Curated OER
What's In Your Bag?
Guess what is in the bag! Use this instructional activity at the beginning of the year to discuss appropriate items for 4th grade students to have in school. Each group develops a list of appropriate items as well as inappropriate items,...
Curated OER
Dealing with Peer Influence: What Are Bullying and Harassment? Lesson 1 of 2
Fifth graders review definitions of bullying and harassment, respond to real-life bullying scenario from news, television, or movie, brainstorm possible solutions and consequences for negative behavior, and discuss how their peers...
Missouri Department of Elementary
Opportunity Knocks, But It Costs, Too!
Sixth graders practice six steps to effective problem solving. Working with the school counselor, class members are presented with a scenario that requires them to make a decision. Individuals then write a reflection in which they...
Missouri Department of Elementary
Finding the Positive
To instill the importance of a positive classroom community small groups create a collage out of magazine clippings that highlight three characteristics of self-awareness. Written examples accompany the finished product. Groups turn in...
Missouri Department of Elementary
Are You Balanced?
Balance scales create a strong visual of how an individual prioritizes one's self alongside their commitments to the community, school, and home. Scholars complete a graphic organizer then discuss their findings with their peers. A...
Missouri Department of Elementary
If It’s to Be, It’s Up to Me
Here's a clever switch on the tale of Pandora's Box. Rather than lifting the lid and having problems escape, class members write a problem on a strip of paper and place it in Pandora's Problem Box. A student then pulls a problem from...
Missouri Department of Elementary
Putting on Armor
Peers can exert tremendous pressure that can lead to positive and negative consequences. To conclude the Risky Business unit, class members create a Personal Safety Plan. They list things or situations that cause stress, things they have...
Curated OER
If It's to Be, It's Up to Me!
Eighth graders discuss the question: How does one become an effective decision-maker or problem solver in social situations? They are given three brief scenarios and after each one students are asked, "What would you do?" Students think...
Missouri Department of Elementary
Color Your Destiny
Class groups bring feeling words alive by creating a poster that illustrates with images and colors, but not words, the feeling conjured by the word. The posters are then combined into a mural for the classroom wall.
Curated OER
The Sum of Our Integer Intelligences
Young mathematicians explore integers. They review adding integers through engaging in mathematical labs. Each lab station is designed to reflect one of the multiple intelligences. Resources for all activities are provided.
Curated OER
The Seasonal Round and The Cycle of Life
Fourth graders are introduced to the concept of the seasonal round and how folklife traditions vary from season to season. They begin charting dates of personal interest on seasonal round calendars by starting with birthdays. Students...
Curated OER
Introduction to the Barnegat Bay Estuary
Students research estuaries. For this estuaries lesson, students discuss the differences in a bay and an ocean. Students watch a PowerPoint of the properties of the estuaries and geography of Barnegat Bay. Students complete a worksheet...
Curated OER
Feature Stories
Young scholars are taught the basics of writing a feature story. They choose a topic for research. Students use the library and internet research skills to investigate their topic. They proofread their own writing or the writing of...
Curated OER
Who Is the Best Person for the Job?
Fourth graders work in groups of four, they are the managers of a new company, needing to hire employees. They brainstorm what they believe is important information to know about a future employee and share their list with the class....
Curated OER
Picturing the Successful Student
Sixth graders work in small groups to identify the characteristics of a successful learner. They identify characteristics that think are most helpful for them. Students answer the question: What does a successful student look like?
Curated OER
We Are All Pieces of the Puzzle
Seventh graders are shown a small puzzle. They are explained that without all the pieces, a puzzle is not complete. Students are explained that the same principle applies to the world of work. They are also explained that each person who...
Curated OER
Percents: What's the Use?
Students explore percentages in real world situations. In this percents lesson, students determine the final sales price after discounts. Students interview community members and determine how percentages are used in the real world.
Curated OER
Percents: What's the Use
Students research percentages in real world situations. In this percents lesson, students demonstrate their ability to apply percents to everyday situations. Students communicate mathematically by conducting interviews about percents and...
Curated OER
Options and Extras!!! Learn All About It!
Eighth graders are asked what is the process of transitioning and why is it important? They listen as the counselor reviews the information from the pervious lesson. Students review peer sharing about what they have been taught and what...
Curated OER
Scatter-Brained
Seventh graders graph ordered pairs on a coordinate plane. They create a scatterplot. Additionally, they determine the line of best fit and investigate the slope of the line. Multiple resources are provided. An excellent resource!
Curated OER
Yellow Pages Ad-dition
Students determine the revenue generated by sample pages from the Yellow Pages. They discuss the value of advertising a business in this venue. They use the local telephone directory and some fictitious ad rates to lead their inquiry.
Curated OER
The Strongest Shape
Students work collaboratively to design and construct a roof out of Legos for a house that was built in a previous lesson. The roof must be structurally sound and pass certain criteria determined by the teacher.
Curated OER
Finding the Positive
Fifth graders meet the "Famous Artist." They are introduced to the topic of self-concept. Students work in small groups and get organized to create collages. They create a collage that represents characteristics of positive self-concept.
Discovery Education
It's Getting Hot in Here
Class members engage in a STEM experiment and investigate how materials affect heating in a house by creating models of houses and using different top surface materials. They record the temperature inside the models and consider what the...