ESL Library
Beginner Level Thanksgiving ESL Lesson Plan
Thanksgiving is a cherished tradition in the United States and Canada. Introduce the beginnings of the Thanksgiving celebration with a resource that features reading comprehension activities, vocabulary exercises, and a short...
Core Knowledge Foundation
Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims
Teach kindergartners about the First Thanksgiving with a series of lessons about the Pilgrims' journey to the New World. As they practice handwriting, CVC words, reading comprehension, and fun Thanksgiving songs, they learn about what...
Curated OER
Identifying Types of Native American Stories
Students read Native American stories and record information on forms about them. They identify the type of story, its significance, and purpose. Students determine what the readers/listeners should learn from the stories.
Curated OER
The Treaty Trail: Examining an Artist's Perspective
Elementary school leanrners examine artwork from the time period of the United States and Native American treaties. They discuss the causes and effects of the treaties being signed. They also examine how cultural perspective influences art.
Curated OER
Pilgrims: The First Americans
Fifth graders become familar with the pilgrims and first Thanksgiving through essays about important people of the time. In this Thanksgiving lesson, 5th graders choose an important figure from the time of the Pilgrims and write a...
Curated OER
The Cherokee: Trail Where They Cried
Students read the Trail of Tears about the Cherokee Nation removal and write a letter pretending they are the grandparent of a Cherokee child. In this Trail of Tears lesson plan, students understand the changing of boundaries.
Curated OER
Frieze Design in Indigenous Art
Students describe Frieze designs using the work of indigenous people. In this math instructional activity, students create 7 frieze designs using different patterns. They create one row of repeated art and repeat...
Curated OER
Colonization and American Indian Perspectives
Students investigate the colonization of the United States by researching Thanksgiving. In this U.S. history lesson plan, students discuss the concept of Thanksgiving, who created it and what it was intended to do. Students...
Curated OER
Circle Justice—Lesson 1: The Anger Within
Students examine the emotion of anger through the poem 'A Poison Tree'. For this poetry analysis lesson, students identify and decode unfamiliar vocabulary they encounter, engage in groups discussions and complete several writing...
Curated OER
The Story of Sitting Bull
Students complete activities with the book The Story of Sitting Bull by Jeffrey A. Rucker. In this literature lesson plan, students review new vocabulary and practice finding capital letters. They read the story, answer...
Curated OER
Caught Between Worlds: Frontier Life as Reflected in Captivity Narratives
Students analyze captivity narratives written between the 1600's and 1800's. In this narrative lesson, students think critically about the interaction between Native peoples and the settlers to understand the cultural beliefs held by...
Curated OER
Folktales: "The Storytelling Stone"
Learners create a folktale after finding out the importance of folktales in different cultures. In this folktales lesson, students determine the definition of a folktale and read a "The Storytelling Stone." Learners then...
Curated OER
Northwest Coast Indian Raven Mask Lesson Plan
Young scholars create raven masks. In this Northwest Coast Native American lesson, students design and create Kwakiutl-style hats that feature the shapes, animals, and colors used by the Northwest Native Americans.
Curated OER
Ojibwa Arts
Students create a poem based on the Native American Ojibwa art that they read about. In this Ojibwa art lesson plan, students read captions and look at pictures of Ojibwa art and then make up a poem based on them.
Curated OER
Rainbow Dream Catcher
Students design dream catchers. In this visual arts lesson, students follow the provided steps to create their own rainbow dream catchers.
Curated OER
Labyrinths
Whether studying metaphors or Greek mythology, this labyrinth project is a fantastic lesson plan to add to your unit. It includes two versions of the labyrinth; making it with yarn or stone. If your materials are limited, you can even...
Curated OER
Lewis and Clark
Young scholars investigate Lewis and Clark. In this Lewis and Clark lesson, students search the Internet for information about Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery. Young scholars use maps to understand the explorations and decide...
Curated OER
Sand Painting Mural
Third graders design and create classroom sand painting mural which is comprised of individually designed pieces.
Curated OER
The First Fire : A Cherokee Animal Tale
Fourth graders discover movement through the telling of "The First Fire", a Cherokee tale. Small groups are given sections of the story to tell by creating dances. Music (live and recorded) adds to the final performance and assessment.
Curated OER
The First Texans
Fourth graders discover the different groups of people who colonized Texas. They research their way of life and create an informative and creative booklet.
Curated OER
Cinderella Trilogy
Young scholars look at three different versions of the Cinderella story. In this comparative literature lesson, students read the Chinese version "Yeh-Shen", the Egyptian version "Rhodopis," and the Native American version "The Hidden...
Curated OER
Exploring Pottery Techniques
Students examine Native American pottery. In this visual arts lesson, students analyze burnished and glazed clay pots. Students study how to create pots from online sources and respond to questions about the process. Extension activities...
Curated OER
The Voices of Slavery
Fourth graders recognize and can describe the settlers of Early America. In this American colonies instructional activity, 4th graders research using primary and secondary sources, Native Americans, Europeans, and African Americans...
Curated OER
"ART ZOO 'Blacks in the Westward Movement', 'What Can You Do with a Portrait', and 'Of Beetles, Worms, and Leaves of Grass'"
Students study black history, examine portraits and portrait making and create their own portraits, and investigate their natural environment. This humanities lesson provides a text that can be used to teach lessons in black...