Alabama Department of Archives and History
Alabama Farm Life in the Great Depression
The Great Depression not only impacted city folk and factory workers, it also had a profound effect on farmers. Young historians examine primary source materials that document the struggles of Alabama farmers during this time and then...
Curated OER
Reading Research!
Pupils observe the pictures in non-fiction books that focus on animals in the winter. In addition, they also listed to some read aloud books about hibernation, migration, adaptation and dormancy. Students draw pictures and write notes...
Curated OER
Maisy's Nature Walks
Students participate in an interactive story lesson. They listen to a reading of Lucy Cousins, Maisy's Nature Walk, before completing post-reading activities. They examine the illustrations, discuss nature walks, and complete associated...
Curated OER
Water Cycle Reading and Writing
After listening to a story about the water cycle, learners create their own versions of this tale. This is a great way to have your class review the concepts of evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and runoff.
Curated OER
Spring: Giving Thanks to the Herring
Students study the Wampanoag tribe to learn about the importance of the herring to their culture. In this Wampanoag lesson, students read information and complete multiple activities to learn about the role of the herring fish in the...
Curated OER
Understanding to Read and Describe It
Second graders, with hearing disability, practice vocabulary building strategies. In this vocabulary strategy lesson, a student practices sight words using word cards. The student verbalizes a sentence with the new words while the...
Curated OER
Let's Grow Plants!
Students read and dramatize the stories "The Tiny Seed" and "The Carrot Seed" as an introduction to seeds and what they become. They work in small groups to plant their own seeds and over the span of a week (+ or -)students keep track of...
Virginia Department of Education
Weather Patterns and Seasonal Changes
Get your class outside to observe their surroundings with a activity highlighting weather patterns and seasonal changes. First, learners take a weather walk to survey how the weather affects animals, people, plants, and trees during...
Media Education Lab
Propaganda Techniques
In an age of fake news, alternative facts, and biased reporting, it is more important than ever that 21st century learners develop the critical-thinking skills necessary to recognize, analyze and resist the propaganda techniques used in...
Curated OER
Egg-sceptional
Students design colored Easter eggs in this simple Art activity for the elementary classroom. The dye is created using almost boiling water and should be done by the teacher. This activity is ideal for the spring-time months and...
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The Life And Times Of The Apple
Students engage in a study about the biology of apples that includes growth and reproduction. They conduct research using a variety of resources. Students write a description of an apple brought to class by answering several questions....
Curated OER
Globalization: Threat or Opportunity for the U.S. Economy?
High schoolers study the pros and cons of globalization. They highlight the economic concepts of comparative advantage, specialization, and opportunity cost. They read and discuss the "FRBSF Economic Letter: Globalization: Threat or...
Curated OER
Expressing Your Views to the Letter
Analyze the motivation, purpose, and value of letters to the editor by examining letters written in response to the violence at Columbine High School. For homework, middle and high schoolers write their own letters to the editor about an...
Curated OER
Immigration Debate
The 2010 immigration bill passed in Arizona provides class members with an opportunity to examine various perspectives of the immigration debate by watching news videos, reading interview, editorials, and viewing images. Discussion...
Curated OER
Youth Obesity: Schools Fight Back
Kids fight obesity by comparing the USDA food intake suggestions to what they personally consume throughout the day. They watch a video, read texts, and explore related vocabulary which they use as they compose an oral presentation.
Curated OER
Easter Bonnet
Young scholars create Easter hats using paper plates, crepe paper, and heavy yarn or ribbon in this Art lesson for Pre-Kindergarten classrooms. This is ideal for the spring time and can be completed in 30 minutes. Recommended...
Curated OER
What is a Seed?
Students share experiences they have had with different types of seeds. After being read a story, they are given a lima bean in which they split apart and examine the inside. To end the lesson, they share their own ideas on how they...
Curated OER
Lesson Two
Second graders, after assessing why forecasting weather is important, study about temperature and how to read a thermometer. They experiment being able to observe the mercury rising up and down when given a thermometer and cups of cold...
Curated OER
Lesson Skill: Determining Audience and Purpose
“. . . the car looked as it had caught some terrible disease.” Pairs read and then illustrate a passage from either “The Year I Drove through the Car Wash” or “Riding Is an Exercise of the Mind” in preparation for a discussion of...
Curated OER
Wisconsin Agriculture; Berry Bunch's Cherry Fast Facts
Students explore agriculture by researching Wisconsin's economy. In this cherry industry lesson, students read assigned text about the amount of cherries Wisconsin produces annually and the revenue it brings in to the state. Students...
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Rock Stories
Youngsters pretend they are rocks sitting on a hill. They listen to the provided guided imagery script to conceptualize the process of how rocks change over time. They draw a diagram of what happened to them as rocks during the story. An...
Curated OER
Double-Entry Journal Writing
Introduce your learners to the concept of a double-entry journal. Talk about how to connect with the text and model an example for them. Using whatever literature you are working with, have scholars choose a quote and make their own...
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Chinese New Year
Students investigate the celebration of Chinese New Year. In this Chinese New Year lesson, students discuss their favorite holiday before listening to a read aloud about Chinese New Year. They make red envelopes that are filled with play...
Curated OER
Introduce Vocabulary: Moonbear's Bargain (Asch)
If you are reading Frank Asch's book Moonbear's Bargain, here is an excellent way to practice vocabulary in context with budding readers. Although you could include others, the recommended words for this text are: blossom,...