National Endowment for the Humanities
Edgar Allan Poe, Ambrose Bierce, and the Unreliable Biographers
High schoolers research biographical facts about Edgar Allan Poe and Ambrose Bierce and complete literary analysis activities. In this biographical lesson plan, learners research basic biographical facts about Poe and Bierce. High...
Curated OER
Biology In Elementary Schools
Students classify animals into six major animal groups and describe the characteristics of the animals found within each group. For this living and non-living animals lesson, students observe a variety of animals, both living and...
Curated OER
Words to Warm the Winter: Characters Count!
Fifth graders take part in a mini-lesson on characterization, discuss roles for Literary Circles and meet for the first true session of their Literary Circles.
Curated OER
Infomercial
Learners use the Internet to research a topic for an infomercial presentation. Using the research gathered, students design the layout of a brochure. Next, learners use Microsoft Publisher to create a brochure that combines images and...
Curated OER
Gee's Bend Quilts Three
Third graders identify and practice sewing a dashed line in an arch shape. They identify with five new facts about quilts, women, and the community of Gee's Bend. Finally, 3rd graders complete the quilt top, batting and backing together.
Curated OER
Gee's Bend Quilts Two
Third graders identify the different types of lines. They name five new facts about the quilts studied, the women, and community of Gee's Bend and begin to stitch the pieces of the Quilt top together. When finished student put all their...
Curated OER
Multimedia Book Report
Learners take a book they've read previously and create a multimedia book report. They use the book report graphic organizer (attached) to plan their PowerPoint presentation. A thorough rubric is provided for you to ease grading. There's...
Curated OER
Voices at Whisper Bend
High schoolers examine life in Pennsylvania during and after World War II. Using primary source documents, they compare the unity of the United States during World War II and the Iraq War. They also discover how citizens adapt to the war...
Curated OER
Elk Rapids- Its Past and Future
Students participate in activities that help them appreciate the history of their local community as it celebrates its sesquicentennial year. They construct timelines, maps, interview, and writing. They use technology in a number of...
Curated OER
Ed Tech
Students access and evaluate authority of electronic resources. They synthesize data from multiple sources. Students compose a Works Consulted page. They prepare and deliver an informative speech on a disease or medical condition.
National First Ladies' Library
Jefferson's Legacy: A National Library
Students examine the creation of the Library of Congress. They investigate reasons why Thomas Jefferson sold his personal collection to the Library. Employing various research resources, students write newspaper articles about the sale...
Curated OER
Pop Shop 1 - Symbol Making
Students design their own symbols based on their experiences and feelings using Keith Haring's method of bold, direct lines.
Curated OER
Communication Collaboration with Technology Tools
Introduce your class to technology tools that allow them to communicate with other classes. Using the Internet, they will send pictures of their class along with the school website to another class. To end the lesson, they practice using...
Curated OER
Enslaved and Running
Learners use runaway slave advertisements to discover how the language varies from the 18th to 21st century. Using primary source documents, they research the brutality of slavery and the desire of those in slavery to be free. They...
Curated OER
Minnesota-China Connections: Jade Sculptures
Students study Chinese jade carvings and then carve an animal from soap in a similar fashion.
Curated OER
Making Friends
Young scholars explore how to choose and make friends through character cards that represent their favorite characters. They can drerss as their characters or use the cards as stick puppets to role play their friendly conversations.
Curated OER
"Owl" A Haitian Folk Tale
Eighth graders read and discuss the Haitian folktale, "Owl." They compare it to the story, "Brer Possum's Dilemma," using a Venn diagram to show how they are different and alike. In groups, they retell the story in a skit format.
Curated OER
Dateline: 442 BC Antigone
High schoolers create and videotape a newscast about the events that take place in the play, Antigone. They perform scenes describing the main events, the main characters and their conflicts.
Curated OER
Hurricane Katrina: You Be the Reporter
Students work in a small group to create news stories, feature stories and editorials/letters to the editor and organize them in a podcast, video-based program, or newspaper/magazine focused on Hurricane Katrina.
Curated OER
The World's Tallest Building
Learners investigate the world's tallest buildings. In this architecture lesson, students discover how humans change the physical environment. Learners read about and view pictures of famous buildings in the world. Students make lists of...
Curated OER
Gee's Bend Quilts
Third graders identify five new facts about the quilts, women, and community of Gee's Bend and finish their quilts by sewing the four edges of the quilt down. They review the color wheel and what the terms Primary, Secondary, Analogous,...
Curated OER
About Abraham Lincoln
Fifth graders complete a variety of activities and exercises as they study the life, policies, and lasting influence of Abraham Lincoln.
Curated OER
Narrative Strategies
Sixth graders explore strategies authors use to make characters and setting seem real to readers. They develop characters and describe setting in original narratives. Students read myths and determine common themes found in myths from...
Curated OER
Cows on Parade
Students use assorted drawing materials and sheets from a cow shaped pad to create a unique, bright, colorful cows.