Curated OER
View: Visual Inquiry/Experience in Writing
Students discuss the importance of having good observational skills. Using artifacts, they discuss what can and cannot be told about previous cultures. They use their observations to write a paper about the culture and use the internet...
Novelinks
Tunes for Bears to Dance to: Concept Analysis
Considering using Robert Cormier's young adult novel, Tunes for Bears to Dance to for book circles or as a whole-class anchor text? Check out this overview of the key concepts and issues raised by the novel.
Curated OER
Educator's Guide: Holes
You'll be a star at your next grade level meeting with an educational unit on Louis Sachar's Holes. Based on both the novel and film, the lessons include applications to language arts with character studies and movie reviews; social...
Curated OER
Where the Red Ferns
Where the Red Fern Grows provides the text for a study of the literary elements of plot, character, and setting. Discussion questions and vocabulary lists are referenced but not included.
Student Achievement Partners
Laura Hillenbrand's "Unbroken" and Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and James D. Houston's "Farewell to Manzanar"
Passages from Unbroken and Farewell to Manzanar provide the context for a study of the historical themes of experiencing war, resilience during war, and understanding the lasting trauma of war. Appendices include extension...
Curated OER
Bennington Battlefield
Students explore the characteristics of the area around the battlefield and the groups who participated on both sides of the battle. The relative importance of manpower, motivation, and leadership in the outcome of a military conflict is...
Curated OER
Character Analysis
Students analyze the motivations behind characters. For this character analysis lesson, students reflect on conflicts from previous stories and watch a clip from 'East is East.' Students answer questions for the movie and watch the movie...
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Number the Stars Chapter 15
Students analyze the theme of bravery in the book Number the Stars. They create a list of possible themes in Number the Stars. They review elements of a story, focusing on climax. They debate over the climax of the story.
Curated OER
Ellis Island: The "Golden Door" to America
Young scholars write a narrative from the perspective of an immigration inspector or European immigrant. In this Immigration lesson, students read an online history of Ellis Island and evaluate its significance by writing answers to...
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Plot Development
Students identify the elements of plot and write a script with a strong plot. In this plot lesson, students identify elements of plot in examples by completing a chart and a graphic organizer. Students then create plots from...
Curated OER
The Three Bad Little Pigs
Young scholars examine and interpret conflicting primary sources.
Curated OER
Using Words to Work Things Out
Students recognize a problem and how to resolve it. In this lesson plan, students listen to The Hating Book and discuss the events of the story. Students answer comprehension questions and relate to their own experiences. Students role...
Curated OER
The Spanish American War (1898-1901)
In this online interactive history learning exercise, students respond to 10 short answer questions about the Spanish American War. Students may check some of their answers on the interactive learning exercise.
Curated OER
Writing a Storybook
Students explore language arts by creating their own stories in class. In this book making activity, students read the story City Pig in class and create storyboard illustrations in order to analyze the story. Students utilize these...
Curated OER
It's Mine Lesson Plan
Students read a book called It's Mine! For this lesson about three frogs and sharing, students explore how what they do affects everything around them. Through a series of seven different activities, students interpret the frogs and...
Curated OER
Mock Trial
Students rewrite a traditional fairy tale to represent the viewpoint of the villain. They participate in a mock trial of that villain in which all regular court participants (judge, jury, defendant, witnesses, plaintiff, etc) play roles.
Curated OER
Wonderful Westerns
In this book report worksheet, students choose a novel about westerns to read and then completes six various assignments dealing with the novel of their choice.
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Understanding Character
Students are introduced to literary elements and definitions in the worksheet Understanding Character but reading through each of the elements and definitions aloud. They read the story, "La Bamba" and identify examples of the literary...
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Rabindranath Tagore's The Home and the World
Students read Tagore's novel and discuss questions of personal development, its influence from culture and tradition, and the conflicting allegiances of family, marriage, friendship and politics. Students research swadeshi and...
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Folktale Quilt
Students read several selections of folktales from different historic periods and different cultures. Then they incorporate a folktale theme into a modern day story, using elements that parallel those from the original version.
Curated OER
Improvisational Setting - "Where are You?"
Second graders explore setting through improvisations. In this theatre lesson plan, 2nd graders perform a variety of improvisations in different settings and chart how they established the setting in the different environments.
Curated OER
A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words
Young scholars, after reading the book, "Esperanza Rising," create a virtual display by combining different story elements into a visual representation. They choose the setting and characters of a scene that will act as a springboard of...
Curated OER
Revolutionary War
Students discover that one to explore about the past is to read historical novels. They see that in every war there are many viewpoints to consider. Students are introduced to the young adult historical novel My Brother Sam Is Dead. ...
PBS
Women's History: Clara Barton
Students investigate Clara Barton's contributions to society. In this Clara Barton lesson plan, students watch videos, listen to lectures, and conduct research regarding Clara Barton's life and her possible authorship of a Civil War...