Curated OER
Can You Compose?
Fourth graders investigate musical notes. In this music lesson plan, 4th graders compose a short song while clapping the rhythm and singing the syllables using the appropriate notes or rests.
Curated OER
Preparing for the Informative Speech
Students read an outline on how to prepare an informative speech. In this informative speech lesson plan, students read an outline and then prepare a speech.
EngageNY
Summarizing and Synthesizing: Planning for Writing an Apprentice Wanted Ad
In instructional activity 13 of this unit on colonial trade, young researchers learn about apprentices as they prepare to write help-wanted ads for the specific trade they have been researching. To begin, the class listens closely as the...
Curated OER
Secrets of the Mummies
How did the ancient people of Egypt preserve their dead so well that their bodies are still recognizable today? Learn the painstakingly complex process they used for preservation. Young scholars read and summarize a narrative detailing...
Curated OER
News or Propaganda?
What is considered news vs. propaganda? Learners will discuss objectivity and press responsibility while exploring these two concepts. They work in small groups to explore the article in-depth, guided by reading comprehension and...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Chronicling America: Uncovering a World at War
As part of a study of World War I, class members read newspaper articles from the time that urge American involvement, non-involvement, or neutrality. Using the provided worksheet, groups analyze the articles noting the central argument...
Curated OER
Journeying to Create
Show a video clip that descripes how taking a journey can change a person's outlook on life. Learners write a paragraph about a place that uses imagery and tone to create a specfic effect. They evaluate their journal entries as well.
Curated OER
Health Conscious?
What is your attitude on health and illness? By considering their own experiences, students will reflect on and discuss their attitudes toward health and illness while educating each other by researching illnesses in small groups,...
Utah Education Network (UEN)
Classical Appeals and War Speeches
Discuss classical appeals of rhetoric through the speeches of Winston Churchill and FDR. Learners read, annotate, and analyze the speeches by the men before using a graphic organizer to track the use of ethos, pathos, and logos.
Curated OER
Pop Tops
Get your class primed for a comparative analysis lesson with this activity. They compare and contrast their music preferences to those of their classmates. After reading an article, they identify current trends in popular music, analyze...
Curated OER
Take Me Back to the Ball Game!
Learners examine the role of sports in American society, analyzing both positive outcomes and its exclusive nature. They reflect on how the lessons that they participate in as students may carry with them into their adult lives.
Curated OER
"The Fall of the House of Usher" by Edgar Allan Poe
High schoolers read and analyze the short story "The Fall of the House of Usher" by Edgar Allan Poe. They take notes while reading the story, select an element to analyze, and write an essay about the characters, theme, or the setting.
Curated OER
Cultural Lit. 40: Native American Self Determination
Students list main event in historical sequence of Self Determination after receiving direct instruction, reading selected texts and working in group structures. They take notes utilizing note-taking frames to list main events in...
West Contra Costa Unified School District
Introduction to Solving Linear Inequalities in One Variable
Life isn't fair ... like inequalities. After first reviewing inequality symbols and how to read inequality statements, learners discover how to solve one-step inequalities and graph their solution sets.
The New York Times
The Horror! The Horror!
Gear up for Halloween by studying the horror genre with your class and analyzing films and texts to uncover the genre's traditional conventions.
Curated OER
Newbery Award Winners
Sixth graders select a book from the Newbery list and read it. They write a short summary of the book without giving away the ending and then research the book's author. They write a book review and, finally, incorporate all of this onto...
Curated OER
Ocean Life
Mini-marine biologists use Scholastic Explorers website to learn about declining numbers of leatherback sea turtles and dusky dolphins. They fill out a K-W-L chart and observation journal worksheet, which are both provided in the lesson...
Curated OER
Living and Non-Living Things
Take a walk and observe living and non-living things on the way. Young scientists practice making valuable observations and draw the details. You could require that your students complete a T chart of living and non-living things and...
State Bar of Texas
Baker v. Carr
Can the federal government override the state government to protect the citizens of the United States? The 1962 Supreme Court case Baker v. Carr outlines the issue of equal protection under the law. Scholars investigate with a short...
Curated OER
No Place For Bullies
Students investigate the problem of bullying and focus upon the incidents that occur in schools. They conduct research and write a definition of bullying. They examine the consequences of cyberbullying while reading and discussing an...
Curated OER
Fable for Tomorrow and Today -- Rachel Carson's Silent Spring
Students read Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring". They identify their beliefs about the environment while reading the story. They discuss and write about those beliefs and realize how one person can have an impact on the world.
Curated OER
Sum It Up!
Students practice summarizing information from a reading using their own words. They take notes while reading using a guided worksheet. For the written summary they have a budget of two dollars with each word used costing ten cents.
Curated OER
Social Studies: Religions and Folktales of India
Students examine the world's major religions, focusing on India as presented in folktales. They take notes while reading the stories and retell them orally. Students research belief systems and write one-paragraph reflections about them.
Curated OER
Perimeter of Polygons
Eighth graders discuss perimeter by relating it to the path they would take while walking their dog around a park. They find the perimeter of regular polygons and one irregular polygon. Students use graph paper to draw their own examples...