Curated OER
What On Earth
Students explore earth science through concept mapping, discussion, and self-discovery.
Curated OER
Drawing The Line
Students explore how arbitrary borders affect communities by participating in two hands-on activities and by reading about and discussing a community divided by national borders. They investigate the borders of their own neighborhoods.
Curated OER
Exploring Ancient Greece
Sixth graders use play dough to create a relief map of Greece and through personal investigation and class discussion, draw conclusions about the impact of the geography of Greece on daily life and culture in Ancient Greece.
Curated OER
Design Diaries
Young scholars consider their interest in interior design and comment on popular trends. They explore reactions to prolific design ideas that become mundane by reading and discussing the article "Flash in the Can: Designs Soon...
Scholastic
Hill of Fire Teaching Plan
Some books are perfect for drawing connections between multiple subjects. The book Hill of Fire becomes the hub for three very different, yet related activity ideas. First the class hones their oral language skills by creating an...
Gwinnett County Public Schools
Analysis of the Tuck Everlasting and The Birchbark House Text Exemplars
Looking to introduce some text-based questions into your ELA lessons? Practice the kinds of skills the Common Core demands with the seven text-based questions and the essay prompt provided here. Designed to be a three-day lesson, day one...
Curated OER
Sami and the Time of Troubles
Students read Florence Parry Heide and Judith Heide Gilliland's, Sami and the Time of Troubles before discussing it as a class. They brainstorm ideas for a letter to the main character, Sami. Next, they write a rough draft of a letter to...
Curated OER
The Chosen
Learners explore the subject of religion in the United States by identifying the different religions that Americans practice, by describing current religious controversies, and by discussing the role that religious leaders play in their...
Curated OER
Art Appreciation
Students analyze and critique famous art prints in this introductory lesson to the appreciation of Visual Art forms. Emphasis is on classroom discussions of cultural values, prejudice, and opinions. The lesson includes possible...
Curated OER
Using Words to Work Things Out
Students listen as teacher reads Words Are Not For Hurting, and answer questions about the content. Students discuss how to prevent arguments and work disagreements out with words. Students watch a puppet show that promotes discussion as...
Curated OER
Animals Lewis and Clark Encountered
Students conduct research on an animal Lewis and Clark encountered on their journey, compare numerous factors from past and present, and report findings to other groups by web page or discussion board.
Curated OER
Friendships and Differences
Students complete a variety of activities related to the book "My Friend Jacob" by Lucille Clifton. They complete a graphic organizer web about friendship qualities, and participate in a discussion about friendship. In small groups...
Curated OER
Introduction to Indians and the First Thanksgiving
Students use yarn to create a timeline of the first Thanksgiving. After a class discussion, they view pictures of artifacts and Native Americans to identify the tools and items present during the first Thanksgiving. In groups, they...
Curated OER
Are Our Classroom Materials Gender Biased?
Students explore equality by analyzing their own classroom belongings. In this gender bias instructional activity, students investigate their classroom and identify objects as either male or female biased. Students collaborate while...
Curated OER
The Secret School
Fourth graders read THe Secret School. In this language arts lesson, 4th graders make predictions prior to reading and discussing the story. Students write a summary of the chapter.
Curated OER
Monarch Butterflies
First graders identify monarch butterflies and study their life cycles. They order the stages of the life cycle and create a monarch butterfly of construction paper. This well-designed lesson should be easy to implement in your classroom.
Curated OER
Vocabulary Strategy Instructional Routine: Maus I and II
Pogrom, schlepped, meshuga. Kapo, reich, Wehrmacht. As part of a unit study of Maus I and II, readers use a list-group-label (LGL) strategy for vocabulary drawn from Art Spiegelman's famous graphic novels. The focus of the activity is...
Curated OER
NIMBY...Settlement...This Is The Place
Fourth graders identify the discussions, disagreements, and resolutions that zoning or location decisions can create. They explain how NIMBY (NOT IN MY BACK YARD) works and how the desires of the individual and the group affect the NIMBY...
Curated OER
Moonwalking to Mars?
Students examine a quote from George W. Bush's recent speech on space exploration. They evaluate one writer's stance on Bush's space exploration goals by reading and discussing "Plea to Policy Makers: Let's Take Another Giant Step." In...
Curated OER
Summarizing is Fun with Flat Stanley!
Students read the book "Flat Stanley" by Jeff Brown. Through modeling and guided practice, as a class, they complete a story map and 1-paragraph summary of the first chapter in the book. Then, in groups, they follow the same procedure...
Curated OER
What is an Organism?
Sixth graders take a pre-test and summarize teacher's discussion of cells, tissues, organs in their notebooks. They read selections on organisms in their textbook and perform a dissection of a chicken drumstick with the thigh attached....
Curated OER
What's Past is Prologue
Students examine a picture of a Cuban billboard and discuss what the billboard signifies. Students then consider the impact of the end of Fidel Castro's rule by reading and discussing the article ¿What Was Once Theirs.¿ Students...
Curated OER
Layers of the Earth
Third graders examine the layers of the earth during a teacher led discussion. They listen to a read aloud of "How to Dig a Hole to the Other Side of the World," as they "visit" each layer. They work a worksheet while small groups design...
Curated OER
Once Upon a Time...
Model for emergent readers how to write a story by interpreting picture clues. For guided practice a second book is used, and then pupils work independently or with an adult to write their own stories based on illustrations.