER
Following a Monster
Students follow tracks of a monster who has walked through their classroom to see what he has done. They discuss sequencing vocabulary before using computer software students sequence the monster's visit using a concept map. In a word...
Curated OER
Online Newspaper Search
Students use the Internet to research an article. When they find an article they like, it be printed and they highlight the important information and present to the class.
Curated OER
Getting to Know Paws in Jobland
Students explore careers interests through the use of technology. In this instructional activity about jobs and technology, students develop technology skills. Students access resources and information about jobs that are interesting to...
Curated OER
Satellite Mobiles
Students discuss satellites and their functions. They design and construct their own satellite out of readily available materials. Students are taught the definition of a satellite. They discuss the two main purposes of satellites:...
Curated OER
Writing a Topic Sentence
Here is an inventive, and easy-to-implement instructional activity on the writing of topic sentences. Learners review what a topic sentence is, practice identifying topic sentences in an informational article, then play a really cool...
Curated OER
Writing Descriptive Paragraphs
Show a Powerpoint presentation about descriptive writing. Fourth graders brainstorm a list of writing topics and place them in graphic organizers. Then they write their own paragraphs describing topics of their choice and create...
Curated OER
Sum it Up!!
Students work to develop comprehension strategies. Through modeling they discover how to summarize a written passage by deleting unnecessary information and using clustering or concept mapping for the most important items or events. In...
Santa Barbara City College
Structure of a General Expository Essay
A great student reference tool and graphic organizer in one worksheet! Young writers can read a detailed description of each section of a standard five-paragraph essay before completing a graphic organized with their own writing. The...
Defining US
Integration of Education and American Society
How did the struggle for Civil Rights during the 1950s transform American society and politics? Why are American schools integrated today? Class members explore these essential questions by examining a series of primary and secondary...
Virginia Department of Education
Analyzing and Planning Persuasive Writing
Young writers work backward to analyze persuasive techniques. As a class, work through the provided persuasive letter: a plea to an imaginary city council to lift a city-wide ban on fast food restaurants and discount stores. Start by...
Curated OER
Phineas Gage: “How Do You Get Through Hard Times?” Chalk Talk
Hold a discussion in writing about coping strategies to prepare your pupils for reading Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science by John Fleischman. After journaling, pupils come up in an organized fashion and write...
Ohio Literacy Resource Center
Writing a Well-Structured Paragraph
Practice with paragraphs while thinking about careers! Learners examine and discuss two sample paragraphs, marking the different elements (topic sentences, body, concluding sentences), and try out writing their own paragraphs. Focusing...
Curated OER
Internet Investigations: Unsolved Mysteries
Young scholars conduct Internet research to investigate the facts and fiction of various unsolved mysteries. They examine the facts and opinions of the mysteries, and create a Powerpoint slide show to present the theories and the group's...
Curated OER
The Gift of the Nile: Egypt and its River
Students begin with a piece of a puzzle that shows an artifact from ancient Egypt. They find others who have pieces that go with their puzzle piece. Students work in these groups to construct a relief map of the Nile River Valley.
Curated OER
I Won't Live in a Toxic World
Students examine four separate environmental health issues using fish-bowl technique, and discuss roles of both government and citizens in maintaining a pollution-free environment.
Curated OER
I Live in Kansas!
Student research and apply information about communities in Kansas. In this Kansas lesson, 3rd graders study ten communities in the state, complete a booklet, and compare the communities to their own. They use the information to design a...
TED-Ed
Lessons from Auschwitz: The Power of Our Words
Some words are best left unspoken. Words matter, according to Benjamin Zander, conductor, teacher, and lecturer. To illustrate his point, Zander recounts a story told to him by a survivor of Auschwitz. As a result of her experience this...
Curated OER
Research Skills: Information Retrieval and Evaluation
Focus on research skills, specifically identifying key words and concepts on a specific topic and evaluating information for relevance and authority. This is part of a multi-step lesson on Ancient Rome; however, it is useful for any...
Curated OER
Teacher of the Year
Now is the time to identify the great teachers in your school! Discuss the characteristics of persuasive writing and analyze an example. Then, each pupil chooses a teacher who they feel should be named teacher of the year. They plan and...
Curated OER
Become a "Summarizer"
Young scholars practice reading a text and summarizing it for their classmates. As a class, they are introduced to various ways of summerizing material and use them to summarize two articles. They are asked questions to reinforce what...
Curated OER
In the News
Third graders participate in a lesson that helps to improve reading comprehension. They move through several activities that help them understand how to express their opinions, support their statements and communicate these thoughts...
Curated OER
Study Skills-Note Taking
Students use a note card to record a direct quotation from a collection of famous speeches. The top right-hand corner should contain the name of the speaker, and the top left-hand corner should contain the name of the speech.
Curated OER
Propaganda Techniques
Sixth graders locate examples of persuasive writing. For this persuasive writing lesson students work in a groups to identify and analyze the use of propaganda techniques. Students use newspapers to find editorials, or advertisements,...