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 in the...
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Principles of Kwanzaa Plaque
Study African culture and learn the origins of Kwanzaa with an artistic lesson plan. Learners recognize that Kwanzaa is Swahili for "first fruits of the harvest." They identify and comprehend the values and meanings of the nguzo saba,...
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Perfect Punctuation
Learners, in a group of three or four, design a board game to help reinforce the rules of Perfect Punctuation. They make game pieces for the game with Crayola Model Magic and include the punctuation marks of periods, exclamation points,...
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Peace Bridge Game
Young scholars examine the border between the United States and Canada. As a class, they are introduced to the purpose of the Peace Bridge which is located from New York into Canada. In groups, they use the internet to research the...
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Do Presidential Candidates Need to Be Good Debaters?
Blogs can be a good way for learners to engage in writing, critical thinking, and social media in a formal way. The New York Times has provided learners age 13-18 with an article, background information, and several prompts to get them...
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Effects of Oil Spills on Environment and Marine Life
Learners explore oceanography by conducting an environmental experiment in class. In this oil spill instructional activity, students discuss the human need for oil and what is at stake when we drill for oil in our oceans. Learners read a...
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Magical Math-ical Dragon
Students read picture books in which mathematics and solutions to math problems play a role in the action. After discussing the books and how the author used math problems to tell a story, they create their own magical, math-ical story...
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Looking at Me-In the Future
Students interview family members for important details and funny stories about themselves when they were younger. Once interviews are complete, they list interesting facts about their life today then predict what their life will be like...
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LOVE Poster
Students research pop or contemporary artists like Jasper Johns, Andy Warhol, and Roy Lichtenstein and examine their simple style of drawing and painting. They create a contemporary art poster using shading gradient techniques and mixed...
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Design a Colonial Garden
Students explore botany by completing an art design activity in class. In this gardening history instructional activity, students identify the plants and crops utilized in the Colonial era for both food and medicine. Students utilize...
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Log Cabin in a Thunderstorm Lesson Plan
Students work on a K-W-L chart about electrical storms, lightening, and thunder. They discuss how meteorologists forecast storms and research their answers which are shared in a whole class setting. Using art supplies, they draw dwelling...
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Larger Than Life
Students research the Spanish artist Francisco de Goya and his use of fantasy and allegory in his artwork. After reading either classic or contemporary fantasy stories, they discuss how Goya might have illustrated the stories. Students...
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Labor Day Workers Cube
Students examine the history of celebrating Labor Day and discuss the important role blue-collar workers play in the country's economy. After discussion, they create a cube displaying drawings of various jobs they admire. Panels of cube...
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Kwanzaa Window Book
Learners research Kwanzaa, focusing on the seven principles used in celebration, with an artistic lesson. They design their own window books to demonstrate comprehension of the principles and symbols of Kwanzaa in words and pictures.
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King of the Forest
Students in a special education classroom use the internet to research the characteristics of the rainforest. Individually, they decide whether to write a short story or poem with a main character who lives in the rainforest. To end the...
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Juneteenth Proclamation Jubilation
Students research the U.S. holiday Juneteenth and examine the historical elements that contributed to the delayed announcement of the emancipation of slaves in Texas. They recreate a facsimile of the Emancipation Proclamation with the...
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Growing a Native American "Three Sisters" Garden
Students explore plant life by creating their own gardens in class. In this food growing instructional activity, students discuss the types of gardening methods Native Americans used in order to keep healthy. Students plant corn seeds in...
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Jobs in Our Classroom
Students brainstorm jobs that help contribute to a smooth running classroom. After identifying responsibilities and skills necessary for each job, they created "Help Wanted" posters. Students design their own letterhead and submit...
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Interviews and Beyond
Students get to know their classmates by interviewing them. Individually, they develop questions they want to know about their classmates and ask one a week. To end the activity, they use a tissue box to draw their partner and the...
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MAUS Cloze Procedure
Determine if the graphic novel Maus, by Art Spiegelman, is an appropriate reading level for your class by performing this cloze activity. Kids read the passage and attempt to complete the sentences on a second or third read through. All...
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Fast Food Nation: Study Questions
Are you introducing your class to the horrors of eating unhealthy? This lesson contains 24 reading comprehension questions relating to the non-fiction book. Readers are encouraged to copy these and answer them in their reading journals.
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Fahrenheit 451: Questioning Strategy
After reading Captain Beatty's speech (pg. 54-63) in Fahrenheit 451, provide your class with these analysis questions. Six questions are included here, using Bloom's Taxonomy to focus on knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis,...
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Falling Leaves Poetry Spinners
Why settle for autumn leaves as classroom decorations when you could use autumn poetry? After taking a nature walk and collecting fall artifacts, including seed pods and fallen leaves, learners demonstrate the movement of the season with...
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Egyptian Tomb Treasures
Students are taught that the culture and customs of ancient Egyptian civilization. They recognize Egyptian symbols, patterns, and artwork. Students demonstrate their knowledge of Egyptian funeral procedures by creating replica sarcophagi.