Learners identify contractions. In this phonics instructional activity, students define what a contraction is and give examples on the board. Learners complete a worksheet as a follow-up.

Read The Horse Dealer's Daughter and The Rocking Horse Winner by D. H. Lawrence, then write an essay comparing and contrasting the two stories. Learners choose some aspect to write about, such as themes, characters, setting, or plot.

Studying haiku poetry with your English class? Delving into Japanese history with your world history class? Here is an authentic and creative way to explore Japanese culture more deeply. Pupils will compare and contrast two tea caddies...

Kindergarteners recognize words that begin with the same sound. In this word study lesson, they identify initial consonant sounds in words written on the board and write another word with the same beginning sound. Also, there is a...

Students explore the concept of design, and identify items in their lives that have been designed. They explore the concept of book design and create and arrange their own page layout.

If you plan to utilize the ABC miniseries, "The Path to 9/11" in your classroom, consider incorporating media literacy and research skills. After (or while) learners view the series, they discuss ways information can differ from source...

Students explore nudity in art in musweum and classroom settings. Student's age, culture, comfort level and parental reactions are considered in the presentation of these two lessons of this unit.

Two word puzzles encourage collaboration among learners. One sheet has numbers and initials that show a relationship and the other has pictorial images that represent a phrase. Partners cooperate in order to develop functional working...

Your developing literary critics discuss 'perspective' and discuss how the same occurence can be interpreted by two different people in two different ways. They read Ryszard Kapuscinski's untitled poem, infer meaning of the poem, and...

Readers can check their knowledge of words with the roots vent, duct, and dict in this interactive online quiz. True/false responses allow quiz takers to agree or disagree with usage and definitions of words as presented in the context...

Vocabulary instruction works best when taught within a larger context. A vocabulary activity builds connections by using synonyms to help learn the meaning of new words. This helps connect the words to prior knowledge and give them context.

Second graders explore multiple meaning words. In this language arts lesson, 2nd graders read "Amelia Bedelia Goes Camping." Students discuss the different meanings of the words in the story. Students complete a worksheet.

Young art historians review the elements of art by studying a reproduction of a work of art from a museum visit. They explain the difference between looking at a reproduction of a work of art and looking at the original...

Students create an ABC book. In this language arts lesson, students create a page for an ABC book authored an illustrated by the class.

Fifth graders investigate coral reefs and the dangers they face by labeling and drawing.  In this oceanography instructional activity, 5th graders view a PowerPoint presentation of photographs of coral reefs in Belize....

First graders identify different coins and use their values in combination with each other to buy different objects. In this coins lesson plan, 1st graders identify the value of a quarter, dime, nickel, and penny, and use them to buy items.

Students become acquainted with the art and literature of artist/author Faith Ringgold.

Young scholars inspect visual arts by exploring images on-line. In this art analysis instructional activity, students discuss the history of art and the its ability to communicate with people through images. Young scholars utilize...

Looking to introduce some text-based questions into your ELA lessons? Practice the kinds of skills the Common Core demands with the seven text-based questions and the essay prompt provided here. Designed to be a three-day lesson, day one...

This plan centers around the article "How Advertisers Persuade," although it is not included in the lesson itself. Get your class thinking about advertising, appeals, and techniques that companies use to get their products from the shelf...

Young readers examine the details in an 1821 painting by Jacques-Louis David depicting two sisters who are exiled princesses. They read a tale about the Brothers Grimm, who were writing fairy tales during the same time period that these...

Middle school years can be tough. An educator's guide for the works of Lynda Mullaly Hunt introduces readers to two texts that discuss the struggles pre-teens face during middle school. Chapter-by-chapter questions and activities for two...

Note-taking is an essential study skill, and it needs to be taught! In the context of a research project on energy sources, learners find multiple sources, evaluating, paraphrasing, and citing them correctly. Two lists with note-taking...

Few children's books convey the message of conservation as well as Dr. Seuss' The Lorax. Read the story aloud, emphasizing the interconnectedness of plants and animals in an ecosystem and discussing different ways people can help...