Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Butterfly, Butterfly: Teaching Vocabulary

For Teachers K
Kindergarteners practice new words through listening to and reading the science book Butterfly by Jenny Feely. The teacher will first choose words that are essential for understanding the text. Then, using pictures in the text,...
Lesson Planet Article
Curated OER

Put A Scientific Spin on Teen Read Week!

For Teachers 8th - 11th
Celebrate Teen Read Week by incorporating literature into your science curriculum.
Worksheet
US Department of Agriculture

George Washington Carver Coloring and Activity Book

For Students 1st - 3rd Standards
Learn about the interesting life of George Washington Carver and his many accomplishments with this series of worksheets for primary grade learners. From coloring pages and word searches, to non-fiction reading passages and math skills...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Seeds We Need

For Teachers K - 3rd
Learners apply word analysis skills to recognize new words, identify genres of fiction and nonfiction, and identify important themes and topics. They explore differences in plants, flowers, and vegetables. A book bag full of activities...
Activity
Teaching Tolerance

Community Newsletter

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
What does it take to develop and publish a newsletter? Young academics create a newsletter with original artwork for their school or community. They explore social justice themes and spread messages of tolerance and inclusion. Scholars...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Comprehension Skills: Evaluate Using Fiction Stories and Aesop's Fables

For Teachers K
Primary readers investigate several comprehension skills in the ten lessons of this unit. Forming opinions about stories, comparing stories to each other, using Venn Diagrams, and applying the ideas from a story to real life situations...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Understanding Library Skills: The Dewey Decimal System

For Teachers 7th
Cyber Dewey? Dewey Made Fun? Do the Dewey Game? After a librarian-led tour of the school library and an explanation of the Dewey Decimal System, class members use the Internet to access MAGNOLIA, a site with resources devoted to library...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Night": A Study in Compassion and Courage

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Young scholars read the novel, "Night" by Elie Wiesel. Using excerpts from the novel, they complete a performance and literary technique objective. In groups, they finish handouts to give them more information on the Holocaust. They...
Lesson Plan
National First Ladies' Library

Writing (and Rewriting!) History

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers differentiate between fiction and non-fiction, discuss historical fiction, which combines both genres, choose historical novel from list and read independently, and write original short stories that combine elements of...
Lesson Plan
Santillana USA

Celebra Kwanzaa

For Teachers 3rd - 6th Standards
¡Celebramos Kwanzaa! Celebrate Kwanzaa through the fictional story Celebra Kwanzaa con Botitas y sus gatitos to delightfully explain the seven principles of Kwanzaa. Dual language learners participate in reading and vocabulary...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Asian Cinderella Tales

For Teachers 6th
Explore the world of fairy tales using this lesson focusing on higher- order thinking skills. Learners compare and contrast an Asian Cinderella story to other versions. It is a great way to review the characteristics of the genre and...
Unit Plan
New York City Department of Education

What Did I Do to Be so Black and Blue: How Did Jazz Influence Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man

For Students 11th - 12th Standards
How did jazz influence Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man? Class members read some of Ellison's non-fiction writings about blues and jazz, listen to records, watch videos, and engage in student-centered discussions. They then produce podcasts...
Unit Plan
Louisiana Department of Education

Hatchet

For Teachers 6th Standards
Accompany a novel study of Hatchet by Gary Paulson with a unit consisting of 16 lessons focused on physical and emotional survival. Reading the story along with a variety of informational texts, scholars compare and contrast reading...
Lesson Plan
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Dream of a Nation

Writing Interdisciplinary Essay

For Teachers 12th Standards
The Grapes of Wrath. The Jungle. Native Son. The Things They Carried. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian. To address a current social, political, economic, or environmental issue, class groups pair the reading of a...
Activity
US Institute of Peace

Simulation on The Case of “Palmyra”

For Students 9th - Higher Ed
War-torn Palmyra needs your help! Young negotiators play the part of citizens of opposing countries through an eye-opening simulation. The fictional countries of Siwa and Nizwa stand at the brink of war, and your class' job is to create...
Lesson Plan
Penguin Books

An Educator’s Guide to Chraisma by Jeanne Ryan

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Often, science fiction makes a lot of connections to real life. An educator's guide for the novel Charisma by Jeanne Ryan, has readers discuss many of the real-life issues that come in the text. A brief summary helps garner interest...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Very Good Facts About Very Good Books

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students identify the characteristics of fiction and non-fiction texts. In this genre study lesson, students read the books A Butterfly Alphabet Book and I Wish I Were a Butterfly. Students develop a graphic organizer to compare and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

English Literature: An Overview

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Relate literary works and authors to the major themes of English literature from the Anglo-Saxon period through the 20th century. Working in groups, high schoolers will evaluate period philosophy, religion, and politics that influenced...
Lesson Plan
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Dream of a Nation

Creating Awareness through Action Oriented Writing and Research

For Teachers 8th Standards
Middle schoolers aren't too young to feel strongly about politics, social issues, consumer rights, or environmental problems. Demonstrate the first steps toward social change with a project about action-oriented writing. Eighth...
Unit Plan
Annenberg Foundation

Poetry of Liberation

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
How do writers use words to protest injustice, challenge the status quo, and shape their own identities? Individuals watch and discuss a video, read author biographies, write poetry and journals, develop a slideshow, and complete a...
Interactive
Curated OER

Breaking News English: Book Prizes

For Students 5th - 10th
In this book prizes worksheet, students read the article, answer true and false questions, complete synonym matching, complete phrase matching, complete a gap fill, answer short answer questions, answer discussion questions, write, and...
Lesson Plan
Ontario

Reading Informational Text

For Teachers 7th - 8th Standards
Learning to recognize the importance of the features of information text (i.e., titles, subtitles, endnotes, sidebars, etc.) is the focus of a reading activity designed for middle schoolers. Learners examine how these text features...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Makes the Writer Write

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Your 11th and 12th graders are ready to critique society! Channel that inclination by studying a novel that offers social criticism of other eras (book recommendations included). This resource presents a well-thought-out overview of such...
Lesson Plan
Dream of a Nation

Read, Watch, Write for Pathos, Logos and Ethos

For Teachers 9th Standards
Encourage your young citizens to make a difference. Using Tyson Miller's Dream of a Nation: Inspiring Ideas for a Better America as a starting point, class members watch documentaries, investigate issues, and then write letters to...