Curated OER
Once Upon a Pop-Up Book
Young scholars design and illustrate a pop-up book of their original writing after studying the book, The Jolly Postman: Or Other People's Letter's. They present their book and complete a self-assessment rubric.
Curated OER
Alice Magic Cake
Using a famous children's story as the hook, learners explore the concept of changes in matter. First, they make a cake similar to the one made by Alice in the story Alice's Adventure in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. Next, they let their...
Curated OER
Examining Persuasive Literature
Examine persuasive literature and writing. In this persuasive literature lesson plan, pupils work through a variety of activities over the course of three weeks (each week is planned by day). The unit's purpose is to examine examples of...
Curated OER
Publishing Stories: Beginning, Middle, End
First and second graders explore the importance of having a beginning, middle, and end when writing stories. In this story writing lesson, learners write short stories using the story diamond as a guide. They invite their parents to an...
Curated OER
Cinderella Project
Young scholars compare and contrast the stories of "Cinderella" and "Little Gold Star." Students discuss the magic helper in both stories. Young scholars become the magic helper by bestowing random acts of kindness on others. Students...
Curated OER
Same Old Story
Learners relate their favorite childhood stories to their lives today. Through personal interviews, students discover the connections between their favorite stories and their own choices and characters, as well as connections to the...
Curated OER
Creating a Fantasy World
Students create the basis for a fantasy story. They discuss what makes a story "fantasy" and identify which stories include something that could not happen in the real world. They determine what these fantasy stories have in common.
Curated OER
Living in a Community
Students understand the differences in communities by reading "City Mouse, Country Mouse" by Isabelle Chantellard. In this types of communities lesson, students find that although communities are different, one is not better than the...
Curated OER
Dalai Lama: Day 2 of 5
Sixth graders explore philosophy by researching the Dalai Lama. In this Tibetan history lesson, 6th graders discuss the influence of Buddhism on the Dalai Lama and the unique view on life a Buddhist must have. Students read a Tibetan...
Curated OER
Exporing Our Community
Students explore attributes of the community in which they live. They compare rural, urban and suburban communities and attempt to classify their own community. Each group illustrates their assigned area by drawing buildings, trees,...
Curated OER
Lord of the Rings: The Quest is Achieved
Students analyze what makes a hero in The Lord of the Rings, Book Six. They discuss the characters and the aspects of their behaviors that make them heroes and write essays regarding the climax and heroic gestures of a character. After...
Curated OER
Toad Adobe
Students explore the importance of toads and the need for toad habitats in the environment. In this animal habitats instructional activity, students create an adobe habitat for toads by using a clay pot. Students paint their pots and...
Curated OER
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
Fourth graders participate in a play to work on seeing events from a different perspective. Some of them are reporters, some cameramen and women, and others are interviewed. They put themselves in the shoes of the people in the book...
Curated OER
A Dream of Classic Perfection
Students look at how Greek classical art and philosophy influenced the French Revolution. In this French Revolution lesson plan, students use primary sources, Neoclassical art, to look at how they show what society was like during this...
Curated OER
Writing Myths
Learners read and write myths. In this world mythology lesson, students read and analyze myths from various cultures and then recognize their attributes as they write their own myths that explain natural phenomena.
Curated OER
Graphic Organizer: Venn Diagram for Briar Rose
Compare and contrast the characters of Gemma and Becca from Briar Rose. Using a Venn diagram (not included but easy to create), readers will explore the characters. Not much direction or explanation is included here.
Curated OER
The Queen/King of England
Students observe the teacher dressed as a king or queen, sitting on a throne. They simulate being a page in a king or queen's court. Individual students then simulate being a king or queen. They role play various situations in a king...
Curated OER
Cooperation Through Puppet Shows
Students learn a story and turn it into a puppet show using puppets they make out of craft materials. In this puppet show lesson plan, students make the puppets and perform a story that is already published in small groups.
Curated OER
Establishing a Point of View in Narratives
Fourth graders investigate the concept and take the opportunity to both identify and to construct point of view in narratives. Additionally, 4th graders practice identifying and sequencing main events.
Curated OER
Folktale Unit Ideas
Students read a variety of folktales and participate in writing, drawing, measurement, and time activities that relate to the stories. They graph the number of different versions of one folktale that the class finds and reads.
Curated OER
A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare
Students read and perform William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. In this Shakepeare play instructional activity, students read the script for the play and practice the simplified version of the play.
Curated OER
Apple Exploration!
Students explore a variety of classroom stations about apples and Johnny Appleseed.
Curated OER
What About Films?
Learners watch and analyze a film of an Appalachian folktale. They define trickster and anti-hero, view and discuss the film, complete a handout, compose an original film review, and debate each character's behavior.
Curated OER
Folktales: Oral Traditions as a Basis for Instruction in our Schools
Students visit their school library to read a variety of folktales. While they read, they identify the trickster or hero in each and discuss how the character represents the chaos in the real world. In groups, they write their own...