Great Books Foundation
Discussion Guide for Little Women
Start with the question in mind with a discussion activity on Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. With four focus questions, note-taking prompts, and discussion points, readers practice answering thematic questions based on textual evidence.
Teaching Children Philosophy
Tiger-Tiger, is it True?
Scholars take part in a philosophical discussion about truth, thoughts, and feelings following a reading of Tiger-Tiger is it True? by Byron Katie and Hans Wilhelm.
Centre for Clinical Interventions
Social Skills Treatment Programme
Even though they may not be tested on standardized assessments, social skills are vital for students to develop during their years in school. Through a series of discussions, activities, and role-playing exercises, these lessons teach...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Is Democracy in Decline?
Has democracy outlived its usefulness? Pundits debate the topic, and now pupils weigh in, too. A reading on how democracy may be on the decline around the world, along with a structured conversation guideline, help guide scholars through...
Curated OER
Homophobia: What is It? What Can We Do About It?
A two-part instructional activity focuses on the sensitive issues of homophobia, discrimination, sexuality, and gender. Middle schoolers discuss individual and institutional discrimination, personal rights, homosexuality, and bullying.
California Department of Education
What’s A Hot Job?
What jobs are the next best thing? Curious career scholars explore their options in lesson three of a five-part series. Pupils research job trends and labor statistics before discussing the factors that influence occupation trends.
Curated OER
Corporal Punishment
Nineteen states legally permit school officials to physically punish children. Scholars learn more about the topic as they use the website to prepare for a class debate or discussion. Pupils read background information and discover the...
Ed Galaxy
Think Before You Speak Poster
"Think before you speak." Make this direction more meaningful for your young learners by using think as a guide for respectful speech. This is a great poster to reference during class discussions, conflict resolutions, or whenever anyone...
Anti-Defamation League
What Is Weight Bias?
After setting rules and expectations to create a safe place to share thoughts and feelings, scholars define the terms; stereotype, basis, and discrimination. Using a web brainstorm, learners list words associated with overweight and...
California Department of Education
Studying for Careers
How can good study habits set someone up for a successful career? Learners explore the relationship between study skills and job skills in the fourth installment of a five-part college and career readiness lesson plan series. The group...
Conflict Resolution Education Connection
10 Lessons for Teaching Conflict Resolution Skills
Promote responsibility and camaraderie with 10 lessons on conflict resolution. Learners define conflict and teach ways to resolve it. Each lesson provides an activity and scenario for role play, and lends itself to discussion among peers...
Orlando Shakes
Julius Caesar: Study Guide
What makes a good leader? Use the curriculum guide for William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar to help scholars answer that question. Pupils research the play's historical context and other background information before engaging in...
Curated OER
Discuss It
A key part of learning about different people and things is knowing how to have a constructive discussion in a respectful way. The class establishes a set of rules for their discussion and then begins a conversation about a wide array of...
Curated OER
Literature Study of the Civil War Era
Learn more about the Civil War. Young scholars will choose a novel based on the Civil War to learn more about the viewpoints of that time period. They will then discuss the roles of the members of a Literature Circle and then participate...
Missouri Department of Elementary
Ingredients of a Relationship Recipe
An eye-catching hook makes a smart analogy between ingredients for a food recipe and ingredients for quality relationships. Scholars discuss and list qualities they feel contribute to positive interactions. Pupils create a recipe card...
California Education Partners
My Five Senses by Aliki
An assessment designed to examine scholars' reading comprehension skills takes place over three days. Starting with a read-aloud of My Five Senses by Aliki, learners then take notes and discuss their most memorable moments with a peer....
California Education Partners
Follow the Water by Arthur Dorros
Assess scholars' reading and writing capabilities with an exam that challenges learners to respond to an informative text. Through note-taking and peer discussion, pupils analyze a passage from the story, Follow the Water from Brook to...
Carolina K-12
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission & the First Amendment
Should Congress limit how much a corporation spends to support a political candidate? Here is a fantastic lesson plan and activities to help young citizens approach this question.
Curated OER
End-of-Year Practice Test (Grade 5 ELA/Literacy)
The end of the year has arrived, which means it's time to find out exactly what your fifth graders have learned over the past few months. With the help of this Common Core-designed assessment that includes two narrative passages and 12...
Curated OER
Participant-Observer Guidelines Handout
Take your collaborative group work to a higher level with this informative handout about the nature, aims, and tasks of participant-observers. Teaching middle and high schoolers how to improve group process advances collaboration skills...
Curated OER
Learning the Rules with "Never Spit on Your Shoes"
Foster a sense of community by having youngsters work together to create a list of classroom rules. They draw pictures of their hopes for first grade after reading a children's book as a group. They also discuss why it is important to...
Curated OER
Journal Guidelines for OLS 388
Journaling can be a great way to get learners to open up more than they would in a whole class discussion. These guidelines prompt scholars to form groups and answer questions in their journals. Most questions refer to certain concepts...
California Education Partners
We Are The Ship
An assessment sheds light on scholars' ability to read, gather evidence, and draft an original written composition. Learners read an informative text twice before taking notes and discussing their thoughts and textual evidence with a...
Teaching Tolerance
Talking About Race and Racism
Set the stage for discussion in a thought-provoking instructional activity on racism. An informative resource prepares scholars to discuss the history of race and racism with a quiz, vocabulary, and guidelines. Academics discuss topics...