Curated OER
Description Paragraphs
Young writers use the provided Halloween-themed template to record information gathered after researching a topic related to the October holiday. Six different expository text structures are suggested as a guide; however, information on...
National Endowment for the Humanities
The "Secret Society" and FitzGerald's The Great Gatsby
"I have never been able to forgive the rich for being rich, and it has colored my entire life and works." This colored view is the focus of a close reading activity that asks readers of The Great Gatsby to examine the way...
Curated OER
Sequencing
Are you looking for a way to teach sequence of events in your narrative writing unit? Bring this lesson to your middle school class, as it prompts young writers to create a narrative sequence map of events that have happened at school...
Curated OER
Take a Walk in Their Shoes: Great Leaders of Our Time
Research the characteristics of leaders who have used nonviolence to change society. The class then applies this information to their own community to find leaders with these same characteristics, creating a wall collage of pictures and...
Curated OER
Working on the Slant
Compare and contrast a major news story from various newspapers. How does the perspective change? Are certain things included in some of the stories and left out of others? Have pupils complete a graphic organizer to compare how...
Teach with Movies
Learning Guide to Thirteen Days
While Thirteen Days is a fantastic film to use in the classroom in reference to the Cold War and the Cuban missile crisis, it is important to take care to effectively and properly incorporate its contents into your curriculum. This...
Curated OER
Identify Intended Media Messages
How does media convey different messages? Use this lesson to explore media by identifying and analyzing selected images. Middle schoolers analyze a poster and discuss the intended meaning of the imagery and how it makes them feel. They...
Lesson Snips
Lessons from the Holocaust
Connect global examples of attempted genocide with a well-designed social studies lesson plan. It includes an excellent informational text with background information on the Holocaust, as well as worksheets, book report guidelines,...
Channel Islands Film
Island Rotation: Lesson Plan 3
How far have California's Channel islands moved? What was the rate of this movement? Class members first examine data that shows the age of the Hawaiian island chain and the average speed of the Pacific Plate. They then watch West...
Vanderbilt University
Dia de Los Muertos
To honor El Dia de los Muertos, scholars work together to create Day of the Dead displays—paper sugar skulls and banners—that bring a festive and memorable flare to the classroom.
Star Wars in the Classroom
Star Wars Geography Unit
What kind of animals live on an ice planet like Hoth? How would the habitat on Tatooine allow different organisms to thrive? Connect social studies, science, and Star Wars in one engaging activity that focuses on the ecosystems...
Japan Society
Changing Times, Changing Styles: New Japanese Literary Styles of the Late Nineteenth Century
Focusing on Doppo's "Unforgettable People" and late nineteenth century Japanese literature, this resource also leads to discussions of form being dictated by content. Explore the development of new literary styles first-hand by...
Curated OER
Classic Columns
Sixth graders present a PowerPoint presentation on Greek columns. They realize that Greek culture is centered around religion. Students create a model of one of the columns. Also they find examples of Greek architecture in major Greek...
Curated OER
Historical Agency in History Book Sets (HBS)
Study historical events by combining the study of historical fiction and non-fiction. Learners read about true past events in historical fiction novels and then research non-fiction accounts of the same events. What are some differences...
Education World
Black History Month Rap
Young scholars write a rap or hip-hop lyric about the life of a famous Black American. They explore famous Black Americans in history and explore how the rap form compares to other forms of poetic expression.
Curated OER
American Flag History
Young historians explore US culture by investigating the US flag. They will use their textbooks, prior knowledge, and sources provided by the teacher to research the history of the American flag. They will design and create a trading...
Curated OER
Interviews with the American People "Days of Infamy"
Students compare and contrast statements made by people in "Man on the Streets." They are interviewing them on the current war in Iraq and how they felt on Sept. 11th. These interviews are tape recorded. To see what kinds of questions to...
Open Oregon Educational Resources
Principles of Microeconomics: Scarcity and Social Provisioning
There’s no such thing as a free economics course, but here's a resource that is as close as you can get. Drawing on the expertise of a textbook, augmented by input from higher education economics instructors, a helpful eBook presents a...
Curated OER
Poetry for the Common Good
Students identify examples of philanthropy in poetry or song. In this philanthropy activity, students examine several poems such as Give by Carrie A. Thomas and identify concepts of philanthropy in the poem. Students construct their own...
University of California
The Civil War: Strategies and Battles
Was it the War against Northern Aggression or the War to Unify the Union? Scholars investigate the key battles and strategies of the American Civil War to determine just why the North was victorious in the end.
Curated OER
A Treasure at our Doorstep
Students write a descriptive essay about a historical landmark in their area, such as the Curtis Center in Philadelphia, PA. In this historical landmarks instructional activity, students use their senses to detail information about the...
Curated OER
Eastern Woodland Indians
Fifth graders research the Eastern Woodland Indians in this lesson. They list the tribes and write a description of the physical environment. They list examples of the types of food, clothing, transportation, home/shelter,...
Curated OER
A Long Walk
Students watch a video regarding persevering through difficult situations. In this character education lesson, students watch a video about perseverance and discuss the examples of perseverance.
Curated OER
Where In the World Are We?
Fifth graders read postcards and find their locations on maps. They use the pictures and text on the postcards to write about imaginary vacations. They compute the mileage and compare it to TripMaker data.