Smarter Balanced
Uncommon Animals
Need to prepare for a performance task assessment on the topic of uncommon animals? Here's an activity that ensures all learners have the knowledge of key terms and concepts to approach the assessment.
Curated OER
The Game of Persuasion
Why is it so important to learn the art of persuasion? Being persuasive helps you acquire the things you want or the things you feel are necessary. Print out these scenarios and assign one to each group of high schoolers. As a team, they...
Curated OER
Visualize and Draw to Increase Comprehension
Improve readers' comprehension with a pair of visualization opportunities. First they listen, eyes closed, as you read a description from Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach, and discuss ideas about what they "see." After you read...
Curated OER
Paradise Lost: Identifying Vocabulary
“The mind is its own place. . .” and Milton’s Paradise Lost is sure to expand the vocabulary (and the minds) of young readers. Assist that growth with an activity that asks individuals to first select and define five unfamiliar words,...
Alabama Learning Exchange
We Can Dig It!
Third graders understand the process by which fossils and rocks are excavated. In this fossil and rock lesson, 3rd graders explore the job of the paleontologist in a podcast.
Curated OER
Travel Magazines in the Classroom
You can use travel magazines as a means to address a variety of standards.
Curated OER
Ancient Cultures News Broadcast
How does geography influence daily life? Guided by an essential question, class groups select and then research an ancient culture, and develop a news broadcast about the geographical setting and its impact on the culture. Teams...
Curated OER
Exploring the Rock Cycle
An understanding of the rock cycle is essential in geology and earth science classes.
Curated OER
Skin and Sports
The topic is protecting our own protective covering: the skin. In particular, the information deals with sweating as a means of temperature regulation and the need to wear clothing appropriate for allowing the process to occur. Learners...
Curated OER
Hot Hamsters
Using this quick activity, you can have your class review what they have learned about mammals. Learners sit in a circle, and take turns naming a mammal. This activity could be enriched by having learners go to their desks, identify a...
Other
Teach Hub: Teaching Strategies to Keep Students Engaged in Learning
Through different teaching strategies like project-based learning and the flipped classroom, new techniques have changed the way teachers teach and learners learn. Here are a few more teaching strategies that are guaranteed to keep your...
Edutopia
Edutopia: Maintaining Students' Motivation for Learning as the Year Goes On
This article explores the idea that neuroscience can suggest ways to keep students working toward their learning goals after their initial excitement wears off. Included are ways to provide choice to invigorate students' motivation,...
Common Sense Media
Common Sense Media: Keeping Games Fun and Friendly
Social interaction is part of what makes online gaming so popular and engaging for kids. But online communication can come with some risks. This lesson helps students understand how to keep their gaming experiences fun, healthy, and...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Energy Basics
Demos and activities in this lesson are intended to illustrate the basic concepts of energy science--work, force, energy, power etc., and the relationships among them. The "lecture" portion of the lesson includes many demonstrations to...
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: California Public Media Education Service
Public media stations across California have banded together to package a comprehensive set of broadcast and digital resources for teachers, students, and families for at-home learning. Drawing on our most popular offerings to teachers...
Better Lesson
Better Lesson: What Makes a Sentence?
This lesson will help learners recognize that spoken sentences are represented in written language by specific sequences of words, beginning with a capital letter and ending with a punctuation mark. This lesson is short but it allows...
Better Lesson
Better Lesson: Who Will Choose the Sorting Rule?
A flip chart on the Promethean board and laminated shapes keep student engagement high as they demonstrate their sorting skills.
AdLit
Ad lit.org: Finding a Great Summer Program: A Checklist for Parents
Early and sustained summer learning opportunities lead to higher graduation rates, better preparation for college, and positive effects on children's self-esteem, confidence, and motivation. High-quality summer programs keep students...
OpenStax
Open Stax: Catherine Schmidt Jones: Music Conducting: Classroom Activities
An excellent lesson plan that helps students learn the role of a music conductor. Students will engage in various activities that allow them to have a hands on approach to conducting their classmates.
Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education, Stevens Institute of Technology
Ciese: How Does Your Garden Grow?
Based on the book Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! by Candace Fleming. Students must use the engineering design process to plan and build a barrier that will keep hungry bunnies out of a garden.
Utah Education Network
Uen: Effects of Tobacco
This lesson engages students in learning about the negative impact of tobacco. Students will demonstrate their learning by writing what they have learned on hearts that will be strung together and displayed. Students will also write...
Utah Education Network
Uen: Busy Bodies
Students will engage in different activities to help them learn about physical skills. Students will play Busy Body Bingo, Movement Bingo, Silly Stretching, On the Move, Hullabaloo, Little Sliders, and Frog Pond. Students will keep a...
Buck Institute
Buck Institute for Education: Pblu: Schoolyard Habitat Project
An example of a project-based learning opportunity that engages students in learning what a healthy habitat is by working within the school's campus to increase opportunity for animals to find food and shelter, maintaining plants, and...
PBS
Pbs: Religion and Ethics Newsweekly: Lesson Plans in Ethics and Religion
A broad range of lesson plans designed to engage students in the ethical and religious issues of the day. Draws on selected stories from the PBS series "Religion and Ethics Newsweekly," incorporating online video and similar resources,...