Curated OER
Literary Element: Character
In this language arts worksheet, young scholars focus upon the characters of a novel and take the time to discuss this literary element.
Curated OER
Writer's Workshop Writing Dialogue: Night of the Twisters
In this writing worksheet, students learn proper punctuation and sentence variety as they write a dialogue pertaining to events in Night of the Twisters. Students read the information about how to use quotation marks, then write their...
Curated OER
Adinkra Printed Textiles
Students examine printed textiles that commemorate events, people, and objectives. In this Adinkra printed textile lesson, students explore Africa as they discover the patterns and techniques for creating Adinkra symbols on textile....
Curated OER
Character Baseball Cards
Create baseball cards for literary characters with this lesson plan. It introduces young scholars to baseball cards, their components (stats, picture, etc.), and prompts them to draft and publish their own cards based on figures from...
Curated OER
Focus on Figurative Language
Using the poems "First Snow" by Ted Kooser and "Eating Alone" by Yi-Young Lee (or other suggested poems by Robert Frost or Sara Teasdale), middle schoolers search for examples of figurative language. Guide your learners by discussing...
PLS 3rd Learning
Health Project
Two options for a health class project are presented in this assignment: a persuasive paper or an advocacy project. The persuasive paper is on students' choice of controversial topics, most of which require a high level of maturity. The...
Curated OER
Read Me a Story and Check My Listening
Young scholars develop listening and reading skills with the oral reading of a story. The students demonstrate good listening skills using appropriate body language and answering assessment questions. They discuss the story looking for...
9/11 Memorial & Museum
Exploring Afghani Culture through Literature
Hosseini Khaled's The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns are the anchor texts in a semester-long course that explores Afghani culture and traditions.
Curated OER
How to Integrate Quotations
Quotations add validity to an argument or an analysis, but how do you integrate them into your writing? Several examples are provided, and your emerging writers will surely benefit from looking at different ways to add quotations....
Curated OER
Cell Game
Make a prototype of a game based on cell biology. Researching game design and working in groups to create a game will activate knowledge of cell biology. The review task will help students learning as they test out the games and their...
Curated OER
“Self Reliance” Questions
Is consistency foolish? Or is “foolish consistency . . . the hobgoblin of little minds”? Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Self Reliance” provides readers with an opportunity to reflect on their own musing about being self-reliant and about...
Curated OER
The Meaning Behind the Mask
Students explore the world of African masks and storytelling. They create masks that tell stories of their own.
Curated OER
Building Biographies: A Research Unit
Students explore the fundamental principles involved in completing a research project. Several handheld technical pieces of equipment are utilized to complete this lesson.
Curated OER
The Nifty Fifty- Facts and Figures
Young scholars explore an assigned state. In this United States geography lesson, students identify facts and figures related to a particular state. Young scholars use the Internet for research and create a PowerPoint presentation...
Curated OER
Synthesis of Information
Locating and synthesizing information is an essential part of the research process but can be overwhelming for many young writers. Eliminate some of the stress and confusion, this resource suggests, by separating these steps. To focus...
Southern Nevada Regional Professional Development Program
Common Core Reading Standards: Understanding Argument
What does your class know about logical fallacies? They can find out quite a bit and practice identifying logical fallacies if you follow the steps and use the resources provided here! After reviewing ethos, pathos, and logos, ask small...
Poets.org
Ghosts and Spirits
Connect poetry to a naturally kid-friendly topic: ghosts! Draw on your class's prior knowledge of the paranormal to help them access the classic poem "Haunted House" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. After a fun warm-up activity describing...
Curated OER
"Data Dabble"
Students engage in a lesson which facilitates their use of web sites to find data, graph it, and interpret it, thus scaffolding graphing skills to prepare students for their 8th grade I-search exit project.
Curated OER
Contemporary Civic-life Issue Research Based Essay
Seventh graders write a five paragraph persuasive essay on a contemporary civic-life issue.
Curated OER
If I Were the Wind
Eighth graders are introduced to authors in the conservation community. As a class, they describe a personal experience they have had with nature. They identify examples of an author's descriptive writing techniques and answer questions...
Curated OER
“Pardon This Interruption-Columbus Has Landed!!!”
Students research, design, rehearse, record, and present a 60 second Public Service Announcement, based on Columbus' arrival in the America. The students, working in groups, utilize the design process in creating their PSA. This lesson...
Curated OER
Culture Regions of the U.S.
Students identify the location of different cultural groups within the United States (agricultural, retirement, urban, etc.) They map these areas and analyze the correlation between the landscape of a given region and the type of...
Curated OER
Forced Migration of Refugees
Students discuss the issue of refugees being forced to migrate. In groups, they focus on different groups forced to migrate and discover how it has changed their lives. They compare and contrast a forced migration in the past and today.
English Resources
Buddy by Nigel Hinton
The lessons that come from reading the novel Buddy by Nigel Hinton might be masked by how much you have just enjoyed the story, but don’t let an opportunity for learning pass you by. Let this learning scheme bring clarity to the ideas...