First graders recognize and write numerals from 1 to 10. They estimate and count to identify sets with more, fewer, or the same number of objects, listen and respond to others in a variety of contexts, and take turns speaking in a...

With the songs "My Hometown" by Bruce Springsteen and "Allentown" by Billy Joel, learners examine external versus internal conflict. When they have finished the first part of the lesson, they create their own poem (or song) about the...

Eighth graders select ordinary objects, determine their uses, and write poems about them. Once they select an object, they create a web about its uses to serve as an outline. Once they have written their own odes, 8th graders meet in...

Looking to introduce some text-based questions into your ELA lessons? Practice the kinds of skills the Common Core demands with the seven text-based questions and the essay prompt provided here. Designed to be a three-day lesson, day one...

Second graders complete a variety of activities related to the book "The Clever Monkey" by Rob Cleveland. They answer story comprehension questions, and rewrite the story. Students also complete a comprehension and fact or opinion...

Explore the elements of science fiction. Students investigate the literary elements present in science fiction and write their own science fiction stories.

"Ode to la Tortilla" and "Ode to Joy"? Sure! Use Gary Soto's poem to introduce learners to the ode format. After examining the descriptive words Soto uses, class members study a poster of Ludwig van Beethoven, suggest words that describe...

Students read and discuss the poem Khwab before writing poems of their own. Students get the opportunity to explore impressionistic poetry about place.

Students study another method for writing a book report using a Haiku poem. In this book report instructional activity, students use the Haiku poem format to write a book report.

Students write a story using their journey to school as the setting. In groups, they discuss their experiences and browse through books to get ideas for their story. They practice using a thesaurus to find new verbs or adjectives they...

Third graders use an outline to write a letter to their parents sharing their week at school.

Second graders write a Halloween story. In this combined technology and writing lesson, 2nd graders create a Halloween picture using KidPix, insert it into Microsoft Word, and then write a story to correspond with the picture.

Learners are given a line drawing that only that students sees. They are asked to describe the drawings to the reset of the class to see if they can draw it as the teacher describes it. Learners work with a partner, and they are given a...

Students investigate different environments by creating a poem. In this prairie environment lesson, students research information about Kansas' natural resources and complete a worksheet about prairies.  Students practice using...

Students use perspective observation sketches to understand verbal description. In this subjective writing lesson, students practice writing subjective conversations using the cartoon worksheets.

Learners examine poetry and natural disasters through this interactive lesson plan. In this poetry analysis lesson plan students read poetry, research natural disasters, and write descriptions.

Students analyze song lyrics (by listening to the song) to pick-out descriptive vocabulary. They use this descriptive vocabulary to create a drawing of the images they "see" in the song. They compare their drawings to find similarities...

Students read a version of Ramayana and explore the elements of the epic hero cycle. In this Ramayana analysis lesson, students retell the basic narrative of the Ramayana and identify the main characters. Students identify elements of...

Students study the poetry of Poe. In this integrated arts lesson, students draw comparisons between the daguerreotype of Edgar Allan Poe by an unknown photographer with Poe's poetry.

In this animals lesson plan, students students write a description about a pet or animal that they know. They include details that would help someone who has never met their animal feel like they know it already. Artwork about their...

Young scholars input autobiographical information to apply in a Diamante' poem that utilizes the different parts of speech. Students interact with each other sharing their autobiographical information completed on the database created....

Young scholars create an autobiographical poem. In this writing lesson, students write an eleven line autobiopoem after read the teacher's model. Young scholars include their name, fears, and family in the poem.

Learners practice composing digital photographs by documenting activities in their lives.  In this photography activity, students utilize digital cameras to create beautiful art from things they find around the campus or at their...

Students write poems based on words and phrases found in an obituatuary. They write autobiographical obituaries that imagine their own lives and future accomplishments.