Curated OER
Dear Mrs. LaRue; Letter Writing
Students listen to the story about a naughty dog who writes to his owner in letter form. In this writing a letter lesson, students pretend to write to a character in the story and practice their literacy skills. Students then...
Curated OER
Apostrophes and Quotation Marks
After a brief explanation of two uses for apostrophes (ownership and contractions) learners are asked to choose the correct word in 10 sentences. The same pattern is repeated for the use of quotation marks. The worksheet could be...
Curated OER
To Market
Students examine the process of cooking a meal. In this cooking background lesson, students explore cooking utensils, recipes, songs, and literature. They go through stations that encourage dramatic play and hands-on exploration of...
Curated OER
What If?
Second graders read WHAT IF? up to the page that ends "Suddenly, across the field they saw..." and discuss how the animals are feeling. They then discuss their feelings and in pairs discuss a possible ending to the story.
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Experience This!
What would you do if you had to go to school all day every day? Tillie tackles this problem in Sharon Creech’s A Fine, Fine School. After a discussion of how Tillie got the principal to change his ways, brainstorm with your class...
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We’re Going on a Bear Hunt
Second graders participate in guided reading and writing experience in this set of five lessons. They complete a picture walk of Michael Rosen's, We're Going on a Bear Hunt before listening to the story and retelling it. Working with a...
Novelinks
The Hobbit: Writing Assignment
As a culminating assignment for a unit study of heroes that uses The Hobbit as the core text, class members engage in a multi-genre writing project.
Curated OER
Question What You Read
Readers test their reading comprehension after reading a nonfiction text about Paleo Indians. (This text is in Alabama: It's History and Geography, but other texts can be used.) After reading the nonfiction article as a class, they...
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The Everyday Red
Pair a hand motion with the /e/ sound so young learners remember it better! This plan has the class open their "creaky door" whenever they hear the /e/ sound. They'll learn a tongue twister and read the short story Red Gets Fed,...
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Fill in - Twinkies
After hearing or reading a New York Times article on Twinkies, kids attempt to fill in the blanks by memory alone. They re-read the article, only this time words are missing, it's up to them to fill in each blank with a word from the...
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Safe schools, Scary Schools
Students write an essay discussing the balance between safety and restrictions when it comes to the placement of metal detectors in schools. They research the safety situation in their district, including discussions about safety issues...
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Slim Pig
Beginning readers study the short /i/ sound. First they determine how the mouth moves when they say the target words in a tongue twister. They complete letterbox activities by making words with the short /i/ before reading What Is It and...
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Violence Prevention
Compare and contrast the ideologies of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle schoolers conduct research regarding civil rights and rhetorical strategies used in political speechs. They examine the strategies that both men employed...
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From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
Students use the experiences of Claudia and Jamie to explore income, expenses, and the budget process. The book follows the adventures of two runaway students hiding out in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
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Sandpaper Drawings
Students examine images of sand art from different cultures. They create their own version of a sand art picture.
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"Now I Can Read"
Second graders divide into four groups taking turns as one person can read a book through once. They practice reading it again more smoothly with expression and then choose one of their favorite characters from the book. The members...
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Creating a World of Peace at Home and Abroad
Students are introduced to the various lives of children in other countries. Using current events, they compare and contrast the events in America with that of the country they chose. They review the importance of peace and the spirit...
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Silent as a Mouse
First graders observe as the teacher models silent reading. They select a book that looks interesting to them that they are able to read. They then read "Leftover Lily" silently as a class and practice reading silently for 20 minutes and...
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Teaching Strategies: The Word Wall: A Tool for Beginning Readers and Writers
Learners participate in various activities through the school week involving the high-frequency words on their word wall in order to increase familiarity with reading and spelling the selected words. For this word wall lesson, students...
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"Secret Soup!"
First graders, after studying vegetables and fruits for two weeks, practice putting something that we have already done, in order. They write a story about the vegetable soup we made. Remembering, 1st graders artistically draw pictures...
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Hooray for Harry
Students examine the Harry Potter series of books and read about charitable endeavors of J.K Rowling. They explore various websites and look for newspaper articles about charitable giving or charitable service.
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Sum It All Up
Students observe and demonstrate the process of summarizing text. They discuss the importance of summarizing, then listen to the teacher read a chapter from the book "Sarah Plain and Tall." Students observe the teacher write a summary...
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Reading
Third graders read the book Ghosts Don't Eat Potato Chips. In groups, 3rd graders answer questions about the story. They share their personal responses. Students write answers to some questions.
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Mrs. Wishy Washy
Learners explore the book, Mrs. Wishy Washy. They listen to the story, participate in a picture walk, identify the patterns of repeated words, role-play the motions, and retell the story using props.