Curated OER
Water-The Liquid Gold
Students investigate the necessity of water for the survival of plants, animals, and people. They explore the affect that water has on human and natural environments through literature, field trips, and discussions.
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Critiquing A Speech Contestant
What makes a speech effective? Middle schoolers critique a speech for content and presentation. They view a video of a middle school student presenting an informational speech, They outline the content of the speech and critique the...
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How Do I Write an Article Critique?
Your middle and high schoolers have written tons of summaries, but can they give a strong critique of an article they've read? Identify the differences between summary writing and critiquing. Choose an interesting article and have...
Curated OER
Introducing Literacy Elements in Nonfiction
Explore nonfiction writing with your class. They will identify elements in nonfiction by reviewing elements of fiction. Then they use biographies, memoirs, menus, Time for Kids, and text books to identify elements of nonfiction. They...
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Desert Views: First Impressions
Students are introduced to primary source material and the ways in which early travelers viewed aspects of the desert environment. The instructional activity addresses the geography themes of location, region, and human/environment...
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Characteristics of Anne Frank
Eighth graders read selected passages from The Diary of Anne Frank. Working in pairs, 8th graders determine what qualities and characteristics they would assign to her from their selected diary entry.
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Analyzing Literature via Literature Circles
Introduce literature circles with Roland Smith's novels. Your seventh graders will see the activity modeled as you read The Three Little Pigs together and apply the format to a Roland Smith novel of their choice. The lesson includes...
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Note Taking
Third graders get ready to take notes on a field trip. In this notetaking instructional activity, 3rd graders take notes to remember what they've seen on a field trip. Students draw and analyze diagrams of what they have...
Achievement Strategies
CCSS Unit Design Template for Art
Art classes, like any lab class, require extensive preplanning and set-up time. Use this planning template in the quiet before the storm to identify the equipment and materials that will be needed, the procedures and processes...
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The Portrayal of the Witches
Eleventh graders discover the importance of the fortune teller in Shakespeare's Macbeth. After watching two interpretations of the play, they examine and compare the portrayal of the character. They create their own modern adaptation of...
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A Good Man is Hard to Find
Students, in groups, read and analyze the short story, A Good Man is Hard to Find, by Flannery O'Connor. They present their findings tot he rest of the class and then connect the various themes discussed to outside material, events...
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An Out-of-This-World Crossword Puzzle
An interactive web site allows students to create crossword puzzles online after researching planets and Sun in the Earth's solar system facts. They complete crossword puzzles created by classmates.
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“I Can” Common Core! 1st Grade Reading
I can read and understand fiction and nonfiction texts! Here is a great checklist that highlights 19 first grade Common Core reading standards. The resource is three pages long. Pages one and two focus on comprehension for fiction and...
Mr. Ambrose
The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald
Good discussion questions, quizzes, and tests teach as well as assess. Readers of The Great Gatsby will learn much from the materials in a 36-page packet designed to help students prepare for the AP Literature exam. Included in the...
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Reading and Writing About the Solar System
Utilizing the classic Magic School Bus series, young scientists explore the solar system. Some excellent worksheets are included in this plan, such as Planet Roll Call and Solar System in Motion. This is an ambitious 5-day unit that...
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Sounding Off About Impeachment
Help your middle and high schoolers reflect on the responsibility of newspapers to act as a vehicle for 'everyday citizens' to voice their opinions. Then, using an article about the first day of the Senate impeachment trial of President...
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Inside OKCupid: The Math of Online Dating
Capture the hearts of your young statisticians with this real-life example of using statistics in online dating. The use of average and geometric mean are discussed in the context of creating the algorithm used to connect people.
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In the News
Third graders participate in a lesson that helps to improve reading comprehension. They move through several activities that help them understand how to express their opinions, support their statements and communicate these thoughts...
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Map the Mystery!
Seventh graders read the novel, "The House of Dies Drear", and create a story map to analyze the plot and recall events.
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Who Is That Ghostly Character?
Eighth graders listen to a taped version of the radio play, "The Hitchhiker". They write a conclusion to the play and work with a partner to evaluate it before a final revision.
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Islamic Art
Students examine the various forms of Islamic Art. Using the art, they identify the basic elements and research its history and style of calligraphy. They create a piece of art based on information they collected and demonstrate...
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Outlining
Students read and evaluate a piece of expository writing. They participate in a class discussion of the outlining process and individually outline a piece of expository writing. Finally, the students create an outline for the purpose...
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Out of the Dust 3
Students read the novel, Out of the Dust, and complete a cause and effect chart and a character chart. When the book is completed, they answer review questions.
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The Gray Wolf Story Pyramid
Students explore comprehension and understanding of what they read. They practice using the correct spelling for frequently used sight words and uncommon words. Students apply the correct principles of grammar. They read the article Gray...