Curated OER
Modern Day Characters from Children's Literature
Students read several studenT fairy tales, nursery rhymes, or folk tales. They compare themes and narratives in each version. They rewrite a story that they have read, placing the characters in a contemporary setting and include...
Curated OER
Writing Sentences Lesson Plan
Young scholars explore first person and third person points of view. In this perspective lesson, students identify first person and third person points of view in literature they have read. Young scholars rewrite stories from different...
Bright Hub Education
Using Evidence and Supporting Details in Writing
In expository writing, it is important to back up claims with evidence and details. Help your class to develop their writing with notes on different types of evidence. Once they have the basics down, practice with a sample thesis and...
EngageNY
Making a Claim: Emma Burke’s Point of View of the Immediate Aftermath of the Earthquake
Sharpen those pencils; it's time to write! Scholars begin writing the first body paragraph of their literary analysis essays. Additionally, pupils use graphic organizers to analyze a character's point of view from Laurence Yep's...
EngageNY
Making a Claim: Moon Shadow’s Point of View of the Immediate Aftermath
Body paragraphs are the building blocks of every essay. Pupils view and discuss a model essay using a rubric to evaluate one of its supporting paragraphs. Next, scholars use what they've learned to continue drafting their own literary...
Curated OER
What Makes Good Literary Writing?
Students conduct a literature study of John Steinbeck's classic "Of Mice And Men". They write in reflection of the author's influence upon 20th century literature. Students take apart the story to focus class discussion upon major themes...
Curated OER
Elements of Myth
Students read and act out myths. In this world mythology lesson, students read and analyze myths from various cultures and then recognize their attributes as they prepare presentations of myths that explain natural phenomena.
Curated OER
'Twasn't the Night Before Christmas
Students describe the elements that make up particular writers' styles. Small groups then choose an author, write something in his or her style, and invite other groups to play 'literary detective' in identifying whose style they have...
Curated OER
The Velveteen Rabbit
First graders discuss and touch stuffed animals and a real rabbit. They complete a KWL chart about rabbits. They listen to the story The Velveteen Rabbit and discuss it. They research rabbits in the library and make a book.
Developing a Global Perspective for Educators
The Lorax - Language
First graders identify text features and how they communicate meaning to the reader. In this media literacy instructional activity, learners view the movie The Lorax and discuss how students from another country would respond to this...
Curated OER
Swimmy
Students explore the themes of the book Swimmy by Leo Lionni. In this literacy instructional activity, students dramatize a character from Swimmy and identify common themes such as cooperation and caring. Students create a new ending to...
Curated OER
"What is an American?"
Eleventh graders ponder about what it means to be an "American." They discuss the impact of an author's word choice and sentence structure on text. They identify some major themes and development of the Letters... Compose paragraphs and...
Curated OER
Seuss-Perb Stations
Young scholars practice previously learned skills to the theme of "Dr. Seuss books".
Curated OER
Cooperation
Students, in groups, "Build An Animal where they need to cooperate in order to be successful and then make a storyboard for a Powerpoint presentation.
Curated OER
Bears' House Vandalized, Witnesses Say Blonde Girl Spotted Fleeing from the Scene
Students explore journalism. In this expository writing activity, students read several newspaper articles and note common features. After reading Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Jan Brett, students work with a partner to write a...
Curated OER
Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss
Students create and write mini books. In this Dr. Seuss activity, students bring in their favorite Dr. Seuss book, share why it is their favorite with the class and write a paragraph explaining why they like it. Students...
Curated OER
Set a Poem to Music
Students consider the role of rhythm and meter in poetry. For this integrated arts lesson, students discuss the attributes of poetry and use their music skills to set picture book poetry to music by creating "singable" poems.
National Endowment for the Humanities
"Old Southwest" Humorists and George Washington Harris
Young scholars discover the work of George Washington Harris and his influence on American humor. For this George Washington Harris lesson, discuss cultural differences in the United States and read Sut Lovongwood stories by George...
Curated OER
Brown Bear Animals
Students listen to the book Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do you See. They use a variety of art mediums to re-create large animal shapes representing the animals from the book, Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See.
Curated OER
Esperanza Rising - Literature Circles and Review (Day 3)
Kids love working with their peers. Get your class into small literature circles and have them complete weekly assignments. Before beginning this week's activity, have each learner write a letter from Esperanza in California to Abuelita...
National Endowment for the Humanities
“House by the Railroad”: A Painting and a Poem for the Common Core
Introduce your class to ekphrastic poetry with an exercise that asks them to examine Edward Hooper's painting House by the Railroad and Edward Hirsch's poem "Edward Hopper and the House By the Railroad." After a close reading...
Curated OER
Analyzing Folklore: Redwall
Brian Jacques’ novel Redwall provides the focus for a series of lessons involving the analysis of folklore. Adopting the persona of a character, groups write letters in the voice of their character, assemble a collage using Microsoft...
The Kennedy Center
Fairy Tale Variations
Here are two great lessons that work together and are inspired by the Stephen Sondheim musical Into the Woods. Young writers and actors will retell the story of "The Frog Prince" through games, improvisational script writing, and...
Curated OER
Exploring Arthurian Legend
Students investigate the evolution of the King Arthur stories and analyze them as a window into the culture that preserved them. They trace the legends through their earliest versions through medieval and Victorian times and into the...