Scholastic
Using Poetry to Explore Change and Belonging
Change, growth, and a sense of belonging are the focus of a unit that uses poetry to explore these themes and the distinguishing features of poetry as well.
Curated OER
Growing and Changing
Students practice interviewing skills. In this school newspaper activity, students interview students in their school about what they want to be when they grow up. Students take pictures of the people they interview use the photos...
Population Connection
Where Do We Grow from Here?
Did you know that the population is expected to grow to 11 billion by 2100? The resource serves final installment in a six-part series on the global population and its effects. Scholars interpret data from the United Nations about the...
Curated OER
People Grow and Change
In this stages of human development chart, students complete a graphic organizer following the stages of human development from infancy to adulthood. The students creates connections of concepts of human development in a visual...
Global Oneness Project
At-Risk Communities
"Waiting to Move," a photo essay by Ciril Jazbec, brings into sharp focus the threats posed by climate change. Class members examine images of Shishmaref Island and the Native Alaskan Inupiate coastal villages that are impacted by rising...
Curated OER
Tales of Changing Seasons
Fourth graders create original myths explaining why the seasons change.
Curated OER
People Change the Landscape
Students examine ways in which humans have brought change to the natural environment. In this ecology and literacy lesson, students listen to the book Island Boy by Barbara Cooney. Students observe and define map-reading vocabulary as...
Curated OER
I Watch Babies Grow
Students explore the changes of life in different generations. In this change of life instructional activity, students help out families with new babies and learn about their needs. Students participate in interviews, creating timelines...
Curated OER
Forests Need People
In this forests and people lesson, 3rd graders brainstorm what forests are used for, discuss forest habitats, and how human interventions have affected trees and animals that depend on the forest environment. Students read the books,...
Curated OER
Signs of Change: Tree Rings
Students identify and experiment with dendrochronology (the study of tree rings to answer ecological questions about the recent past) and come up with conclusions as to what possible climatic conditions might affect tree growth in their...
Novelinks
Touching Spirit Bear: Directed Reading Thinking Activity
What experiences lead people to change and how do they do it? After reading about Cole's encounter with Touching Spirit Bear, readers complete the second out of a series of five activities to predict future events in the text. The...
Curated OER
Building A Bug Bungalow
Students chart how milkweed bugs grow and change. In this growth and life stages lesson, students read two stories and discuss how and why things grow. Students brainstorm what can be measured about humans, review and discuss life...
Curated OER
Where the Red Fern Grows: A 4th Grade Literary Focus Unit
Fourth graders explore the human and animal connection along with the idea that death is a part of the life cycle. They read "Where the Red Fern Grows." Students examine the feelings and emotions surrounding death and they discover the...
Curated OER
Let's Think About... Change
Students observe various examples of "change." They mix paint to cereate new colors, eat bread and then toasted bread, and match baby pictures with pictures of how the same people look in the present. Finally, they watch a bouquet of...
Growing Minds
Apple Exploration
Turn your classroom into a farmers' market! Reading Applesauce Season by Eden Ross Lipson or Monica Wellington’s Apple Farmer Annie, launches this investigation of apples, farmers' markets, and the people selling products. The class...
University of Virginia
Analyzing Social Commentary in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn continues to be one of the most frequently banned books. The satire and social commentary present challenges when using the book as a core text. Direct readers' attention to how Twain uses plot,...
Curated OER
Bearstone
Use the story "Bearstone" by Will Hobbs to explore issues related to growing up. In this work, a troubled teen finds himself through an adventure in the wilderness. Learners practice summarizing, drawing inferences and conclusions, and...
Curated OER
The Difference is...You
Students think of a way to change the world and write a descriptive paragraph about it. In this change the world lesson plan, they view a clip from a movie such as Pay It Forward and then choose their own way to change the world.
Curated OER
Environment or Economy?
Students develop counterarguments to John Mizzoni's article on business sustainability. For this economics vs. environment lesson, students present examples of greenwashing and support them with rationale. They also discuss whether...
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
The Homestead Act
To understand how the Homestead Act of 1862 changed the US and the lives of the people during that time, class members examine primary source materials including letters, broadsides, and images. They then assume the voice of a...
K12 Reader
Gold Rush Boomtowns
The California Gold Rush sparked many people to try for their fortunes and led to the formation of some well-known California cities. Have your class read about the changes that happened and then respond to the five included questions.
Curated OER
Teaching Reading Comprehension through Social Studies Readings
Examine how immigrants have changed the environment of the United States. Individually, middle schoolers will take a pre- and post-test to assess their reading comprehension. In groups, they compare and contrast the religions of...
Curated OER
Cool It! Comprehension
In this reading comprehension worksheet, students read a chart about the future of climate change and then complete the two worksheets that test their understanding of the text with a quiz and a graphic organizer about the changes that...
Curated OER
Breaking News English: Internet Addiction - A Growing Problem
In this English activity, students read "Internet Addiction - A Growing Problem," and then respond to 1 essay, 47 fill in the blank, 7 short answer, 20 matching, and 10 true or false questions about the selection