Should primary graders have their own computers? Should animals be kept in captivity? Young writers learn how to develop and support a claim in this short unit on persuasive writing.

Scholars discuss the many ways they use persuasion in their everyday lives and brainstorm specific ideas for encouraging someone to do something. With the list of persuasive techniques they made, young writers complete a graphic...

Use a traffic light to model a very basic paragraph plan. The Go, or topic sentence, is written in green and expresses an opinion about the topic. Information that supports the opinion of the Go sentence is written in yellow and the...

Have you just visited an art museum? Or can you create a gallery in your classroom to visit? Pupils create an original drawing that reinforces what was learned in a visit to the art museum. They will view original art work and verbally...

Sarah Stewart’s The Gardener and Food from Farms by Nancy Dickmann display the importance of community farms. After reading these short picture books, class members draw connections between farms and the food we eat each day. As a...

Young writers compose an opinion piece that details who they feel is worth more than gold.

Newspapers aren't only for reading—they're for learning skills, too! A journalism unit provides three lessons each for primary, intermediate, and secondary grades. Lessons include objectives, materials, vocabulary, and procedure, and...

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. 

Learners identify the strengths and weakness in their community. They take a community walk and take pictures of people interacting with the environment and the "green spaces" in their community. They then write a persuasive essay...

Elementary schoolers study the symbolism and influences found in advertising. First, they learn about the history and cultural significance of the Summer Official's Hat that was a symbol of status in ancient China. Then, they access...

Students peer edit a letter.  In this editing lesson, students peer edit a letter written to a political figure by another student. Students discuss edits and revisions needed for improvement. This is a continuation lesson that is...

Students write a persuasive letter. In this persuasion instructional activity, students listen to the story Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letters from Obedience School and discuss the vocabulary and parts of a persuasive letter. They write their own...

What would change in your daily life due to a power outage? Here, learners explore the inventions brought to us by the one and only, Thomas Edison, and imagine a day without them. Scholars take part in a grand conversation and write a...

Students participate in a nonprofit organization activity for hunger outreach problems. In this service project lesson, students practice counting coins, complete a service project for a hunger outreach, discuss nutrition and healthy...

Learners develop speaking and listening skills while evaluating a list. In this consensus activity, students define consensus and discuss how it might be used at recess. After learners understand how consensus works, students review...

Students write story problems which can only be solved with the application of multiplication facts. They write an extra fact that isn't needed to solve. When their partners do the problems, they must cross out the fact that they do need.

Students compose a letter, organize a group effort, discuss the idea of patriotic symbols and explain their importance, use visual representations to express feelings and explain the importance of sustained volunteerism.

Reflect on the art your class can view at a museum. In this art history lesson, learners draw six elements of art. They discuss original art versus reproduction artwork and write about their thoughts of a museum. It would be wonderful if...

Pizza is the inspiration for the cross-curricular lesson detailed here. Start out with a poem about pizza and move into a discussion about balanced eating. To close the language arts portion of the lesson, ask your pupils to write...

In this teacher website, teachers have access to a variety of tools and resources. Teachers can utilize plans, lessons, and worksheets in all subject areas.

Young mathematicians gather data on a topic, graph it in various forms, interpret the information, and write a summary of the data. They present their data and graphs to the class.

Students engage in a lesson that is concerned with the concept of persuasion and how it is used in a writing context. They create persuasive letters addressed to the president of the United States. Students brainstorm to find facts to...

Science, social studies, language arts, and art classes work together with administrators to produce a permanent, ceramic tile wall mural to install at their school. 

Students make an environmentally sound package. In this packaging lesson students examine various types of modern packaging. The problem of waste is discussed leading into a discussion of waste reduction. The students choose an item that...