Virginia Department of Education
Counterarguments
Create an urbane battle royal in class with the old Coke vs. Pepsi challenge that develops upper level high school learners skills in developing counterarguments in essay writing. The educator divides the room according to tastes, and...
Curated OER
The Newspaper Article
Have your class participate in an interview activity using an informational text about the Amazon. After reading a Cultural Connections story about a person from the Amazon, middle schoolers write interview questions based on the text....
US Institute of Peace
Perspectives on Peace
Is peace simply the absence of war, or is there more to the story? Young social scientists define peace in the second installment of a 15-part series. Groups work together to explore cultural concepts of peace and the peacemaking process...
Creative Educator
Dream Room Design
Junior designers brainstorm the elements that a bedroom might have, such as a bed, television, and dresser. They identify which items are needs and which are desires. They practice measurement skills in the classroom by determining its...
Curated OER
Persuaded or Informed?
Give each learner a newspaper for this activity! As a group, read select editorials and discuss them with your class. Are these articles informational or persuasive? Cut out select editorials and have learners identify the purpose of...
Curated OER
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Explore Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" in this literature analysis lesson. Middle schoolers read and summarize the plot of the story. They then adapt passages for a contemporary audience and analyze the...
Academy of American Poets
Teach This Poem: "Spring is like a perhaps hand" by E. E. Cummings
E. E. Cummings' "Spring is like a perhaps hand" offers young scholars an opportunity to try their hands at analyzing a simile. After a warm-up activity and a close reading of the poem, class members discuss what they think the poem is...
Curated OER
Forced Potawatomi Migration
Fourth graders write about the forced Potawatomi migration. In this primary source lesson plan students are read journal entries from an emigrating party of Potawatomi Indians. Students reflect on the items the Indians might have taken...
Curated OER
Comparing North American Colonies Vs. Britain
Fifth graders practice creative writing by describing events from the Colonial era. In this U.S. History lesson plan, 5th graders identify King George III and George Washington, the roles they played, and the differences...
Curated OER
Paul Revere's Ride
Third graders read and discuss the selection "Paul Revere's Ride" (included with the lesson). Students imagine they live in one of the villages that Paul Revere stopped. They are awakened by his knock on the door. Students write an essay...
Curated OER
Picture This
Students create a descriptive paragraph conveying ideas utilizing a personal photograph as a prompt for their writing. This concept includes the writers emotions, personal issues, education, art and photography. They share insights to...
Curated OER
A Backward Day
In this writing worksheet, students think about what they did yesterday, but tell the events in backwards order from the events at the day's end to the beginning. Students read the story starter and finish the story.
Curated OER
Climate Change
Students discuss global warming. In this global warming lesson, students read an article about global warming and list five things they learned. Students work in small groups to compare what they wrote. Students illustrate one of the...
Curated OER
Are You For Real?
Young scholars try to find newspaper and magazine articles that are informative or persuasive. They practice determining the differences between the two types of articles. They identify the devices authors use to persuade the audience.
Curated OER
Tall Tale Rollers
Students explore American tall tales. In this tall tale lesson, students discover the six characteristics that are included in tall tales. Students survey their class to find each student's favorite tall tale character and organize the...
Curated OER
Oil: Impact of a Resource
Students discover the history and method of oil production. In this natural resource activity, students investigate early oil production. Students discuss the challenges of turning natural resources into safe products.
Curated OER
Compare and Contrast
Students write a paragraph. In this writing lesson, students review what a paragraph is and how it contains a beginning, middle and end. Students also learn how to write comparison and contrast paragraphs.
Curated OER
Writing A Biography
Students choose an interesting person to research for a biography. They gather the information they want to include in their paper from various sources. Students write an outline to use as a guide when writing their biography.
Curated OER
Fantasy Stories
Students create fantasy stories. In this creative writing lesson, students write a fantasy where they can use characters that they have read about in The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.
Curated OER
Writing a TV Advertisement
Students create their own advertisement for their favorite TV show. In this illustrating lesson, students write a paragraph about their favorite TV show then create and advertisement for it. Students then share with the class.
Curated OER
Lesson Five: Review Cause and Effect, Draw Conclusions, Compare and Contrast
Third graders review the concepts of compare and contrast, drawing conclusions, and cause and effect. In this literary elements lesson, 3rd graders write a paragraph that compares and contrasts the past to the present. They show cause...
Curated OER
Writing about Internal & External Conflicts in Lois Lowry's The Giver
Seventh graders examine the internal and external conflicts that Jonas faces in "The Giver" in an essay. Students use SMART Board and Inspiration to organize their ideas graphically before combining them into their paper.
Curated OER
Equations Lesson 1
Middle schoolers engage in a study of equations and how they are solved using algebraic methods. This overrides the fact of guessing as done in earlier grades. They cover the concept of inverse operations as the main way to manipulate...
Baylor College
Safe Food Preparation
Who doesn't love ice cream? Make this delicious dessert with your class while learning about food preparation in the tenth lesson of this series. Teach about the importance of cleanliness and proper cooking techniques in order to avoid...