Unit Plan
San Francisco Symphony

Aaron Copland: Billy the Kid

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Your class can think about the American Old West as they listen for dynamics, articulation, rhythm, and tempo in the Aaron Copland song, "Billy The Kid." They'll explore how Copland uses music to create an image of life for an outlaw in...
Handout
Scholastic

The Life and Words of Martin Luther King, Jr.

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
Here is a precise article explaining chronological events that led Martin Luther King, Jr. to march for freedom and civil rights.
Activity
1
1
Curated OER

Educator's Guide: A Christmas Carol

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Planning on using Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol this year? Then give yourself a gift and download this colorful guide thats packed with goodies. Kids, as well as the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future are sure to...
Lesson Plan
Federal Reserve Bank

The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza

For Teachers 1st - 3rd Standards
Make a study of producers and consumers with an updated version of the classic story The Little Red Hen (this one is called The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza). After reading and discussing the story and terms, learners practice being...
PPT
Curated OER

The Renaissance

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Get out a clean sheet of paper and get ready to take notes on the Italian Renaissance. Kids can easily follow along as you progress through each informative slide. They'll take notes on humanism, classical learning, city-states, and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Teaching Kids About Healthy Foods: Snacks Alternatives

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Students inspect human health by participating in a class game. In this nutrition lesson, students examine an interactive food pyramid and discuss the healthy alternatives to their typical diets. Students complete a flash card activity...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

All About Me

For Teachers K
Students investigate how to communicate about themselves and each other. In this social studies and technology lesson plan, students represent their thoughts regarding themselves and others both on paper and using "Kid Pix".
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Immigration For Grades K-2

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students engage in a lesson about the concept of immigration. They conduct research using a variety of resources. The information is used in order to create context for class discussion or a class presentation topic. They also read...
Activity
Little Bins for Little Hands

St. Patrick's Day Challenge Cards

For Students 2nd - 6th
Nineteen cards offer an assortment of St. Patrick's Day-themed STEM activities. Scholars choose from a variety of cards to take part in activities such as building coin towers, growing green carnations, tying a celtic knot, and more!...
Lesson Plan
2
2
Scholastic

Thanksgiving Lessons Grades PreK-2

For Teachers Pre-K - 2nd Standards
A quintessential resource for teaching an elementary unit on the first Thanksgiving addresses a variety of skills, including informational reading, critical thinking, comparing and contrasting facts, technology tools, and historical...
Unit Plan
Penguin Books

An Educator's Guide to Al Capone Does My Shirts

For Teachers 4th - 6th Standards
It's hard to imagine that life on Alcatraz could be dull. A series of intriguing lessons take readers through the novel Al Capone Does my Shirts. Pre-reading questions introduce the text and a range of suggestions, from comic strips to...
Activity
Penguin Books

A Teacher's Guide to The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School

For Teachers K - 3rd Standards
What if the Gingerbread Man was trying to catch you, rather than the other way around? Pupils can find out what happens by reading the story The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School by Laura Murray and enrich their experience with the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Journal of Time: A Historical Perspective

For Teachers 6th - 8th
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson: Emory Douglas: Revolution in Our Time, Part 2

For Teachers 9th - 12th
I love lessons like this because they let kids see the power of art, poetry, and activism in times of social injustice and unrest. They'll analyze the art used by Emory Douglas in the production of the Black Panther newspaper and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introducing Vocabulary: Christopher Columbus (Weinberger)

For Teachers K - 3rd
The story of Christopher Columbus has fascinated young historians for centuries; use this vocabulary-in-context strategy to dive into Kimberly Weinberger's picture book about this classic explorer. Begin by introducing the new words:...
Lesson Plan
San Francisco Symphony

By the Great Horn Spoon!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
By The Great Horn Spoon is a fantastic novel for introducing learners to life during the California Gold Rush. First, kids research and analyze American folk songs, then they connect to the text as they listen to symphonic pieces written...
Activity
Whitewater Valley Railroad

Teaching and Learning with The Polar Express

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Use a series of extension activities to enhance your class reading of Chris Van Allsburg's holiday classic, The Polar Express. From a biography of the author to filmed book reviews and research about the railroad, kids can take...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Who Am I? - Brainstorming

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students brainstorm lists of places, events and relationships that define them. They search for clip art and pictures in magazines to illustrate the items on their list and create a graphic timeline of their lives.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Let's Travel to Mexico!

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students investigate and explore information about Mexico. They listen to a story, view an Internet video, write a page for a class book, and play an online Spanish word concentration game.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Over the Rivers and Through the Woods

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders examine the purpose of the keelboat used by the Corps of Discovery on the Lewis and Clark expedition. They assess its strengths and weaknesses for navigating different rivers, and describe its overall purpose for the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Take It Or Leave It

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders examine the significance of the Louisiana Purchase and the journey of Lewis and Clark, and discuss "needs" versus "wants". They listen to a story, plan for a journey like Lewis and Clark, create a list of supplies, and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Change of a River

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers explore changes in the Missouri River. In this Missouri River lesson, students discover that changes in the atmosphere cause changes in the river. High schoolers search the Internet for information about the Missouri River...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Immigration: Stories of Yesterday and Today

For Teachers K - 8th
Students use Web technology to access immigration history and develop an understanding of the concept of immigration. Then they develop oral history writing skills, including note-taking and conducting an interview and read for detail....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Vetern's Day, A Chance to Honor Those Who Served Our Country

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine some of the symbols, songs, and pledges that represent our country as well as the liberties they enjoy today due to those who served. They discuss the rules for displaying the United States Flag, practice folding the...