Curated OER
Early European Explorers
Fifth graders complete a variety of activities surrounding European exploration of the New World. They research one explorer and write and present an essay or script in which they portray that explorer as he makes his final report to his...
Curated OER
Inequality
Students examine the concept of inequality. They compare and contrast vertical and horizontal inequality and identify methods on how inequality is measured. They research trends of inequality in the United Kingdom.
Curated OER
Harlem Renaissance: Pivotal Period in the Development of Afro-American Culture
Young scholars examine the time period of the Harlem Renaissance. In groups, they compare and contrast the type of art before and after the movement along with the state of society at the time. After reading a book on the topic of...
Curated OER
Fictional Hereos
Students are introduced to the definition of a hero. As a class, they compare and contrast the difference between non-fictional and fictional hereos they have read about. They read a story, create a story map of one of the heroes and...
Curated OER
Great Religions of China
Pupils describe the belief and practices of the three major religions of China. Using primary source documents, they compare and contrast the three religions and present their findings to the class in the form on a PowerPoint...
Curated OER
Plants 1: Plant Parents
Students review their prior knowledge on plants. In groups, they compare and contrast the difference between reproducing asexually and sexually. Using the internet, they research how some plants can be forced to produce asexually.
Curated OER
U.S. History: What Happened Here?
Students apply the global positioning system to create maps of local historical sites. By collaborating with local historical groups, they research events and relate them to broader, national history. In addition to writing essays...
Curated OER
Marriage Equality: Different Strategies for Attaining Equal Rights
Students examine gays rights issues in the United States. In this gay marriage lesson, students investigate how people have made their cases before the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government to secure their...
Curated OER
Marching to the Beat of a Different Drum
Students explore the American dream. In this contemporary music lesson, students analyze the lyrics of songs by Neil Diamond, Bruce Springsteen, and David Massengill. Students create 3-D representations of the American dream and write...
Curated OER
The Ultimate Sacrifice
Students explore the concept of sacrifice during wartime. In this World War II lesson plan, students explore the Allied and Axis Powers that existed during the war. Students discover sacrifices that were made by both powers during the...
Curated OER
Women Who Inform Our World
Students examine the contributions of women on the international, national, and local platforms. In this writing skills lesson plan, students analyze a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt and compose essays that reveal how women...
Curated OER
Our Eye in the Sky: The TIROS Weather Satellite
Young scholars investigate the political context of the creation of a weather satellite. In this technology and society lesson, students explore the historical, technological, and political context of the TIROS weather satellite. They...
Curated OER
How Tragic!
Students study and interpret a classical tragedy and role play a character from the play. In this tragedy lesson, students discuss a specific work to discover the form, structure, and characteristics of the genre and interpret the...
Curated OER
Making the Case for Progressive Constitutional Changes in Connecticut
Learners take a closer look at Constitutional Amendments. In this Progressive Era lesson, students discover how the amendment process works and then examine 4 amendments proposed during the era in Connecticut. Learners research primary...
Curated OER
Antigone Questions
In this reading comprehension worksheet, students respond to 6 short answer and essay questions based on Antigone by Sophocles.
Curated OER
Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night Questions
For this reading comprehension worksheet, students respond to 5 short answer and essay questions based on the poem "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night."
Curated OER
Design a Reef!
Students design a functional model of a coral reef ecosystem. In this coral reef instructional activity, students identify the energy sources and material cycles of a coral reef. They write an essay about their niche in their own ecosystem.
Novelinks
The Devil’s Arithmetic: Semantic Feature Analysis
Organize the characters in Jane Yolen's The Devil's Arithmetic according to their shared character traits. After listing character traits as a class, kids note which characters exhibit particular characteristics with a...
Curated OER
The Wild Life: Writing Exercise
In this description instructional activity, learners describe a typical summer morning in a teepee village. Essays should include introductory paragraph, body paragraph, and concluding paragraph.
Curated OER
The Metamorphosis: Multicultural Strategy
Track the changes and developments in Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis with a reading comprehension worksheet. Individuals copy important quotations from each of the book's three parts, record their...
PBS
Setting in To Kill a Mockingbird
Can you understand more about how a person acts by learning about how that person lives? An interactive resource explores the setting of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird with several slides discussing the location, social...
Great Books Foundation
Rattlesnakes
John Muir may be a friend to the natural world, but as a short reading passage confirms, he is no friend to rattlesnakes. As young readers learn about Muir's encounters with the dangerous creatures, they answer four comprehension...
PBS
Symbolism and Personification in The Outsiders
A shirt can't really swallow you—right? Readers find examples of symbolism and personification in S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders with two straightforward lessons.
Curated OER
Recap and Activities (Reveloutionary War Era)
Eighth graders discuss the importance of the Second Continental Congress. They compare and contrast present-day athletic mascots and their roots in the Revolutionary War. After discussing Loyalists and Patriots, 8th graders write...