Curated OER
Applying Ahimsa to Traditional Stories
Investigate the life of Mahatma Gandhi by researching non-violent lifestyles. Learners define the word ahimsa and discuss the personal characteristics that made Gandhi a peaceful warrior. They also create a poster about the story "The...
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Inferring Character Traits
Here is a lesson which is "flexible," and can operate as an individual or whole class activity. After reading a book of their choosing, with the use of a semantic map, learners identify character traits. They infer how their feelings...
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CAN WE SWITCH GENDERS OF STORY CHARACTERS?
Analyze characters and stories to identify stereotyping. Learners will examine the concept of character gender to evaluate bias in classroom story books. They are asked to read a story or play and change the gender of the character to...
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Retelling
Explore language arts by completing a story worksheet in class. Readers will identify the importance of plot, setting, and character while they write their own short story. They also retell their story to a classmate and participate in a...
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Twisted Tales
Experience how a story can drastically change when the point of view is altered. Young scholars first read a review of Disney's film Tarzan, focusing on how the point of view in the classic story is important. They then select...
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Larger-Than-Life Lara
Young scholars explore child psychology by reading a children's book in class. In this bullying lesson, students read the book Larger Than Life Lara and discuss the characters and how they treat each other. Young scholars answer study...
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A Teeth Changing Experience
Students research human health by reading an educational story in class. In this oral health lesson, students identify the importance of brushing their teeth and consuming calcium. Students read the book A Teeth Changing Experience...
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Making It Balance
Students listen to story, "The 100-Pound Problem," compare their weight with character in story, and weigh different classroom items using nonstandard units and standard units. They experiment with different items that can make scale...
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Retelling Nursery Rhymes
Fourth graders explore language arts by reciting a famous nursery rhyme to their classroom. In this oral storytelling lesson, 4th graders read the story "The Three Little Pigs" and identify the characters, setting and story. Students...
Digital Public Library of America
Teaching Guide: Exploring Little Women
Louisa May Alcott's Little Women is a literary masterpiece as well as a timestamp of the formative mid-nineteenth century in America. Using a primary source set of photographs, letters, and portraits, readers discuss the ways...
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Fractured Fairy Tales
Students use familiar characters, plots, and settings from traditional fairy tales to create "fractured" versions, while experimenting with satire, irony and parody. A fractured fairy tale is designed to be humorous by changing the story...
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Making Ice Cream
Student examine the physical changes of matter and are able to describe them. They make ice cream in plastic bags to observe the changes in matter. They describe and record the changes in the ice cream mixture as it freezes.
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Mythological Word Origins
Review myths and the characters therein, connecting them to vocabulary words in the English language today. Begin by searching online for myths and character names. With at least ten names that are familiar English words, young scholars...
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Who am I?
Students practice their writing skills by creating a character sketch of themselves. After viewing portraits, they select one personality trait and put their own picture into the painting of their choice. They include a conversation with...
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Hooway for Wodney Wat
Students examine speech difficulties by reading a children's book in class. In this children's literature lesson, students read the story Hooway for Wodney the Wat, and analyze the characters, story and the bullying that takes place....
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Caring
Students discuss the importance of caring about themselves and for others. As a class, they listen as they are read a story and answer questions using examples from the story. They brainstorm definitions of love and role play another...
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Focus Story: The Mitten
Students explore language arts by analyzing a story with their classmates. In this poetry identification lesson, students read the book The Mittens and identify the characters, plot and settings in the story. Students recite poems about...
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What's In A Name?
Students analyze themselves as members of the community. They choose a name to describe themselves and explain why they choose the name they did. They identify activities they perform in and out of school to help the community.
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Create a Migrant's Scrapbook from the First Great Migration
Help young historians personally engage in the stories of African Americans during the Great Migration! Assessing a migration route map, learners create a migrant character's experience, adding details while studying primary sources. A...
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Understanding Characters
Young scholars analyzing characters from a story by creating an article about one. In this story analysis lesson, students read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, and pick one character to write descriptively about....
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Number the Stars, Lesson 11
Middle schoolers analyze point of view in the novel Number the Stars. Their writing prompt is how would this chapter(11) be different if Peter were telling the story? Students create a class concept web about pride on the board.
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I Wish I Were a Butterfly
Students inquire about biology by reading a children's book in class. In this insect lesson plan, students read the story "I Wish I Were a Butterfly" and identify the unique characteristics of butterflies and other insects. Students...
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Dr. Seuss Science
Students read Bartholomew and the OObleck by Dr. Seuss and experiment with solids and liquids. In this science and reading lesson, students observe and discuss the properties of liquids and solids. Students make predictions...
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Continuing Gandhi's Legacy of Cross-Cultural Understanding: Central Asia and the Middle East
Students investigate the lifestyle of Gandhi by creating a Venn Diagram. In this biographical lesson plan, students compare the philosophies of Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi while discussing their teaching methods....