Curated OER
Thumbs Up For Expert Readers!
Students use the cross check strategy to increase reading comprehension in this lesson. They listen as the teacher reads "Where the Wild Things Are." The teacher purposely reads some words wrong so that the story does not make sense. ...
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Map Making
Students examine a variety of strategies to identify the structure of a story. They listen to the book Where the Wild Things Are and, as a class, complete a story element chart. Students independently read a passage from Charlotte's...
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Exploring 'Wild' Places With GIS
Pupils explore "wild" places. In this technology lesson students use ArcGIS Explorer to investigate wild places near them in their neighborhood. Pupils view the landscape from both above and the ground.
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Writing: Mentor Text Lesson & Microteaching
Mentor texts are a great way to demonstrate how to write with purpose. Pupils will be reintroduced to two well-known books and then asked to think about them from the writer's point of view. They will see that the author had to use basic...
Science Matters
Island Fox Outreach
Off the coast of California lives a wild animal called the Island Fox. Experts discuss the importance of the Island Fox to the Channel Islands and the balance the fox creates within its ecosystem. The lesson concludes with a reading of...
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Ride the Wild Leaf Cycle
Fourth graders complete a worksheet. In this life cycle lesson, 4th graders learn about the leaf cycle and complete a worksheet where they put the leaf cycle steps in the correct order.
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Comprehending Through Questioning
Elementary schoolers observe and apply a variety of reading comprehension strategies. They silently read a passage out of their science textbook, and discuss answering the who, what, where, when, and how of the text. In small groups they...
Curated OER
Chicken Soup with Rice Extension Activities
After reading Chicken Soup with Rice, by Maurice Sendak, incorporate some of these great extension activities into your lesson plan. Ideas include focusing on knowing the months of the year, or studying the illustrations and how they are...
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Stories Aren't Always What They Seem; Or Are They?
Students draw conclusions about a story with examples to support their statements. In this reading comprehension activity, students look at a PowerPoint of a variety of passages from different books. They answer questions about the...
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What's Wild?
Third graders define domesticated animal and wildlife. In this animal lesson, 3rd graders cut pictures out of magazines of both types of animals and make two collages with the pictures.
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Where Are The Dinosaurs?
Students study the existence of dinosaurs as a precursor to learning about extinction. In this dinosaurs instructional activity, students watch dinosaur video at assigned web sites. They discuss what they observed in the videos including...
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Animals in the Wild
Pupils compare/contrast paintings with similar subjects and themes. They discuss how a painting may relate to life experiences. Students draw animal families and compose a story about a painting by Gerome. They discuss zoos and...
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Zoo Vet
Students come up with a list of all the animals that might be found in a zoo. They think of all the things that a zoo needs to do and provide for each animal. They discuss what the role of any zoo should be. They design a healthy zoo...
Curated OER
The Disappearing Honeybees: Tracking Honeybee Decline
Young scholars practice graphing and other math skills to track number of honeybee colonies present in United States since 1978, discuss major crops that are dependent on insect pollinators, and examine reasons for decline of United...
Outdoor Learning Center
Outdoor Survival
Which of the following can you survive without for the longest time: water, food, or a positive mental attitude? The answer may surprise you. Guide learners of all ages through games, activities, and discussions about surviving in the...
MENSA Education & Research Foundation
I Need a Superhero
Once the class learns about the hero's journey, they'll find it in every story and movie they see! Take characters from their humble beginnings to their atonement and apotheosis with a set of lessons about the hero's journey focusing...
Curated OER
Radical Raptors
Students are introduced to raptors and their role in the environment. They identify three characteristics of raptors and list several types of raptors found in nature. They discuss their positive and negative experiences with raptors and...
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Pets All Around
Pupils talk about their pets. In this pets vs. wild animals instructional activity, students discuss their pets and how pets are different from animals in the wild. Pupils answer questions to brainstorm things that pets need. Students...
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The Edge of Home
Students explain why some species of plants and animals occur in more than one area. They watch as the teacher puts an overlapping circles on the chalkboard, students are asked to predict what kinds of things they would expect to find in...
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A Giraffe Debate
Students study the life, adaptations, and habitats of giraffes. They investigate the issue of giraffe survival in the wild or in a wildlife sanctuary. They conduct a class debate and present position papers.
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Look Up - Birds
Students investigate the concept of birds. They identify five different types of birds and name the characteristics that make them different than other living things. Students also name the different parts of the bird and how they are...
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In the Desert
Students explore earth science by completing several environment activities. In this desert lesson, students identify where the U.S. deserts are and what types of wild life inhabit them. Students utilize arts and crafts to create a...
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Just the Facts, Ma'am
Elementary learners identify the main elements of story structure and form questions to summarize their reading. They listen as the teacher reads a story and then write questions to determine (1) main characters, (2) setting, (3)...
Curated OER
Creating an Original Opera
This may be a lot to ask of a high schooler, but then again, who knows? Pupils work in groups to explore, write, and then perform an original opera. They view versions of The Magic Flute and La Traviata, then compose a plot, characters,...