Curated OER
The Physics of Toys
Students explore physics by experimenting with classic toys. In this physical science lesson, students utilize gliders, energy balls, bouncing balls, marbles and other toys to explore how they work. Students explore each toy at a work...
Curated OER
Techno Toys for Trendy Tots
Students reflect on their favorite childhood toys and assess their continued appeal. They work in pairs to redesign classic toys and create posters to represent their new models.
Curated OER
Toy Word Search
In this toy word search instructional activity, students read the names of 10 classic children's toys. Students find these in a word search puzzle.
Scholastic
Identifying Types of Irony Using "The Gift of the Magi"
O. Henry's "The Gift of the Magi" is the classic example of irony in literature. Teach young writers about the ways irony can engage their readers with an activity in which they write scripts using dramatic irony, situational irony, and...
PBS
Reading Adventure Pack: Animals
Scholars explore the animal kingdom with help from two texts, Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey and A Bed for the Winter by Karen Wallace. The literature and informational text set the learning stage for thoughtful discussion and...
Curated OER
Goldilocks: The Sequel
Pupils explore their creative-thinking and writing skills while writing a sequel to the classic story, "Goldilocks and the Three Bears". Students work in small groups to complete this activity and share their completed story with the class.
Curated OER
Topic Sentences
Here is a classic activity that allows learners to practice identifying topic sentences. They read five different paragraphs about various topics, and underline the topic sentence in each paragraph with a green crayon.
Curated OER
A Tongue-Twisting Language Arts Lesson
Young scholars discover enunciation and alliteration by reading tongue twisters in class. In this language arts lesson, students listen and repeat some of the classic childhood tongue twisters along with their teacher. Young scholars...
Curated OER
Kate and the Beanstalk Lesson Plan
Young scholars gain a deeper understanding of the fairy tale genre by reading fractured versions of familiar tales. In this Kate and the Beanstalk lesson plan, students read a variety of fairy tales and fractured fairy tales in order to...
Curated OER
Bill of Rights
Young scholars discuss the government as a whole and then each amendment is examined. They complete a Bill of Rights test in groups or on their own. Answers are gone over in class and discussion is encouraged.
Curated OER
Teach Text Features & Read Nonfiction
Elementary schoolers examine the components of reading nonfiction. They use think-alouds to help them complete reading the selected sections. They also identify text features as they read.
Curated OER
When the Wind Blows Lesson Plan
Learners read a book and observe the wind and how it affects the environment. They explore what wind does by looking at pictures, reading a book, and by completing an experiment. They will use their own knowledge of the wind and compare...
Scholastic
The Life and Words of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Here is a precise article explaining chronological events that led Martin Luther King, Jr. to march for freedom and civil rights.
Curated OER
Observing the Pumpkin Cycle
Students observe and listen to nonfiction books about the life cycle of pumpkins. They practice early reading skills in a shared reading related to pumpkins. They observe the life cycle of a pumpkin including growth and decay.
Curated OER
Using the Comprehension Strategies
High school learners review the six major reading comprehension strategies. They demonstrate the strategies by putting them into action using more complex reading. They finish by discussing a seventh strategy, monitoring comprehension.
Scholastic
Pre-Reading Vocabulary Activities Using "The Gift of the Magi"
The rich language of O. Henry's "The Gift of the Magi" is only appreciable if you understand the words. A short lesson reviews 13 words from the story and prompts class members to apply each word and its definition to other situations.
Scholastic
Myths, Folktales, & Fairy Tales for Grades 7-9
Here is a must-have resource for studying fairy tales, myths, and folktales with your class! It includes instructional ideas, activities, and materials to support a month-long review of these three unique genres of writing.
Curated OER
Journal of Time: A Historical Perspective
Analyze the setting behind the Great Depression in California with Pam Munoz Ryan's Esperanza Rising. Middle schoolers assess the protagonist during her coming-of-age moments, while migrant workers manage the hardships of the era. Each...
Curated OER
Pink and Say
Read Pink and Say and discuss the Civil War with your upper elementary learners. They create a KWL about the Civil War and record words relating to the Civil War as they read the book. Then they work in groups to create an ABC book based...
Scholastic
Frindle Lesson Plan
"Who says a pen has to be called a pen? Why not call it a frindle?" Inspired by this quote from the award-winning novel written by Andrew Celements, this lesson allows children to invent their own terms for common classroom objects,...
Scholastic
Owl Moon Teaching Plan
Capture the engagement of young readers with this collection of activities based on Jane Yolen's book, Owl Moon. Following a shared reading of this children's story, the class explores the geography of the American Northeast, creates...
Scholastic
Eric Carle Author Study
Learn all about Eric Carle, find out about his famous caterpillar, and try out related art, science, writing, math, and social studies activities. The resource comes with plenty of materials to support your instruction.
Scholastic
Tell Us a Tale: Teaching Students to Be Storytellers
Encourage scholars to retell their favorite short story or folktale, adding personal details to make it their own. After reading their book of choice several times, story tellers retell a tale verbally to their classmates.
Poetry4kids
How to Write a Tongue Twister
Betty Botter and Theophilus Thistle provide models for willy writers to wrestle words into tricky tongue twisters.