Second graders practice asking the 5 W questions by reading a Boxcar Children book.  In this journalism lesson, 2nd graders read a single story from the Boxcar Children series and answer the 5 W's about each specific chapter....

Fifth graders explore the concept of waste management. For this recycling lesson, 5th graders discover the history of waste management and discuss how the U.S. should respond to the issue of ever-increasing waste.

Learners examine the Great Depression through the analysis of the novel, 'Bud, Not Buddy.' They analyze photos from the National Archives website, complete a character analysis, and conduct research and summarize a topic from the Great...

Fourth graders tackle stress. In this personal health lesson plan, 4th graders predict physical and emotional reactions to stressful situations.

Investigate Pennsylvania Barns. Have your class consider the elements common to Pennsylvanian barns and why they are significant to the food production process. They write summaries of Frederick Watts and his impact on agriculture.

Young scholars identify the elements of fiction, and work on compare and contrast skills.. In this comprehension lesson, students read different versions of Cinderella. Young scholars use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the...

Students read a short fiction book and demostrate comprehension by identifying the main characters, setting, conflict, theme, and summarizing the main points. They organize the information in Inspiration and create a powerpoint to show...

Young scholars participate in a game-like format to identify characteristics of genres. They categorize stories into genres bases on story summaries after a class discussion of the characteristics.

Students study the Mississippi Rover and how it has changed over time.  In this environment lesson students research and summarize things about the ecosystem of the river. 

Fifth graders discover the difference between myths, legends, and folk tales. They summarize legends. They work together to dramatize legends and then create their own legend using the writing process. Handouts and worksheets are included.

Sixth graders examine and compare the lives of slaves and indentured servants using primary sources and the historical fiction books, "Molly Bannaky and Barefoot." They analyze and compare advertisements for runaway slaves. Students...

Fifth graders research life in Alaska and compare life there to their lives in this activity. They read "Julie of the Wolves." They research through the novel and other reference books facts about the Alaskan climate and geography. ...

Students read the book Do You Want to Be My Friend? and then use pictorial clues to determine which animal would come next. For this character lesson plan, students look at the tail of the animal to predict it.

Students read passages from several sources and evaluate the text for various criteria. In this problem solving lesson plan, students evaluate character problem solving processes after reading passages. They will use a Venn Diagram to...

Students explore coral life cycles. In this coral ecosystems lesson plan, students view videos explaining the life cycle of coral, including examples of sexual and asexual reproduction. Students read a related article cooperatively in...

Eighth graders explore the main idea of stories. In this literacy lesson, 8th graders summarize the last TV show they watched, identify the main idea of the show, and list its supporting details. After a discussion of main ideas, they...

Learners read reports and watch a video about World War I. In this World War I lesson plan, students discuss how the government has to take charge on many levels including the oil shortage during World War I.

Students use the Internet to research an article. When they find an article they like, it be printed and they highlight the important information and present to the class.

Students review facts previously discussed about snakes and lizards and read pages in their science text book about snakes and lizards silently focusing on remembering important facts. They then complete a Venn diagram comparing snakes...

Students consider a variety of well-known proverbs that refer to the weather. They research the scientific validity of these proverbs, conduct interviews about public perception of the proverbs and summarize their findings in writing.

Students summarize a fiction text. After reviewing the correct way to read in order to glean important information for summary, students independently read a nonfiction article. They write a summary paragraph using the process outlined...

Third graders engage in a lesson which addresses their curiosity about some of the outstanding people-made landmarks of the world. They explore the geographical themes of location and place through literature.

Third graders, through six lessons, study tales of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves and Aladdin and the Lamp from The Arabian Nights.

Third graders read the story Babushka's Doll and write a summary of the main events in the story. In this summaries lesson plan, 3rd graders discuss the country of Russia before they read.