Curated OER
Fossils
Students discuss the work of a paleontologist and examine several fossils and books on paleontology. They use clay and Plaster of Paris to create a cast of an object and compare this activity to the formation of fossils in nature.
Curated OER
Studying the ABC's of the Environment
Third graders choose a letter of the alphabet and find an environmental topic to research that begins with the same letter. They prepare an article and illustration about their topic and compile them into a class environmental alphabet...
Curated OER
Plant Parts
Second graders conduct research on plant parts. They listen to the book "Jack and the Beanstalk," explore various websites and read about plant parts, and create a movie using Kid Pix computer software.
Curated OER
Hattie and the Fox
Who is Hattie? Youngsters explore animal characteristics by reading poems and stories in class. They read the book Hattie and the Fox about a fictitious fox and his drama with the other farm animals. Then they reread the story over...
Curated OER
Owen
Students read Owen by Kevin Henkes. In this literature lesson, students listen to the story and compare it to other Kevin Henkes books. They answer comprehension questions and bring their own treasured item to share.
Curated OER
"Mr. Betts and Mr. Potts"
First graders listen to the book "Mr. Betts and Mr. Potts" and examine the career of being a veterinarian. They categorize animals based on whether they could be house pets or not, develop a class pet graph, and list the various...
Curated OER
If a Picture's Worth a Thousand Words...
Students examine the debate between the preservation of and access to historical artifacts. They explore the notion of ownership and commodification of historical artifacts and come up with a plan for compromise.
Curriculum Corner
Quick Literacy Centers for Back to School
Use a set of quick and easy to use literacy centers at the beginning of the year as you start to assess your students. The 13-page packet provides writing and reading activities with simple directions that allows new class members...
Arkansas Government
Creative Adventures with Literature - Whoever You Are
Celebrate our similarities and differences through multiple readings of Whoever you Are by Mem Fox. Readings are accompanied by a grand discussion, charts, creative art, dramatic, and music play to reinforce the uniqueness that is...
Middle Tennessee State University
Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? A Comparison in American Culture
As part of their study of the Progressive Era, class groups examine a 20th century version of "The Three Little Pigs" through a New Era lens and identify how ideals such as the value of hard work, creativity, and problem solving,...
Smithsonian Institution
Mary Henry: Journal/Diary Writing
A great way to connect social studies with language arts, a resource on Mary Henry's historical diary reinforces the concepts of primary and secondary sources. It comes with an easy-to-understand lesson plan, as well as the reference...
Read Works
How to Say “I Ruff You”
Who says you need a human to be your valentine on Valentine's Day? Give your dog-loving readers an inspiring perspective on how a sister givdes her brother a valentine from the family dog. They then answer 10 questions thatd involve...
BioEd Online
Muscles and Bones in Space
Being an astronaut takes not only high mental acuity, but also a high level of physical fitness, especially for those who spend a long amount of time away from Earth, such as the astronauts serving on the International Space Station....
August House
The Drum
Take a journey to India with a read aloud of The Drum: A Folktale from India by Rob Cleveland. Make connections to the story's theme by building and practicing drums, role playing story characters, and practicing skills in phonics, math,...
J. Paul Getty Trust
Narrating a Family Tradition
After examining a piece of art, scholars discuss what they see, paying close attention to details and space. A read-aloud introduces the topic of family traditions. Pupils interview their family members about a tradition in preparation...
Baylor College
Air: The Math Link
Inflate this unit on the science of air with these math skills practice and word problems. Accompanying the children's story Mr. Slaptail's Secret, this resource covers a wide range of math topics including the four basic...
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...
Museum of Disability
Looking Out for Sarah
Perry the dog is Sarah's best friend and her guide to the visual world. Young readers learn about guide dogs and communication with Looking Out for Sarah by Glenna Lang, through a series of discussion questions and activities.
Curated OER
Top Secret Rule Reasons!
Students read the book The Secret Knowledge of Grown-Ups and write their own story based on a rule that grown-ups put upon kids. In this writing lesson plan, students focus on the trait of voice.
Curated OER
Using Onomatopoeia to Tell the Story of an Imaginary Field Trip
Students explore language arts by utilizing word choice to compose a paragraph. In this phonetics lesson, students discuss the importance of a "voice" in their writing as they read the book Rattletrap Car. Students write paragraphs about...
Curated OER
Harry the Dirty Dog
Students investigate the parts of a book by reading a story about a dog. In this reading comprehension lesson plan, students utilize their memory to place pictures from the book Harry the Dirty Dog in order from start to finish....
Curated OER
Creative Writing: Halloween Theme
Second graders are read a book about different authors. They identify the parts of a story such as plot and setting. They brainstorm topics for their own paper and begin the writing process. They create a final copy of their story about...
Curated OER
The "State" of ABC's
Fifth graders apply the ABC format to write books about various states. They identify important people, places, and events and include title. copyright, and dedication pages. They have items for all letters and createcovers and "about...
Curated OER
What are Numbers?: Learning to Add
Students identify numbers from 0-20. They show quantities to 20. Students work in small groups and take pictures of items demonstrating the numbers that they have beeen taught. They form the number shape using their bodies and take...