Curated OER
6th Grade: Express Yourself, Lesson 1: Poem
While originally created to accompany The Cay, this poetry lesson could be used on it's own, especially if you are working on dialect. Class members conduct a close reading of "When Malindy Sings" by Paul Laurence Dunbar and listen to an...
Curated OER
6th Grade: Express Yourself, Lesson 2: Close Read
The second instructional activity of a pair about Paul Laurence Dunbar, this plan focuses in particular on his poem, "We Wear the Masks." After a short historical introduction, class members conduct a series or readings, marking up the...
Curated OER
Express Yourself Lesson Seed 17: Obituary
The Cay has been criticized by groups such as the Council on Interracial Books for Children because of the way race is portrayed. Explore the argument against the book while taking the author's perspective into account. Class members...
Curated OER
The Tell-Tale Hearts of Writers
Knock, knock, knock...Creep out your class with a critical thinking lesson plan focused on word relationships in Edgar Allen Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart." They investigate the relationship between word choice, mood, and interpretation of...
Curated OER
Communities in Crisis Lesson 1: Primary Source? What is That?
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...
Curated OER
Rowan Atkinson: Famous People, ELL Assignment
This 13-page assignment was designed for English language learners. It includes a one-page reading on the comedic actor Rowan Atkinson and 10 activities/exercises that focus on listening and reading comprehension, speaking, vocabulary...
Curated OER
Let There Be Peace: Nobel Prize Winners
What is the Nobel Peace Prize? After they establish criteria for great leadership, secondary learners read a New York Times article about President Jimmy Carter's acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Individuals research the...
Curated OER
All About Me
Kids almost always want to share the things that make them special. They create and deliver an autobiographical multimedia presentation using step-by-step outlines to plan their content. This is a great "All About Me" lesson, perfect for...
Curated OER
Famous African Americans ABC Book
Students investigate the concept of a biography by using famous African Americans for a subject. Each student is assigned one biography and conducts research in order to complete an ABC book for the class that is used for display...
Curated OER
Who's Your Hero/Heroine?
Students use research skills on the Internet and write a biographical report and present it to the class. They utilize a worksheet that's imbedded in this plan to guide them in their research. students come to school dressed up as their...
Curated OER
The Making of the Mahatma: Gandhi's Childhood
Students investigate the childhood of one of the greatest philosophers of our time, Gandhi. In this biography lesson, students analyze the upbringing and events that finally shaped Mahatma Gandhi's life. Students locate famous quotes...
National Park Service
A Tale of Two Men
Theodore Roosevelt and the Marquis de Mores were both born in 1858, and both came to the Dakota territory in 1883, but they influenced the developing country of America in different ways. Elementary and middle schoolers apply written and...
Los Angeles Unified School District
River Systems
Scholars must react to the ecosystems of a river. They use inquiry-based learning along with maps and visuals to better understand the impact of rivers on everyday life. To finish, they create final written projects and presentations.
Curated OER
Courage of the Heart
Learners research discrimination and how people fought against for the common good. In this discrimination lesson, students watch a movie about Alfred Blalock and Vivien Thomas. Learners generate a list of words about discrimination....
Curated OER
Presidents of the United States
Students discuss American Presidents. They each complete research on one particular President and then, using a template, create a short biography (including a picture) about him. When all biographies are complete, they compile them into...
Curated OER
Study Guide for Lelavision's Physical Music
Students complete activities for physical music analysis. In this physical music lesson, students read the biography for Lelavision musical sculptures, complete a sound and motion activity, and a making music activity. Students also...
Curated OER
Women in the Civil War
Pupils study the Civil War era in the US with a concentration on women during this time through literature and biographies. They create a timeline or multimedia presentation as one product of this series of lessons.
Curated OER
Bigger than Life
Middle schoolers explore courage. For this moral and character development lesson, students read biographical information about Jackie Robinson and identify examples of courage exemplified in his life story.
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Character Education- Respect
Students discuss what respect means. In this character education activity, students read the book Cynthia Ann Parker and discuss the philanthropic acts in the book. Students answer questions about the text on the provided worksheet.
Curated OER
Super Seniors
Students research senior citizens who were heroes during the Reconstruction Era. They interview senior citizens who they believe to be heroes and write a biography about them. They explain how small acts can contribute to the common good.
Curated OER
Character Education: Responsibility
Learners study Manuel de Zavala and his role in the history of Texas. In this character education lesson plan, students read about Manuel Lorenzo and underline the responsibilities he took on in his life. Learners then answer questions...
EngageNY
Presentation of Events: Comparing Two Authors
Give a little clue! Readers learn how context clues can help them determine the meaning of words by viewing a Context Clues Resource sheet then completing a Context Clues
practice sheet. They then compare events presented by two...
Curated OER
Personal Experience Narratives
Help your middle schoolers identify personal experience narratives in their own lives through telling stories themselves and from family members or other adults. They study personal experience narratives in Swapping Stories and compare...
Curated OER
Introduction to Traditional Oral Narratives
Learners are introduced to the idea of traditional oral narratives and divide them into genres. They explore the genres of context, motifs and variants. Each student finds oral narratives in their own lives and practice retelling them in...