Hawaiʻi State Department of Education
Characters from a Box
Character analysis is a skill we use when we read literary works or want to write a good story. Learners will use drama to practice character analysis while focusing on the details that make characters act the way they do. They'll each...
Perfection Learning
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck: Clouds on the Horizon--Foreshadowing
The seeds of tragedy are planted early in John Steinbeck's story of migrant workers George Milton and Lenny Small. Nurture the imagination of readers by asking them to craft predictions about what will grow out of events in chapters one...
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education
Cloud Sculpting
Dance is a fantastic way to communicate thoughts, feelings, and even science concepts. Make this activity a part of your next unit on weather and clouds. Kids will discuss types of clouds, how they look, and what they do. Then, they will...
Aspen Institute
The Voice That Challenged a Nation
Included here are step-by-step instructions for conducting a close reading of The Voice That Challenged a Nation by Russell Freedman. After an individual and class reading, class members read carefully through the text excerpt,...
Curated OER
Writing Organizers
Eight graphic organizers to choose from? That's right! Each of these organizers relates to writing or reading. From narrowing a writing topic, to responding to literature, to planning a writing project, you'll find many purposes for...
Film English
Stand Up
To stand up can have many different meanings. Examine the different usages in English and relate one of these meanings to a short film about homophobic bullying. Class members view and discuss the film as well as a short reading passage...
Film English
Father and Son
Explore word relationships and the relationships between people with an interesting lesson. Learners practice pairing words that typically go together and write brief narratives using these words. They then go through a similar process,...
Macmillan Education
The Tell-Tale Heart
Rather than who done it, the mystery literary detectives have to solve as they examine the evidence found in Edgar Allan Poe's famous "The Tell-Tale Heart" is why did he do it?
Curated OER
Running Out of Time: Vocabulary Strategies
Review concepts and terms after reading Running Out of Time. Learners each come up with a few terms that they think are important and then participate in a list-group-label exercise, paying close attention to the two main years featured...
Brigham Young University
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead: Body Biography
Pause in your reading of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead to take an in-depth look at the characters. Learners examine a chosen character by drawing a body and assigning quotes and traits to specific areas of the body, thinking...
Novelinks
The House of the Scorpion: Problematic Situations
What should Matt do? Readers of The House of the Scorpion are offered several possible actions Matt could take when he first sees the children outside the house. They rate the options and then meet in groups to discuss the reasons for...
Practical Money Skills
Making Money
The first step in managing your money is making money! Learn about ways to find and interview for a job with a thorough instructional activity on personal finances. Kids learn about the ways to earn a paycheck and then manage the funds...
National Security Agency
Integers: Quick, Fun and Easy To Learn
A good complement to any integers unit contains a three-day lesson plan about positive and negative integers, adding and subtracting integers, and how to find the additive inverse. Additionally, it provides all necessary...
EngageNY
Criterion for Perpendicularity
The Pythagorean Theorem is a geometry pupil's best friend! Learners explain the equation a1b1 + a2b2 = 0 for perpendicular segments using the Pythagorean Theorem. They are able to identify perpendicular segments using their...
Willow Tree
Line Plots
You can't see patterns in a jumble of numbers ... so organize them! Learners take a set of data and use a line plot to organize the numbers. From the line plot, they find minimum, maximum, mean, and make other conclusions about the...
EngageNY
Vectors and the Equation of a Line
Represent linear equations in both two and three dimensions using parametric equations. Learners write parametric equations for linear equations in both two and three variables. They graph and convert the parametric equations to...
EngageNY
Exponential Growth—U.S. Population and World Population
Show how exponential growth can look linear. Pupils come to understand the importance of looking at the entire picture as they compare the US population to the world population. Initially, the populations look linear with the same rate...
NPR
Young And Brave Lesson Plan
Honor brave young women with a lesson that showcases 30 individuals who's achievements made a lasting impression on our country's history. Here, scholars randomly choose a person to examine from an interactive myseum exhibit then share...
Scholastic
Writing Letters of Gratitude
A lesson begins with a discussion on gratitude—what does it mean, and for who are learners thankful? Scholars share their thoughts and feelings then choose a community worker to which they wish to share their gratitude. Writers compose a...
National Park Service
Biodiversity—Bee Week
If you want scholars to fall in love with bees, this is the unit for you! Celebrate bees with a full week of material—designed for the Next Generation Science Standards—that addresses the importance of pollination and fertilization....
NEED Project
Calibrating Thermometers
Engage young scientists in the upper-elementary and middle school grades with this collection of simple experiments. Whether you're teaching about heat transfer, density, or potential energy this resource has a lab for you.
Curated OER
What Would Ben Franklin Do?
Employ Ben Franklin's 13 virtues to a modern drug-abuse prevention plan.
Curated OER
Days of the Week
Cover both capitalization and the days of the week with a great kindergarten activity! Kids read each day of the week out loud, then write the name of the day on a line. They answer three questions about certain days of the week,...
Curated OER
Second Semester's Biggest Struggle: Motivation
How to induce teenagers to stay engaged and learning despite the arrival of spring.