National Endowment for the Humanities
The Argument of the Declaration of Independence
When in the course of a course on historic American events, it becomes necessary for learners to examine, with decent respect, the Declaration of Independence, it becomes evident that there are six separate and equal parts of that...
Academy of American Poets
Noticing Poetry
Introduce scholars to the "I Notice" method, a different approach to studying poetry. Instructors first model the noticing method by identifying words and images that appeal on the sonic level, the ideational level, the sensory level,...
K20 LEARN
Comparing/Contrasting Characters Through Two-Voice Poems: Characterization
Two babies, two fathers, two experiences, two worlds. Partners craft two-voice poems to capture the points of view of two men with very different lives who have just become fathers.
Illustrative Mathematics
Friends Meeting on Bikes
It is the job of your mathematicians to figure out how fast Anya is riding her bike when meeting her friend. The problem shares the distance, time spent riding, and Taylor's speed leaving the last variable for your learners to solve. Use...
Curated OER
"Data Dabble"
Students engage in a lesson which facilitates their use of web sites to find data, graph it, and interpret it, thus scaffolding graphing skills to prepare students for their 8th grade I-search exit project.
Curated OER
How to Locate and Evaluate Information, Part III - Internet Sites
This is the third in a series of lessons scaffolding the research paper. It purports to teach researchers how to evaluate internet sites, but the lack of links, specific criteria, or site evaluation rubrics would require additional...
Curated OER
Order of Operations
Sixth graders are introduced to the concept of the orders of operations. The skills of using exponents are needed before trying the new concept. Students can be separated in groups for scaffolding.
Foreign Policy Research Institute
Categories of Cold War Histiography
While the objective is to provide an overview of the Cold War in preparation for further study, this resource addresses the topic at a rather advanced level, and might need its own introductory lesson. The handouts include terms such as...
Curated OER
Introduce: Summarizing Narrative Text
When scholars re-tell a story, do they boil it down to important details in a logical order? Practice summarizing narratives using this think-aloud strategy, which is scripted here for your convenience. After explaining why this is an...
Curated OER
Story Retelling
Students explore storytelling by participating in an image analysis activity. In this story structure lesson, students read the book Cookie's Week by Tomie dePaola and retell the story to their teacher in sequential order. Students...
Shmoop
ELA.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.2
There is nothing more frustrating than discussing theme in literature, and now the Common Core requires that your learners determine two or more, and discuss the development of it throughout the text. This is crazy, but manageable with...
Scholastic
The Rise of Railroads: Illinois
Railways not only cross the US, but they are also intertwined with the history of America. Using a timeline format, individuals explore the connections between major events in American history—such as the Civil War—and the rise of the...
Curated OER
Desert Views: First Impressions
Students are introduced to primary source material and the ways in which early travelers viewed aspects of the desert environment. The instructional activity addresses the geography themes of location, region, and human/environment...
Curated OER
Add Positive And Negative Numbers
Scholars investigate the concept of adding positive and negative numbers. They practice adding using the number line for scaffolding. This can be done as a game for younger learners, but may also be helpful for engaging the older pupils.
Curated OER
The Sounds of Daydream
Based on the poem "The Lake Isle of Innisfree" by Irish poet William Butler Yeats, this resource is well constructed and guides learners through examining the Yeats poem (rhyme, meter, content) to composing a poem of their own about a...
Curated OER
Phonemic Awareness: Syllables
Count the syllables in your name, now count the syllables in your friend's name. Kids count syllables as they clap out and segment words. This activity is done as a whole class and has the potential of being highly engaging. The engaging...
Curated OER
Phonemic Awareness: Phoneme Blending
This resource is more of a suggestion than a full lesson plan. It explains how young pre-readers can work with their teacher to practice blending phonemes to make words. The class watches the teacher as she says and orally segments a...
Curated OER
Phonemic Awareness: Segmenting
You ever feel like your going in circles? Because this lesson seems very much like others I've seen. First graders put up a finger as they count each phoneme the teacher emphasises as she says a series of words.
Curated OER
Phonics: Segmenting Sounds in Short Words
F-u-n spells fun. It is a simple word that little learners can sound out as they build phonemic awareness and those early reading skills. This short scripted lesson provides teachers with the basics for teaching how to sound out...
Novelinks
The Good Earth: Multigenre Writing Strategy
In response to reading Pearl Buck's The Good Earth, individuals are asked to complete a multi-genre writing assignment, crafting eight different pieces including a research paper.
Curated OER
The Kite Runner: The Pomegranate
To better understand the conflict between Amir and Hassan, two characters in Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner, readers assume the voice of one of the boys and craft a letter to the other that explains his feelings and concerns.
PBL Pathways
Potassium-Argon Dating
Find the age of a fictional sample of rocks using a genuine approach. A well-designed lesson asks young mathematicians to use exponential modeling to analyze half-life. As a project-based learning activity, scholars communicate...
Virginia Department of Education
Modeling Multiplication of Fractions
Multiply your understanding of multiplying fractions. A short lesson teaches pupils how to multiply fractions. By using fraction models, they get a better understanding of the concept.
K20 LEARN
Worcester v. Georgia: Cherokee Sovereignty and Actions of the U.S. Government
Young historians study the Supreme Court case "Worcester v. Georgia" and note instances where the Justices defended the sovereign rights of the Cherokee. They also examine the actions of President Andrew Jackson and the...