Which animal is best for you—a dog or cat? Why? Engage third graders in an opinion writing assessment that prompts them to read facts about both pets, and then write and decide which pet is best for them.

I have confidence in me! Don't miss this collection of 24 activity ideas designed to help learners develop confidence and positive self-esteem. The learning exercise topics include: setting milestones, drawing self-portraits, crafting a...

Here is a great resource to support students you have identified early on as needing behavioral or general learning support, particularly if you are practicing a Response to Intervention (RTI) approach. This data binder printable allows...

Planning an elementary science unit has never been simpler! These twelve lessons guide young scientists through an exploration of simple machines and their many uses in the real world before asking them to apply their learning in the...

Visit the Magic Treehouse and take your class on a trip through time with a reading of the children's book Mummies in the Morning. Using the story to spark an investigation into Egyptian culture, this literature unit engages...

Preparation is key when it comes to dealing with disasters. Starting with a lesson series centered around researching the facts about different types of emergencies, children go on to create preparedness plans and learn how to respond in...

Three, two, one, blast off to a better understanding of force and motion with this exciting science lesson! Beginning with a discussion about rockets and gravity, young scientists go on to complete a series of worksheets about net forces...

In a fun instructional activity, kids learn about states of matter by identifying solids and liquids, then experimenting with gas to see if it has energy. Young scientists place raisins in a jar of club soda to see how the gas affects...

As your class reaches the end of the book Bullfrog at Magnolia Circle, the seventh lesson in this literary unit helps third graders transition from reading narrative to expository writing. Scholars develop their note-taking skills as...

Lesson ten in this unit for the book Bullfrogs at Magnolia Circle, prepares third graders to begin writing an informational paragraph about the adaptations of bullfrogs. First, young writers work either independently or in pairs to...

The sixth lesson plan in this Bullfrog at Magnolia Circle unit assesses your third graders' ability to read and understand informational text. The included assessment asks learners to take notes about the main idea and supporting details...

Potential, kinetic, projectile, and motion; four words that are like music to a child's ears. Enthusiastic engineers discuss potential and kinetic energy, projectile motion, force, levers, and torque. Then, they play with several objects...

Two great men, one time period, and one purpose; it sounds like a movie trailer, but it's not. It's a very good comparative analysis lesson focused on Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Learners will research and read informational...

Does your class know about nature's recyclers? The class is introduced to three types of composting, how it works, and why it is good for the environment. They will go outside in search of five items: a dead tree or log, a live tree, a...

Third graders read excepts from the story, Thank You, Mr. Falker in order to gain practice in understanding an unfamiliar story by focusing on the details. They use a worksheet, embedded in the plan, which directs them to certain...

For this ninth lesson plan in a larger beginning-of-the-year unit, close reading skills are used independently to find the gist of the story That Book Woman. Rereading for important details is the targeted skill to unlock a deeper...

This second lesson in a larger unit is perfect for the beginning of the year because it explicitly teaches 3rd graders how to use close reading skills by identifying unfamiliar words, figuring out the gist, and defining important...

What a fantastic resource to guide youngsters in persuasive letter writing. They read a brief letter to the editor and answer question about the author's purpose, word choice, and structure. Next, scholars draft their own letter by...

Scholars with high levels of self-efficacy perform better in school. Instructors review a list of strategies for enhancing self-efficacy skills. They discover how to teach learners to appropriately define success, celebrate progress, and...