Common Sense Media
The Masque of the Red Death
Poe goes high tech with a lesson that asks high schoolers to use the internet and various apps as they read and analyze "The Masque of the Red Death." In addition to responding to comprehension questions in Quizlet, they use Minecraft to...
Curated OER
Story Writing
Students work in groups to create a story that will be presented to the class. In this story writing instructional activity, students complete a project planning sheet, work together to create a story that includes a hero and at least...
Curated OER
Mapping the Circulatory System
Learners investigate the circulatory system in human beings. In this human body lesson, students create an outline of a human body using colored markers and butcher paper. Learners use red and blue colors to simulate the oxygenated...
Curated OER
Gingerbread Baby Unit
Learners participate in a variety of activities surrounding the book, Gingerbread Baby, by Jan Brett. They can create a house, a map, ornaments, and their own books. Additionally, they can draw, paint, or write out attributes for each...
Curated OER
Creature From The Deep
Students become familiar with oceanography terms by writing an oceanography horror story.
Curated OER
Street Cows
A light, and humorous lesson on "street cows" is here for you. Learners listen to the story, "Street Cows," which is embedded in the plan. On a map of the US and the World, they locate the cities where the "Cows on Parade" exhibit was...
Curated OER
Let the Music Play: Bicentennial quarter reverse
To better understand who George Washington was and why we celebrated the bicentennial, pupils read a story and complete a worksheet. They sing and talk about the song, "Yankee Doodle Dandy" as they march around the room.
Curated OER
Navigating Your Community
Students draw a map from memory describing the route between their classroom and the gym including a legend, a compass rose, a map scale, symbols, and a landmark at every change of direction. They then retrace their steps in their maps...
Curated OER
5 W Questions
Second graders practice asking the 5 W questions by reading a Boxcar Children book. In this journalism lesson plan, 2nd graders read a single story from the Boxcar Children series and answer the 5 W's about each specific chapter....
Curated OER
Shoes and the Backyard Landscape
Your shoes get a lot of mileage in familiar places. Represent the places you have traveled the most with an art project based on a print of Indian People Wear Shoes and Socks by Juane Quick-to-See Smith. Kids trace their shoes and draw...
Curated OER
Gingerbread Baby's Home #1
Students are read the book "Gingerbread Baby". They work together to create a home for the baby in the story. They use clues from the story to help them build the house.
Curated OER
Most Wanted Villians
Learners review the characteristics of various characters in fairytales. As a class, they review the story details and create a concept map using a software program. They create their own wanted poster of the villians in the fairytale to...
Curated OER
Gingerbread Baby Ornaments #4
Pupils are read the story "Gingerbread Baby". They use patterns from the book's website to use as templates for ornaments. They use clay and colors to make the ornaments and give them to someone as a gift.
Curated OER
Three Young Pilgrims
Fifth graders study the story of the voyage of the Mayflower told from the view point of the three Allerton siblings who were on board the ship. The book tells of their voyage across the Atlantic and their first year here on the North...
Curated OER
Storytelling
Students compose a story and tell it to the class. In this storytelling lesson, students work in small groups to create an illustrated story. Students are given a checklist of elements to include in the assignment. Students then create...
Curated OER
Discovering the Oregon Trail
Students explore U.S. history by researching the Oregon Trail. In this American exploration instructional activity, students read the story On the Shore of the River and define the exact path early settlers took to find the state of...
Curated OER
Using "Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears" to Teach Cause and Effect
Students discuss cause and effect relationships and the chain reaction involved before listening to the story "Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears". Students create flow charts to show the chain reactions of causes and effects in the...
Curated OER
Biomes in a Box
Middle schoolers construct a three-dimensional model of a biome which illustrates the various biotic and abiotic factors unique to that biome. They use everday materials to represent the important characteristics of a particular biome...
Curated OER
Design a Book Cover
Class members take on the role of graphic designer and craft a cover for a book they are reading. Individuals formulate a proposal outlining the images they will use to not only grab the interest of readers, but hint at the mood and...
Curated OER
Celebrate Your Heritage
Students investigate what countries their ancestors originally came from and locate them on a world map. They use a map to plot the ancestral path that has led to their hometown. They create a travel log outlining facts/data about...
Curated OER
Getting to Know You
After going over the five steps of the writing process, pupils fill out "Getting to Know You" worksheets. They trade papers with each other, and have the task of writing a descriptive paragraph about the person whose worksheet they...
Curated OER
Narrative Writing for Publication
Seventh graders create an original narrative story in a diary or journal format involving a fictional character with conflict, plot, resolution and falling action within the story line. They follow the steps of the writing process with...
Curated OER
By George, I Think We Have It: Bicentennial quarter reverse
Voting is one of the major reasons the US adopted public education. Educate your class populace, they will analyze the images on a bicentennial quarter and think about the contributions George Washington made to the United States. They...
Curated OER
Number the Stars
Fifth graders examine threat to all people (particularly the Jews) resulting from the imposition of Nazi authority, and appreciate the courage exhibited by ordinary people acting out of conscience.