Curated OER
Die Weisse Rose: German History
Students conduct research on a German anti-Nazi group named "Die Weisse Rose", the White Rose, that eventually lost their lives for their resistance to Nazi rule. They view films, access the Internet, prepare responsive narratives to the...
Whitewater Valley Railroad
Teaching and Learning with The Polar Express
Use a series of extension activities to enhance your class reading of Chris Van Allsburg's holiday classic, The Polar Express. From a biography of the author to filmed book reviews and research about the railroad, kids can take...
Thoughtful Education Press
Personal Narratives: Learning from Lessons Life Teaches Us
"First Appearance," Mark Twain's tale about overcoming stage fright, serves as a model of a personal narrative and gets young writers thinking about milestones in their own lives. After examining student models and considering the...
Curated OER
Invigorate Your Curriculum with the Poetry of Emily Dickinson
Dickinson’s poems enliven the disciplines of language arts, social science, and even math.
Curated OER
How to Create a Virtual Mediterranean Cruise
Young scholars determine the ports they visit and develop a plan to study each region’s history and culture.
Curated OER
Dealing with Growth and Change
Students discuss the right and wrong actions of a young Navajo boy. Using that information, they compare and contrast his culture to their own. In groups, they create a newspaper or poster showing the cultural contributions of the...
Curated OER
How We Have Changed!
First graders practice using their writing skills. They create memory books through the use of daily journal writing questions of the day. Students respond to story prompts and write autobiographies of themselves and another classmate.
Curated OER
The Big Lie
Fifth graders create poems and other forms of writing.Then working in groups they share writing with each other. The opinions would be gathered and students would revise writing according to the comments.
Curated OER
Sand Island Story Mapping
After reading Under the Blood-Red Sun, by Graham Salisbury, students use story mapping to create a visual representation of Hawaii. They include Pearl Harbor, Sand Island, and the Japanese relocation camp, where Tomikazu swims to visit...
Curated OER
Margaret Mead: Anthropologist
Sixth graders examine the life, travels, and cultural experiences of Margaret Mead. They participate in group work and inquiry activities about the qualities that Margaret Mead possessed and the places she traveled to. They distinguish...
Curated OER
Tutankhamen's Gift
Sixth graders identify the ancient "cradles of civilization." They compare cultures from different parts of the Eastern Hemisphere. Students describe various ways leaders are elected, appointed, or acquire power. They discuss ways...
Curated OER
Poetry Analysis Device: TPCASTT
Middle schoolers analyze the key elements of poetry using a mnemonic device. The device: TPCASTT (title, paraphrase, connotation, attitude, shifts, title and theme).
University of Southern California
Discovering Plants
Students construct a small greenhouse and plant lima beans. They read books about plants, tend the lima bean seedlings, observe and record plant growth, taste a variety of plants and maintain plant journals.
Curated OER
Friendship and Death
Fourth graders share their thoughts and feelings about friendship and death and connect them with those of the characters in the book, The Bridge to Teribithia. They complete a friendship picture book and write a letter as one of the...
Curated OER
Home Living/Life Skills: Face Washing
Having good hygiene skills is a very important part of living an independent life. Learners with special needs follow sequencing cards to practice washing their faces. They follow each step in the process and discuss the importance of...
Curated OER
All About Me: My Senses
Students describe the basic senses and then use their senses to describe what they learned.
Curated OER
The Layers of the Rainforest
Fourth graders identify the different layers of the rainforest and distinguish between the plant and life forms that go along with each layer. They access websites imbedded in this plan and answer questions and draw pictures of plants...
Curated OER
Giving Thanks to Mother Earth
Students create an art project to be made into a laminated placemat to use during a classroom Thanksgiving feast. The lesson plan involves choosing at least three cutouts of elements of nature to glue onto a background page, drawing one...
Curated OER
The Hobbit
Students list W.H Auden's six characteristics of a quest story. They say what is meant by a "metaphorical quest." Pupils discuss some differences between symbolism and allegory. Students indicate how Bilbo Baggins's adventures changed...
Curated OER
Heroes, Kindness and "To Kill A Mockingbird"
Learners read To Kill a Mockingbird and relate the action sof the characters to behaviors in students lives. In this heroism, bullying, kindness and compassion lesson plan, learners identify characters who are heroes in the story....
Curated OER
Maniac Magee Lesson Ideas
Here are ideas and activities to include in a "Maniac Magee" novel study.
Curated OER
Individual Responsibility And Resistance During the Holocaust
Students examine the various resistance movements during the Holocaust. They conduct research on a selected individual's role in the resistance movement, and in small groups develop and present a report.
Curated OER
Let's Trade! The Prince and the Pauper
Students read and analyze the novel, The Prince and the Pauper. They examine character development, discuss opinions using text, and develop and present a slide show demonstrating the development of a character from the beginning to the...
Curated OER
A Passport to WWII and the Holocaust
Students explore the Holocaust. In this interdisciplinary lesson, students research Hitler's rise to power, the terror of concentration camps, and World War II. Students read The Diary of Anne Frank , listen to a Holocaust survivor, and...