Curated OER
Effective Back-to-School Nights
Here is an engaging and creative project to do with your ESL learners in preparation for back to school night. A digital camera is used to photograph each pupil, and everyone completes a short writing assignment that goes along with...
Curated OER
Understanding Fantasy Fiction
Students investigate storytelling elements by writing their own fiction stories. In this creative writing lesson plan, students listen as the teacher reads a fictional story. Students analyze the lack of rules in the story...
Curated OER
Think It, Write It, Create It
Help your scholars create a class story. They will write a page of the story and illustrate that page. Then they use a variety of digital technologies to make the story come alive. A variety of digital resources are recommended for the...
Curated OER
Audio Aesop: Listen to the Lesson!
Aesop's Fables are the focus of this language arts lesson plan. Young philosophers study and discuss the morals found in the most famous of Aesop's Fables. They write an original fable that teaches a common moral. A "Fable Listening...
Curated OER
The Finer Things in Life
Momoyama and Edo are periods in Japanese history that can be defined culturally and artistically. Learners explore and discuss how the samurai used sword guards and grip enhancers. Pupils read the story "The Inch-High Samurai," examine...
Curated OER
Leaf People
Kids create leaf people out of sticks, glue, and leaves. They use their imagination to construct leaf people and then glue them onto construction paper. Tip: Extend this craft by incorporating writing. Have learners write a short story...
Curated OER
Fill a Jar
Sometimes short lesson outlines are enough to give you a great idea. Young writers draw any object inside an image of a jar, that doesn't belong in a jar. They can draw a tree, truck, or dinosaur. Tip: Have kids write a short story...
Jordan School District
Who is Worth More Than Gold?
Young writers compose an opinion piece that details who they feel is worth more than gold.
Curated OER
Publishing Book Reviews
After reading "How to write a good book review" and browsing some book reviews, class members generate a list of things they would like to see in a book review. Then young reporters read a book, write a review and post their polished...
Curated OER
If I Had a Robot
Students study writing. In this creative writing lesson, students write a story about having a robot and make a three-dimensional robot to accompany their writing.
Curated OER
A Sample Mini-lesson for Teaching Writing Conventions
Young scholars study writing conventions. In this writing conventions lesson plan, students study writing they have already completed and look for conventions they are already using without realizing. In a small group, young scholars...
Curated OER
Zoom into Writing
Students take a picture and create a writing piece. In this creative writing lesson, students use a digital camera to take a picture and then zoom in on what interests them. They use this picture as inspiration as the character, setting,...
Curated OER
Picture Books, Retelling, and Writing
Students create stories using only pictures. In this visual storytelling lesson, students read Pancakes for Breakfast by Tomie de Paola and analyze the wordless story. Students create new text for the book by writing on...
Curated OER
Hard C and Soft C
Students categorize different words that contain a hard c and a soft c. In this hard and soft c lesson plan, students also pick words from each of the categories and write a story with those words.
Teaching Tolerance
Community Bulletin Board
A project-based lesson has pupils create a bulletin board to share artwork, nonfiction articles, and messages based on social justice themes. The finished board is displayed in the community to create a place for discussion.
Curated OER
The Use of Substitution As a Creative Thinking Tool
Students practice using substitution as a creative way of thinking about writing and try to substitute song lyrics, food items, rhythm movements and more. In this substitution lesson plan, students create a new candy, and create...
Curated OER
Miss Alaineus Lesson Plan
Students gain an understanding of various literary devices and strengthen their vocabulary. In this Miss Alaineus lesson plan, students read the vocabulary tale, discuss the use of literary devices and choose from 4 possible culminating...
Curated OER
Talking About Your Name in Math Terms
Add imagination and creativity to your math instructional activity. Young mathematicians investigate ways to express their names in mathematical terms. For instance, they can count the number of letters, analyze the geometric shapes of...
Curated OER
Writing Process
Introduce primary graders to the writing process. After reviewing the steps, they practice using the process by writing a book report. Before writing the draft, they complete a graphic organizer. The completed draft is reviewed by peers....
Curated OER
Tissue Paper Dye Painting
Use tissue paper squares to create collage art. Young artists discuss colors as they place and glue each piece of tissue on the paper. Tip: Cut out large basic shapes instead. Have the class create images using the tissue...
National Council of Teachers of English
A Bear of a Poem: Composing and Performing Found Poetry
Scholars work collaboratively to compose a found poem from one of their favorite stories. With a finished product in hand, class members form a circle and perform their work for an audience by taking turns reciting one line till the poem...
PBS
Dear Pen Pal
Explore cultures from around the world with an engaging pen pal resource. Through a series of classroom activities and written correspondence, children learn about the favoritec pastimes, schooling, geography, and weather that is...
Curated OER
The All About Me Poster
Students discover the literary genre of biographies. In this creative writing lesson, students write about their own life experiences and personal stories. Students create a poster about their lives, a biographical...
Curated OER
Illustrating Student Writing in Grades 1-3
Students depict story elements in a visual medium, exhibit creativity through the completion of the drawn image, and practice computer skills. They use Microsoft Word to write about who they would like to meet, using Microsoft Paint they...