Curated OER
Coast-to-Coast Book Design-Part 3: Brainstorming the Book
Middle schoolers examine the process of designing a book and identify the steps necessary to publish a book. In small groups they analyze ABC books, and discuss the similarities and differences between the books. Students then brainstorm...
Curated OER
Patriotic Arts: Influencing Canadians At War
Students study how war has shaped Canadian life, patriotism, propaganda, and music. They research primary source documents, novels, videos, and songs before celebrating Remembrance Day.
Curated OER
The Gentle Art of Persuasion: Techniques for Persuading Different Audiences
Students examine the use of persuasive arguments to varying audiences. They define persuasion, read and discuss an article on whether P.E. should be optional, summarize the pros and cons of P.E., and write a letter or a speech.
Curated OER
Spelling Connections: F, Ff, or Ph
In this grade 6 spelling worksheet, students fill in letters to spell eleven words. Students insert the letters "f", "ff" or "ph" to complete the words. Students then read 8 misspelled words and rewrite them correctly on the lines.
Curated OER
Writing: Narrative, Expository, Persuasive, and Descriptive
If you are interested in having a basic framework for teaching expository, narrative, persuasive, and descriptive writing, this resource may help; however, you will have to find information on the different forms of writing to share with...
Curated OER
CCC: Credible sources, Creative Commons Images, and Citing Your Sources
As part of a unit devoted to the study of autobiographies, this one-day library session focuses on developing research skills. Class members locate and properly cite a sketch of a Creative Commons image, as well as record the call...
Curated OER
The Star-Spangled Banner
Get your kids moving as they learn about the history of the United States National Anthem. Scholars examine the War of 1812, Francis Scott Key, and the meaning behind The Star Spangled Banner as they listen to an 18-minute...
Curated OER
Coast-to-Coast Book Design-Part 1: What is a book?
In this first of four lessons on book design, students are introduced to the vocabulary of book design through the use of bookwalks and a non-linear PowerPoint presentation in game-show (Jeopardy!) format.
Curated OER
Lesson Plan 7: The Elements of Story
Budding novelists work on character development by relating to the characters in their stories. They imagine their own hopes and dreams and recall those of characters from books they've read. Learners also consider struggles the...
Curated OER
What's that Mammal?
Learning by example is always effective if it's paired with independent practice opportunities! Model good reading practices for your class. Learners listen to the teacher model examples of reading with voice, expression, and tone...
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Recognizing Cause and Effect
Students define cause and effect and recognize an effect as something that happens as a result of a cause. They apply information they have learned about cause and effect to their study of literature.
Curated OER
Subordinate Conjunctions and Complex Sentences for SMART Board
A SMART board is a great way to get kids engaged and excited about grammar. Using this SMART board lesson plan and worksheet, pupils study the rules of conjunctions, clauses, and complex sentences. After they have worked on the...
Curated OER
Word Review Card Activity
Pupils play a card game where they match the meaning of the word to the word or its prefix/suffix. They listen for the teacher to call out the definition and, with two players facing off, the first one to slap the correct card wins! Kids...
Curated OER
How Characters Get What They Want
Sixth graders analyze the primary force that drives a character's actions in a character analysis lesson plan. In this character analysis lesson plan, 6th graders analyze how characters present their actions and participate in a group...
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Story Structure Slide Show
Analyzing the sequence of actions in dramatic stories leads to deeper comprehension of story structure. The class identifies the main actions in each section of a story and develops frozen tableau's for the identified actions of the...
Curated OER
Express Yourself Lesson Seed 10: Character Development
Make a study of Timothy and his development as a character over the course of the first half or so of The Cay. This idea focuses in particular on chapters 10 through 12. Learners start out by working on double-entry journals created in...
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Express Yourself Lesson Seed 9: Climax
Conduct a close reading of chapter 9 of The Cay. Read the chapter again and ask pupils to respond to a list of included text-dependent questions. Finish the class with the provided writing assignment, which asks learners to use textual...
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Express Yourself Lesson Seed 8: Character
Characters often change over the course of a story or novel. Use the sample graphic organizer provided here to track how the narrator has responded to the sequence of events in chapter four through six of The Cay. In addition to this...
Curated OER
Change of Perspective
After reading an example of a Cultural Connection about a particular person, class members are asked to think about what this person might experience on a daily basis. They then craft a narrative from the subject’s point of view.
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How Cultures Differ - Two Different Perspectives on the Same Even
Young scholars explore the effects of culture through the story Running by Peter Hessler. In this geography and cultural instructional activity, students act as newspaper reporters covering the story of the race. Young scholars write...
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Do You Really Know What Wealth Is?
Students explore what it means to have wealth in Mali and in the United States. In this economics lesson, students read "Music in the Fields." Student groups answer discussion questions. Students reflect on the purpose music serves...
Curated OER
Latin Roots cern, jur, and leg: Beginner Synonym and Antonym Word Puzzle
Pupils are provided with six vocabulary words containing the word roots cern, jur, and leg as well as a word bank of six corresponding synonyms and antonyms. To complete this word puzzle, they must fill in the appropriate synonym and...
Virginina Department of Education
Combining Ideas into an Effective Sentence
Here is a lesson that is best utilized as reinforcement in identifying sentences that combine independent/dependent clauses, and phrases that are awkward, fragmented or complete. Learners use the red, yellow, and green light method...
Curated OER
Examining What Sharing Really Means
After reading "The Senegalese Miracle" about the degree of sharing the author encounters upon arrival in Africa, class members read Mike Tidwell’s “Sharing in Africa” and compare the two stories. This cultural diversity instructional...