Students read an essay by George Orwell's life in Burma and place it in its cultural and historical context. They identify the main points of the essay and Orwell's use of symbolism in the essay. They explain how each persuasive tool...

Students complete a graphic organizer over symbolism in the "Lord of the Flies". They work together in groups to interpret passages they find of interest. They draw a respresentation of them as well.

Explore how illustrations add to a story. Young learners will look at picture books to see how the pictures tell the story. They create illustrations to go with a chosen story, and then flip the activity so they have to write a story to...

Learners read The Empty Pot as an introduction to plants. In this planting instructional activity, students understand a sequence of events in the book and relate it to the sequence of a plants life. Learners grow plants and record...

Students listen to or read a story on their own. Using the text, they describe the relative locations of the main events. In groups, they develop two and three dimensional maps of the story. They create a key and a title for their map.

Keeping readers focused during literature discussion circles can sometimes be a challenge. Check out this worksheet that ensures accountability by establishing six very specific, very different roles for group members: facilitator,...

Students analyze the landscape used in Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings". In groups, they discuss how Tolkien developed Elrond's promise and develop a case assuming Tolkien rejected "Manichaean dualism". They also compare and contrast the...

Thoroughly delve into My Antonia by Willa Cather with a plethora of activities. Engage scholars with videos and web sites in this week-long unit that explains the historical context and creates pioneers in the field of research. An...

Explore the abundance of spring, no matter what season you are covering in your class! Using the poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar, GALE Biography Resource Center, and Litfinder, pupils work on researching the poet and analyzing the use of...

Seventh graders read sections of a Sherlock Holmes novel. They identify references to hate groups that are the criminals in the story. They discuss the symbols found in the story.

Students explore world geography by researching a science book with their classmates. In this desert identification lesson plan, students utilize a U.S. map to locate the geographical locations of deserts. Students create an oral report...

Learners complete research to enhance their reading of "The Grapes of Wrath". Using the text, they identify and locate cultural artifacts and discuss their symbolic connotations. As a class, they create a museum exhibit of the various...

Eighth graders discover the relationship between speed, distance, and time. They calculate speed and represent their data graphically. They, in groups, design a ramp for their matchbox car. The goal is to see who's ramp produces the...

Twelfth graders compare/contrast the Greek myth to explain an aspect of nature. They create an explanatory myth about some aspect of nature and design a mythological business card using Microsoft Word.

Third graders read and discuss "The Hangman" by Maurice Ogden and answer questions about the poem. They list things they can do to combat prejudice using each of the letters in the word and create a small poster with a slogan against...

Students in a special education classroom examine the role of weather and water in their lives. Each day, they add a symbol for the weather outside and identify the proper activities for the weather on that day. In groups, they...

Students use a book to discover an interesting fact from the desert using each letter of the alphabet. Using a United States map, they identify the meanings of symbols and locate deserts within the U.S. In groups, they participate in...

Students build bird feeders. In this aviary lesson, students build different types of bird feeders. This web page includes information on which type of feeder attracts which birds and what food to use with the certain feeder type.

Students complete study on butterflies using real caterpillars, keep individual daily journals of observations, and complete timeline for their caterpillar/butterfly.

Students are introduced to the foods and traditions of the Caribbean. In groups, they brainstorm their own definition of culture and review the physical and political geography of the Caribbean. They spend time sampling different foods...

Eighth graders explore storytelling by listening to a reading of a classic poem.  In this language arts lesson, 8th graders listen to an audio recording of Edgar Allen Poe's The Tell-Tale Heart.  Students examine the life of...

Learners read Little Red Riding Hood, focusing on her path home to Grandma's house. In this language arts and geography lesson, students perform a reader's theater, re-creating the walk home and possible routes that could have been...

Fourth graders read Roxaboxen and draw a map of the Roxaboxen community. In this language arts and geography lesson, 4th graders use specifications given, adding features to the map as described in the book and creating a legend.

Read the story Make Way for Ducklings and introduce little ones to the five themes of geography. Reread the story, while displaying transparencies to reinforce the five themes. In groups, learners view pictures and identify the themes on...