Learners study what occurs in the division process, rather than just following prescribed steps. They expand number sense to include integers and perform operations with whole numbers, simple fractions, and decimals. They write a word...

Create a commercial for a favorite book and broadcast this pitch on the Sly Book Channel! Learners practice retelling, summarizing, comparing/contrasting, and evaluation skills as they prepare their scripts. The approved scripts are then...

Though Abraham Lincoln's life was tragically cut short, it was filled with accomplishments and inspiring moments that continue to influence American democracy. Explore the ways the 16th president of the United States made his way from a...

Young explorers investigate Australian Aboriginal culture by listening to traditional Dreamtime stories and examining dot paintings created by Aboriginal artists. In addition, they locate the country on maps, discuss the geography of...

Young explorers study South American geography. They study maps and create a physical map of the Andes themselves! They also research the geography, environment, and the culture of the Andes and present a report to the class.

What do writing and dance have in common? They both have a six-trait rubric for assessment. Just like a good story, a good dance must have a hook, beginning, middle, end,  logical sequence, and a climax. Learners use a...

Distinguish between primary and secondary source documents using the theme of philanthropy. Middle schoolers discuss Anne Frank: The Diary of Young Girl as a way to study the past using a primary source. Then they investigate how to...

Here is a fun way to encourage a cooperative classroom, drawing skills, and creative expression. Each child draws a design or shape on his paper, then he rotates to the next child's paper where he adds to the previous design. When the...

Fun awaits both you and your class as you embark on a musical activity. After discussing different rhythmic meters they choose a poem to set to music. The poem must rhyme and be set to a melody in the key of C Major. Because the activity...

Robert Munsch's The Paperbag Princess and Jon Scieszkafrom's The True Story of the Three Little Pigs launch a discussion of the role of stereotypes in stories and movies.

Strengthen your high schoolers' writing with a series of steps for writing successfully. With sections on organizing an essay, choosing a topic, crafting a thesis statement, and revising a draft, the lesson encourages your class to...

Students read the book Artichoke's Heart and complete discussion questions about it. For this Artichoke's Heart lesson plan, students discuss the book with the class in a book club format.

Students investigate the virtue of kindness and giving by conducting a children's literature study of "The Giving Tree". They make a list of words to describe emotions in the story and write a journal daily while looking at the virtues...

Students research important figures in the American Civil War. In this research skills lesson, students create trading cards about selected key figures in the war that list details about the figures and their accomplishments.

Students craft planets from clay. For this geography skills lesson, students create model planets that mimic the geographic features found on Earth as well as the other planets. Students conduct research about characteristics of the...

Fifth graders complete an analysis of the Revolutionary War through literature. After "My Brother Sam Is Dead," students create a time capsule containing items that would be relevant during the Revolutionary War. They identify key...

Students read How Dogs Really Work! by Alan Snow. They complete a variety of cross-curricular activities surrounding the study of dogs as pets. Included are reading, art, math, science, writing, social studies, and library connections.

While the focus of this activity is on writing about tornadoes, any topic could be substituted. The activity provides a well-thought out overview of the writing process. Learners come up with a thesis statement, supporting  details,...

Is the rainy day schedule disrupting your class? Here is a great way to practice basic addition, subtraction, and multiplication skills while building automaticity and problem solving. This activity provides the rules to three different...

Students organize library books using their library catalogue numbers. In this library books lesson, students receive four books to identify and then place in order according to their library information.

Learners examine the differences between fiction and non-fiction books in the library by discussing kangaroos. They distinguish between facts about kangaroos, and using their imaginations and imagining what they would do with pet kangaroos.

Students read a narrative selection and select a literature circle role. In this reading comprehension lesson, students work in groups to identify vocabulary, make text connections, or other reading comprehension strategies. Students...

Write with the senses! Try using art to inspire writers to consider all of the senses. Here, the class is divided in half. Each group looks at one of two images, imagines the senses that would be engaged, and records answers to five...

While canals are not the way to travel today, in the first half of the nineteenth century, they were sometimes the best way to move goods and people. Scholars examine primary sources, including maps and pictures, to investigate the role...