West Contra Costa Unified School District
Scientific Method Mania
Horrible science puns only happen periodically, but the scientific method is forever. Young scientists observe two presentations on the scientific method, complete independent practice worksheets, and integrate their knowledge through a...
Agriculture in the Classroom
The Garden Chef
Introduce young chefs to nutritious eating with a cookbook that is divided into sections focusing on one of the five food groups. It includes lessons, activities, and recipes. How wholesome!
MENSA Education & Research Foundation
It’s Greek to Me: Greek Mythology
It's no myth: this packet on Greek mythology is an excellent addition to your social studies curriculum. With writing activities, such as short answer responses and biopoems, and reading activities, which include creation stories and...
Curated OER
A New Candidate for Animal Farm
Students create an advertising campaign in which a candidate from Animal Farm will run for an upcoming election. In this follow-up activity to George Orwell's Animal Farm lesson plan, students explore propaganda, rhetoric, and satire as...
Curated OER
Hinges Are a Part of You
Students demonstrate writing readiness addressing dominate hand use, small muscle development, eye-hand coordination, ability to copy, and an orientation to reading readiness. They develop physical skill and personal hygiene.
Curated OER
Dinosaur Stomp
Second graders write a dinosaur poem using information from a research activity. In this dinosaur poetry and music lesson, 2nd graders listen to the book Saturday Night at the Dinosaur Stomp in music class. They work in small groups to...
Curated OER
A Holiday Card in KidPix
Students create a holiday card using computer software. In this computer card making lesson, students design an original holiday card using a variety of tools. Students navigate the software utilizing various tools.
Curated OER
Bibliotherapy - Prejudice
Students read and answer questions based on One Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes. In this tolerance lesson plan, students record their feelings and reflections during discussion of the book. Students create a dress using their own ideas.
Curated OER
Homes of Yesterday and Today
Students explore homes as shelters while they built writing and technology skills. In this homes of yesterday and today lesson, students produce books using digital photography. Students develop vocabulary while researching how homes are...
Curated OER
Put the NEW in NEWBERY
Students read Newbery award books. In this Newbery book instructional activity, students look online to find all the books that have received this award and look through online reviews to find one they would like to read. After finishing...
Curated OER
How to Use Technology to Teach Landforms
Students create a landform table on the computer. In this geography activity, students use Microsoft Word to design a 3 column table. They list different landforms, examples, and attach a picture of each.
Curated OER
Learning about Maps and Colors
First graders discuss "Harold and the Purple Crayon" and his drawings. In this neighborhood geography lesson, 1st graders learn to detect and classify places on a map including their home. Students recognize their address as a specific...
Curated OER
It's A Mystery To Me
Students become both mystery readers and writers. They utilize the Internet to understand the elements of this classic genre; employ critical thinking skills when reading various stories in both print and electronic formats; form groups...
Curated OER
English Literature Circle Discussion
Young scholars participate in literary circles to analyze characters, critique writing, discuss events, and story elements. For this literary circles lesson, students take responsibility for their learning as a member of the...
Curated OER
Starting at the Beginning
Sixth graders develop basic band skills through in-class instruction, individual practice, and the Essential Elements band method. Instruction is teacher-led with examples and drill/practice. National Standards for the arts are...
Curated OER
Front Page News
Students collect and analyze the front pages of various newspapers and perform research on the Titantic tragedy. They choose a name for their newspaper, a headline, gather photographs, and write a front page article. Using computer...
Curated OER
Corn Cob Painting
Students explore creativity and imagination. In this lesson about art, students experiment with different tools used for creating prints. Students use ears of corn with kernels and without kernels, tempera paint, paper plates for the...
Curated OER
Watershed Tourist
Students recognize and categorize different bodies of water. In this watershed and water environments lesson, students "Follow the Water from Brook to Ocean." Students define the different bodies of water and sort from smallest to...
Curated OER
Underground Railroad
Learners explore the Underground Railroad. In this U.S. history and technology lesson, students research an assigned topic related to the Underground Railroad, such as "abolitionist," "conductor," or "station houses." ...
Curated OER
A Tree is a Friend
Fifth graders discover the value of trees in our society. In this ecosystem instructional activity, 5th graders read the book, A Tree is Nice, and discuss with classmates how trees are essential to our existence due to creating...
Curated OER
Explore More About Bottle Construction
Students explore Green Construction. In this lesson based on the experiences of Peace Corps volunteers, students gain insight into alternative construction in Guatemala. They examine the pros and cons of using alternative building...
Curated OER
Awesome Animals
Sixth graders write descriptive narratives about animals. In this descriptive writing lesson, the teacher models how to write a paragraph with interesting sensory words and exciting verbs. Students choose a picture of an animal they want...
Curated OER
New and Different Civilizations-a Claymation Dreamer's World
Students create a movie about a new civilization using claymation. In this social studies lesson, students design a storyboard that includes various features of a new civilization, then use video and digital cameras to create a...
Curated OER
Solar System Differentiation
Students explore the solar system. In this solar system science lesson plan, students choose 3 out of 12 centers to visit, each of which contains an activity related to the planets. The station activities are designed to address...