Overcoming Obstacles
Respect
A social-emotional lesson focuses on respect. Scholars define the term and puzzle out the word. Pupils give examples of respect they observe at home, at school, and in the community. Cards showcase scenarios in that participants identify...
Overcoming Obstacles
Resolving Conflicts
A activity about resolving conflicts guides young scholars through the process of identifying emotions and reflecting on the situation, all before taking action. The activity encourages class members to stay open-minded and listen to the...
Overcoming Obstacles
Cooperation
Young scholars practice cooperation by working together for a common cause. After a short demonstration, learners fill in a T-Chart describing how cooperation looks and sounds. Small groups work together to pick up tiny beads and put...
Overcoming Obstacles
Kindness
Encourage kindness with a lesson plan that defines kindness, asks scholars how to show kindness, and share how others have shown them kindness. Multiple activities prove that kindness is easy to give through coloring, storytelling, a...
Overcoming Obstacles
Self-Control
A lesson uses a stop light to assist young scholars in using self-control. After the class defines self-control and how it boosts responsibility and independence, they practice a breathing exercise to reflect on their behavior. Learners...
Overcoming Obstacles
Coping Skills
A lesson brings awareness to a variety of emotions. After discussing the many types of emotions, scholars create a list sorting emotions as easy and hard and then brainstorm coping skills. Pupils draw a picture depicting a scenario that...
Overcoming Obstacles
Fairness
Fairness is the subject of a lesson designed to boost relationship skills and social awareness. Class members discuss that fairness is getting what you need when needed, differences are okay, and review classroom rules to identify their...
Overcoming Obstacles
Listening
Young scholars boost communication skills with a instructional activity that explores what it looks like to listen with the whole body. Through modeling and practice, pupils observe what it looks like and then practice. A friendly game...
Health Smart Virginia
How the Namuhs Learned to Be Content with Who They Are
Ninth graders consider how perceived standards of beauty influence body image as well as the relationship between body image and eating disorders. The class brainstorms traits the media presents as beauty standards for males and females,...
Lions Clubs International Foundation
Introduction to Mindful Breathing
Ten minutes are all you need for a breathing exercise designed to bring calm and focus. Young scholars get their wiggles out, then shift their gaze and belly breath, paying close attention to how they physically feel.
Lions Clubs International Foundation
Introduction to Mindful Breathing
The first of eight lessons introduces learners to Breath Awareness—an exercise that brings focus and thoughtfulness through breathing before engaging in other activities.
PBS
Reading Adventure Pack: Government
A reading adventure pack looks closely at government with the help of two books—one fiction, one nonfiction, and a series of activities. Learners craft a mobile to visualize a balanced government, participate in a scavenger hunt around...
Nemours KidsHealth
Empathy Award
In this personal health instructional activity, young scholars research biographies of famous people using the Internet or library in order to nominate someone for an empathy award. They fill out the nomination form for this fictitious...
Texas Education Agency (TEA)
Maintaining Your Health and Well-Being
Future counselors and mental health professionals engage in two activities that give them insight into careers in human services. First, groups of four compare and contrast health and wellness apps and share their findings with the...
Merlyn Education and Climate Protection Project
Short Story Lesson Plan: "Ghostwriter" By Kyle Downey
Frankenstein, Mr. Data, Hal, and DEFCON, the computer featured in Kyle Downey’s tale, “Ghostwriter,” all illustrate the dangers of creating intelligent life. After reading Downey’s story, class members craft their own narrative in which...
Curated OER
Exploring Careers: Career Interest Checklist
What do you want to be when you grow up can be a difficult question for many young people. A career interest checklist gives high schoolers a place to consider career options that might not have occurred to them. Participants first...
PBS
Reading Adventure Pack: Money
Money is the topic of a reading adventure pack. Third graders read two books—one fiction, one non-fiction—and complete a series of activities. Learners draw an item they wish to save money for, examine coins to start a collection, and...
Nebraska Department of Education
Career Family Tree
What do you want to be when you grow up? How does your family influence your choices of occupations? These are the questions middle schoolers consider as they interview family members and create a career Family Tree.
Nebraska Department of Education
A Letter to Myself
Middle schoolers craft a letter to themselves describing what their life will be like in four years using a prewriting organizer to guide their work.
Nebraska Department of Education
Work: Love It or Hate It?
Future job seekers interview adults who love their work and ones that dislike their work. After reflecting on what they learned in a whole-class discussion, participants create a mission statement that details what they want and don't...
Orange County Department of Education
Poppa's New Pants
Angela Shelf Medearis' Poppa's New Pants provides third graders with an opportunity to stitch together their own narrative filled with sensory details. After reading the story and noting the sensory and concrete details in the tale that...
Nebraska Department of Education
Leaving A Job
Neither "You're fired!" nor "I quit!" make for leaving a job on good terms. As part of a career development study, job seekers learn to craft both a verbal resignation and a formal resignation letter.
Nebraska Department of Education
Writing Emails That Matter
LOL! BRB! :-) The rules for business and professional emails differ significantly from online communications among friends. As part of a career readiness study, pupils learn the do's and don'ts of writing professional emails.
Beyond Benign
Green Chemistry, Biomimicry and Intermolecular Forces
Did you know plywood was invented around 3500 B.C.? It was also featured as something new and unusual at the 1905 World's Fair. Scholars complete an experiment with various types of adhesive. Then they read three case studies and answer...