National Park Service
The Secret of Life
Dead trees provide nutrients for the soil, food for animals, protection and a home for organisms, a seed-bed for new trees, and a place for nitrogen-fixing bacteria to live. In the activity, pupils collect decaying logs, expose them to a...
Curated OER
Introduce Vocabulary: One Tiny Turtle (Davies)
The loggerhead turtle is a fascinating species, and budding readers learn all about it in Nicola Davies' account One Tiny Turtle. This informational narrative offers excellent vocabulary in context, and you'll...
Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
A Search for Symbolism in The Great Gatsby
After reading The Great Gatsby, groups return to the text and note passages where Fitzgerald uses symbols and color imagery in his narrative. They then develop a presentation that explains the context, the implications, and possible...
Curated OER
The Stories Behind the Masterpieces
Learners examine Rembrandt's self-portraits and discuss important events in his life. They also examine "Aristotle with the Bust of Homer" and try to identify with the person in the paining, predicting what his life might have been like....
Curated OER
Develop a Paragraph
In this paragraph writing worksheet, students review the definition of a paragraph and then read the opening sentences for a paragraph on cooking. Students cut out the sentence strips and arrange the sentences in the order of topic...
Curated OER
A Day In My Life
Sixth graders create an eleven page PowerPoint presentation called "A Day In My Life." They present their PowerPoint presentations first by showing it on their computer screen and then trading seats with a friend. Students organize...
Curated OER
Prom Letters
Students write two narrative letters, one to their grandparent and one to their best friend, describing their prom date. They organize the details on a graphic organizer, and write the letters addressing the style, tone, and level of...
Curated OER
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.
Curated OER
Subject/Verb Agreement
Students recognize the relationship between singular and plural subjects and verbs as they relate to developing stronger writing skills. In this writing lesson plan, students write and organize their thoughts and feelings while using...
Curated OER
Research Report
Students review research skills and discuss types of information, e.g. fact/opinion, examples/evidence then research and gather information to answer a given set of research questions. They write a multi paragraph report using the...
Curated OER
Animal Research Project
Third graders prepare an oral report using Appleworks to present information on their animal. They write a short narrative comparing and contrasting their animal to another students and, after watching other presentations, discuss what...
Curated OER
Have I Got a Graphic Organizer for You
Use Inspiration software to create webs. You have to create discussion topics (none are provided here), but learners will enjoy working with pairs and technology.
Curated OER
Holidays Around the World
Students explore how different holiday traditions are celebrated around the world. Scholars write a paper describing how they celebrate their own favorite holiday. Email partners, from different states and countries, share their...
Curated OER
Help Me Find My Keys
Fourth graders write a five-paragraph essay on the topic: What mistakes have you made and then learned a life lesson from that experience?
Curated OER
Fractured Fairy Tales
Students use familiar characters, plots, and settings from traditional fairy tales to create "fractured" versions, while experimenting with satire, irony and parody. A fractured fairy tale is designed to be humorous by changing the story...
Curated OER
The Story of Me
Students are given the preset graphic organizer using "Kidspiration". They create a graphic organizer about them and then use the graphic organizer to write their personal narrative.
Curated OER
Showing Off on Summer Vacation
Fifth graders write a descriptive narrative about summer vacation. The use of this topic helps the instructional activity to have a high engagement level. Technology is infused in the instructional activity with the use of computers to...
Curated OER
Prairie Poetry
Ninth graders take note of the ways in which word choice, rhythm, language and narrative voice, as well as point of view in a poem can be used to evoke a time and place. They use their insights to create a poem of their own.
Curated OER
Exploring Contrasting Story Elements Through Tapestry and Poetry
Young thinkers view two narrative art tapestries and study the images included that tell a story about the Roman Emperor Constantine. As they examine the details of the tapestries, pupils use a Venn Diagram to record the similarities and...
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education
ABA Form in Music
Patterns happen everywhere, in music, math, and language! Fourth graders listen to the "William Tell Overture" visualizing the patterns that they hear. They then discuss and write an ABA poem that matches the ABA form found in the music...
Curated OER
Fairy Tales
Students listen as the teacher reads fairy tales to students and identify patterns. They listen as the teacher re-reads the fairy tales and signal or recite patterns as they listen. Students identify patterns in the fairy tales. They...
Curated OER
"Reality Math: Fact or Fiction"
Pupils investigate the use of math in everyday life. They investigate several occupations and pay scales. They complete spreadsheets that show how monthly bills can be organized using technology. They use word processing software to...
Austin Independent School District
Social Studies Strategies: Concept of a Definition Map
Model for your class members how to use a definition map to make connections between new words and prior knowledge. Although the strategy is designed for social studies classes, the approach can be use at any grade level and in any...