Curated OER
Do You Want to Be My Friend?
Learners participate in a variety of emergent and early-literacy activities based on a "friendship" theme. Learners listen to the book Do You Want to Be My Friend by Eric Carle, then echo read, choral read, and independently read...
Curated OER
Lesson: Younger Than Jesus: Understanding, Looking at, Making Abstract Art
Before the class makes abstract art, they see contemporary examples and analyze them. They look at art made by abstract artists under the age of 33 then use similar techniques to create an interesting collection of their own. The lesson...
NPR
Suffrage Lesson Plan
Has life changed for American women in the last century, or are there common themes between the lives of 21st century women and the struggle of suffragettes from the 1910s? Explore the ways media reflects the position of women in the...
PBS
Lessons in Leadership, Roosevelt Style
It's easy to criticize those in power until you're sitting at their desk, faced with the same decisions. A history lesson prompts secondary learners to research the Roosevelt presidencies through the lens of leadership and...
Concordia University Chicago
Winter Landscape with Skaters by Hendrick Avercamp
In need of a quick set of ideas to use on a wintery day? Why not analyze Winter Landscape with Skaters with your class? After a thorough discussion, learners compare and contrast two paintings, research what curators do, draw landscapes,...
Curated OER
Poetry Through Digital Storytelling
Bring digital storytelling to your language arts class! To begin, learners select their own topic, such as a poem that reflects a life experience they had or a historical figure who interests them. Then they work to create a storyboard...
Curated OER
Immigration and Ancestors
We are all immigrants to this country and the study of immigration can help students connect to history in a personal way. Students will listen to audio clips from the Ellis Island web site, discuss the treatment of immigrants in the...
Agriculture in the Classroom
A Rafter of Turkeys
How did that turkey get from the early Aztec culture to your table? Learn about the history of wild and domesticated turkeys in North America, as well as their inclusion in Thanksgiving traditions, with a two-part agricultural science...
Curated OER
What's in the Time Capsule? A Technology-Connected Lesson Plan
Twelfth graders use computers and the Internet to research a specified area, word processors to prepare an essay, a digital camera, a video camera gather visuals, and a scanner to add visuals to a PowerPoint presentation as they discover...
Concordia University Chicago
The Cradle by Berthe Morisot
The art activities found here have learners take a critical look at the role of women in the domestic setting. They analyze Berthe Morisot's The Cradle through a guided discussion. Then they paint men and women in traditional domestic...
Curated OER
A Small Book of Small Things
Students explore size relationships as they collect pictures of the small things in their world. For this early childhood math and literacy lesson, students gain an understanding of size differences and develop fine-motor and literacy...
Curated OER
Activity Plan Mixed Ages: Fairytale Homes
Students create homes for fairytale characters. In this early childhood lesson plan, students develop literacy, language, and problem-solving concepts as they create block structures related to specific fairy tales.
Curated OER
Personal Stories of the National Parks
Students explore historical information about U.S. national parks using the stories of Edward and Margaret Gehrke as a primary source document. In this United States geography, history, and literacy lesson, students view the diary...
Teachers' Curriculum Instituted
The Roman Record
Using Google Earth, Google Docs, and other Google Tools, collaborative groups of seventh graders research and then create and share online newspapers reporting on the early development, geographical features, political issues, and family...
Curated OER
Cowboys
Learners analyze cowboy literature. In this United States history and literacy lesson, students listen to a variety of cowboy songs and poetry, view the video "Rediscovering America: The Real American Cowboy," and view related websites....
Curated OER
Reporting on the 1920s
Use this roaring 1920s history lesson plan to have young writers research primary and secondary sources. They use their research to examine the events or famous public figures of the time period. Next, they imagine they're in the 1920s...
Curated OER
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Students explore the 5 themes of geography. In this cross curriculum literacy and geography instructional activity, students listen to Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett, and make a list of the needs of the people in...
Curated OER
Enhancing Literacy with Podcasting
Students write stories, print hard copies, and use the GarageBand program to add music and record the narrations. A handout to download, of instructions is included in this early-elementary lesson.
Curated OER
Picture Word Book
Students create a book. In this vocabulary and word identification instructional activity, students make a book by gluing pictures on construction paper, then the teacher writes words in the book to label each picture.
Curated OER
African Americans in Science
Students examine the life of renowned African American scientists. In this science literacy lesson, students explore a website containing profiles and achievements of past and present African American scientists. They prepare a poster...
Curated OER
Create a Book About Your Town
Students explore how to create books about their towns. They read and discuss Katy and the Big Snow to identify how it relates to their community. They identify environmental print and its importance in early readers. They create books...
Curated OER
History of Tiles: Early Tile Designs - The Middle East
Students create a presentation on Middle Eastern art. In this art history lesson, students will research Middle Eastern art, specifically focusing on the Alhambra Palace and Moorish-inspired tile design. They will use information...
Curated OER
Creating Literacy Centers Using Technology
Students create two literacy (reading and/or writing) centers to implement in an elementary classroom. Students review examples of educational software and determine the best potential centers to use in elementary classroom. Two centers...
Curated OER
Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Lesson: Immigration
Many of your class members will have heard of Executive Order 9066 and the Japanese internment camps of World War II. Some may even recognize the terms “Issei” and “Nisei,” but few will have heard of Enemy Alien Hearing Boards, of the...