Polar Trec
Swan Savvy
Just like so many other birds, swans migrate during the cold winter months. Your class can gain a better understanding of migration and bird life as they act out some of the activities common to the tundra swan. They make a nest, sit on...
Curated OER
Project-Based Learning and the Arts
What's so great about Project-Based learning? Read to learn how projects can help kids apply higher-order thinking skills, conduct thoughtful investigations, and make cross curricular connections. This short article includes five...
Scholastic
Ruby Bridges: A Simple Act of Courage, Grades K-2
A civil rights movement lesson designed specifically with the Common Core State Standards in mind, young learners are introduced to the story of Ruby Bridges as the first African American child to attend an all-white elementary...
Denver Art Museum
Descriptive Haiku
Even though this is technically an art activity, haiku poetry is actually the main focus! Learners view photographs of Japanese tea caddies. They list five descriptive words for the caddies, then write haiku poems using the caddies as...
Curated OER
A Horse of a Different Color
Elementary schoolers explore the wide variety of horse coat colors and reproduce an existing color as well a create their own horse coat color. There are two fine worksheets embedded in this plan that learners use to crete these coat...
Curated OER
Made from Animals
Here is a terrific lesson for elementary schoolers on products that come from animals. In it, pupils discover that we get a lot more than just food from animals. After a class discussion and teacher-led demonstration, learners utilize...
Curated OER
Sight Words and Letter Sounds
Is your elementary class learning letters and letter sounds? This take-home sheet provides a week's worth of practice for your learner at home. The repetitive nature helps learners remember!
Greater Grace Christian Academy
Cereal Box Book Report
Need a creative idea for an elementary book report? Use a cereal box project to engage your readers beyond plot, setting, and characters. The lesson includes templates for the project and examples from Charlie and the Chocolate...
Curated OER
Taking Care of a Baby
Caring for a newborn is harder than it looks! Elementary pupils learn more about taking care of babies with an age-appropriate lesson that addresses how babies grow inside their mothers, what they need to grow, and how members...
Curated OER
Arthur and His Pals
Arthur, the main character in Marc Brown’s books, is the star of this lesson. Pairs of researchers select one character from the Arthur series and use the internet to access Brown’s web site and learn more about their chosen character....
Curated OER
"Swamp Monsters" by Mary Blount Christian
Using the book Swamp Monsters by Mary Blount Christian, young readers discuss key vocabulary terms and make predictions about swamp monsters. They complete a Cloze activity, explore past-tense verbs, and categorize vocabulary words.
Curated OER
Writing as a group activity
Did you know that 50% of all Americans can trace a relative who traveled through Ellis Island? Relive these journeys with your class and then provide sentence strategy templates for them to use to compose their own informative...
Curated OER
Insects
It's a fact: kids love bugs! With this lesson, young learners explore reading informational texts and conducting research while learning about their favorite insects. Spark learners' interest by reading a book about one kind of bug and...
Curated OER
Monarch Chrysalis
Students examine the last stage of the monarch butterfly. In this life cycles instructional activity, students read the book The Very Hungry Caterpillar and study photos of the monarch life cycle. Students illustrate the third stage of...
Curated OER
What A Pair! A Cross Grade Writing Activity
What a pair! Older pupils interview younger ones and use what they learn to write a short, illustrated storybook that features the youngster as the main character. The youngster responds with a thank-you note in which they identify their...
Curated OER
Quarter Rest Lesson
First graders indicate the silent beats (rests) with an outward motion of the arms. They indicate a measure clapped out with a quarter rest, and a measure clapped out without a quarter rest.
Curated OER
You Are What You Eat
Youngsters listen to the story of Gregory the Terrible Eater and write a similar story using the same pattern. In the new book, Herman is requested to eat things that are nouns. They must supply the correct part of speech for the class...
Curated OER
Predictable Chart/Sentence Building with "Goodnight Moon"
First graders work on a series of modeled reading and writing lessons based on "Goodnight Moon." students work on pages of a predictable class book.
Curated OER
Measurement & Cooking - Rice Krispie Treats
Pupils practice their measuring and cooking skills with a box of Rice Krispies. In this culinary lesson plan, students utilize a box of Rice Krispies, butter, marshmallows and utensils to cook a batch of Rice Krispie Treats. Pupils...
Curated OER
Story Stew
Learners identify the elements of a story. In this reading and writing lesson, pupils read the book, Tyrone the Horrible by Hans Wihelm and then identify the characters, setting, and plot of the story.This lesson includes adaptations and...
Curated OER
Pumpkin and Ghost Garland
Reading scary stories on Halloween is frightfully good fun! As elementary learners read several stories for the holiday, they choose a favorite and create a decorative garland representing the characters and setting elements found...
Curated OER
Coming Attractions Theater
Elementary students research the history and construction of movie theaters, read a book of their choice and portray its primary characters and plot in a visual, movie-style report. They design and create their own movie theater in which...
Curated OER
SSR Teacher/Student-Run Conferences
Looking for a simple way to connect with each of your pupils about a book they've read? While the rest of your class is engaged in SSR, each learner comes to you for a one-on-one session. Great for formative assessment or just a good...
Curated OER
Cultivating Caring - Filling Buckets of Caring Carrots
Students practice compassion. In this character education instructional activity, student read Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud. Students discuss the book as well as ways to demonstrate they care for one another. Students...