A reading of Peggy Parish's Amelia Bedelia launches a study of idioms. Groups then select several idioms, write the meaning of the expressions, draw or select images, and use GIMP or Photoshop to create an idiom book. 

Young historians discover the experiences of runaway slaves after reading the brief biography and narrative excerpt of Henry "Box" Brown, who escaped slavery by having himself shipped away in a crate and popularized his...

Drinking clean water can be taken for granted. Explore the process and high cost of filtering water with a water pollution and filtration activity. Young scientist build a filtration system to filter polluted water, examine the economics...

What skills do storytellers employ to bring to life the characters and events in their tales? After listening to a recording of a Haitian folk tale, class members consider how tone of voice, pace, and gestures can be used to enliven a...

Dogs have to stay healthy, too! Take a look at a reading comprehension activity that includes a passage about Sam and his dog Hally, who could use a few more walks and exercise.

Fourth graders study Chaucer as a master of details. Then, they create a short story linking unrelated details into a logical plot with a clear setting and established characters. This lesson has some excellent worksheets attached!

Students use photos to generate opinions and feelings for them to write about. They use the photos to find something they are interested in and help them write.

Students explore photographic works of art. In this visual arts instructional activity, students analyze selected photographs by Garcia, Ray, and Eggleston. Students take their own photographs in the style of these photographers.

Students compare and contrast an academic and Impressionist portrait. For this art history lesson, students look at two different styles of painting and write a paragraph as if they are the subject in the painting. They compare and...

Students substantiate a generalization by providing supporting details. They apply visual and oral information to a piece of written work and formulate at least three generalizations they think may characterize the experience of...

Second graders imagine they find an injured bird. They create a clay bird and nest to stimulate creative writing. The activity includes an integrated week-long art, science, and writing activity.

Third graders use the concepts found in a PowerPoint presentation, and write leads for book reviews that attract readers and stimulate book interest. They are graded on their ability to engage the reader with their writing.

Students compare the first day of school in Ukraine with the first day of school in the United States, including the challenges students and teachers both face in each country. They respond in class, in their journals, to the following...

Seventh graders examine the U.S. Constitution. In this American government lesson, 7th graders listen to a SMART Board-supported lecture about the branches of the U.S. government. Students write responses based on the lecture. 

Students reconstruct and make drawings of vessels in the same manner as an archaeologist. In this archaeologist lesson plan, students each get a piece of a broken pot and they have to work together to put it back together. Once it is...

Fifth graders explore child labor and how children were exploited and used in the work place. In this Industrial Revolution lesson, 5th graders research child labor by reading, looking at photographs and drawing conclusions...

Descriptive writing is a must for students to understand. Using adverbs and adjectives, they turn simple sentences into works of art. Each simple sentence gets a descriptive make-over. This instructional activity suggests using Laptops...

Readers write a formal letter to an author offering an alternative ending to a story the author has written. First, the class reads a story or novel. Upon finishing the reading, they are introduced to the format of a formal letter. They...

Students review previously written essays, draw pictures of shapes, and write descriptive essays.

Fifth graders write an essay. In this writing instructional activity, 5th graders research the circulatory system and organize their notes into an outline. Students write an informational essay on the circulatory system.

Young scholars compose an essay taking a position on whether or not a proposed mine near Marquette, MI should be opened. Students defend their position addressing relevant issues through factual supporting details. Their essay includes...

Learners compare and contrast sine and cosine graphs in order to describe their characteristics in a collaborative activity. As they explain their reasoning, learners strengthen their writing and vocabulary skills associated with...

Can your mathematicians come up with an easy way to convert miles to kilometers? Start by asking learners to write an algebraic expression for each of the descriptions given. Once they determine that they are both the same, ask...

Few children's books convey the message of conservation as well as Dr. Seuss' The Lorax. Read the story aloud, emphasizing the interconnectedness of plants and animals in an ecosystem and discussing different ways people can help...