Westford Academy
Universal Themes in Literature
Although dated in appearance, this PowerPoint presents current content in how learners can identity a theme, main idea, subject, and topic. The information is formatted for easy note taking, but offers no explanation of the themes...
Curated OER
Mystery Lessons
Learn about mysteries with your readers. They will investigate plot, basic elements of mystery, famous characters, and become familiar with genre vocabulary. Bring in props and mystery books to begin and then have learners create story...
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Buffalo Hide Paintings
To the Native American people living on the plains, the buffalo represented culture, art, sustenance, and survival. Explore the history of the buffalo with a social studies lesson, in which learners create a buffalo hide painting in the...
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Play Ball: A Major League Review Game
Apply the game of baseball to a fun review activity. Pupils earn a "base" for each subject question that they answer correctly. This activity can be modified and used for any subject area, including math, social studies, and language arts.
EngageNY
Analyzing Character: Launching Pygmalion, Part 2
Readers of Pygmalion use Eliza Character Tracker Parts one and two to notice and wonder about character analysis. They read text excerpts and mark details that show how Eliza feels and why she acts in certain ways. To finish, they...
Novelinks
The Dark Is Rising: Biopoem
How well do your learners really know the characters in Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising? A biopoem activity prompts readers to investigate the characters and their traits. Line by line, writers add the characters'...
Curated OER
Language Arts: Who Am I?
Twelfth graders write self-identity essays of three to five paragraphs in length. They include topic sentences, transition words, and concluding paragraphs in their essays, They read their essays to classmates.
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Body Language? The Language of Contemporary Fashion
Students examine the messages given to others based on their clothing. In groups, they compare and contrast the clothes of today with those from the 1980s. While being shown a picture of a piece of clothing, they practice object...
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Language Arts, Social Studies, African Americans, The Blues, To Kill A Mockingbird
African American history during the Jim Crow era includes encounters with poverty, racism, disrespect, and protest. Harper Lee develops all four of these themes in her famous 1960 novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. To help students understand...
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Talking Rocks
Third graders consider the differences between pictographs and petroglyphs. They create symbols from a story about their worlds. They make pottery art.
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An American Childhood
Students discuss themes found in the story. In this language arts lesson, students brainstorm words associated with childhood and categorize the words they came up with. While reading students locate a passage related to the assigned term.
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Number the Stars Chapter 5
In this Language Arts worksheet, learners answer three questions from Number the Stars, Chapter 2. The questions include 6 literal, 1 inferential, and 3 opinion questions.
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Journey Home: The Active Learner
Students discuss focus questions prior to reading and preview the book, "Journey Home." In this language arts activity, small groups present vocabulary words. Students complete after-reading discussion questions and choose writing...
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Stewart's Boxes
Learners collect memorabilia and create shadow boxes in the style of David Stewart. They also compose a poem and explain their identity in an oral presentation. This is a rare lesson that works quite well for a variety of age levels.
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Architectural Letters
Have your class construct their own architectural letter. This art project focuses on architecture, or the art of building. You can connect this activity to a biography activity. Your class can decorate their initial to reflect their...
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The Immigrant Experience In America
Students study immigration, Ellis Island, and tenement life from 1890 to 1924. Each student create an identity of an immigrant and write an essay in the first person. Essays describe what they found when they arrived in New York City.
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Best Part of Me
Young scholars find the best part of their body. In this positive self-concept lesson, students listen to the story The Best Part of Me. They come up with their best feature and write a poem about it.
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I Got a Lava Livin' to Do in Pompeii
Scholars imagine themselves as citizens of Pompeii in 79 AD. First they are assigned a job (or place in society like a child or slave). Then they record their daily activities for the weeks leading up to the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in...
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Celebrate Hispanic Heritage: Grades 6-8
To gain a better understanding of Hispanic heritage and culture, as well as to build informational comprehension skill, learners explore facets of Hispanic American History. They engage in a class discussion, research three facts, and...
Novelinks
The Hobbit: Concept/Vocabulary Analysis
Considering using Tolkien's The Hobbit for book circles or whole-class reading? Check out this packet that provides an overview of the novel, some interesting background materials, and links to additional resources.
Curated OER
Who's Got Game? The Lion or the Mouse?
Discuss bullying, folk tales, and more using this resource. Learners read the story The Lion and the Mouse by Toni and Slade Morrison, engage in cause and effect activities, make predictions, and discuss bullying. This is a motivating...
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Roberto Clemente
Have your class explore the life of Roberto Clemente using this lesson. After reading the story Roberto Clemente by Jonah Winter, learners answer cause and effect questions, classify ideas, make comparisons, and write a news article.
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Right to Remain Silent(?)
Learners consider the rights of journalists regarding source confidentiality, then create presentations on the New York Times' use of sources. They write guidelines to aid journalists in evaluating the trustworthiness of their sources.
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Card Catalog Cards
Prepare students on how to use the library's card catalog system as well as the online version. Author, card catalog, the Dewey system, and so much more is addressed. This would be a great tool to use in the classroom or library.