Curated OER
Inquiring Minds Want to Know
First graders write probing questions and select an interviewee from a given list. They meet with the person, ask questions and take a picture of the person being interviewed. They write an article or draw a picture of the person's answers.
Curated OER
Time Out for Timelines
First graders, while in the computer lab, manipulate events onto a calendar created in Publisher and then create a time line of important dates. They place their important dates in the correct month on a calendar and then sequence the...
Curated OER
Ideas for Elementary Language Arts and Social Studies
Students read a newspaper, then draw a picture.
Curated OER
Where Am I? Determining Relative Location
Students use position words to describe where their teacher is sitting and read a story that makes use of position words. For this spatial lesson, students make a stick puppet and play Simon Says focusing on using position words in the...
Curated OER
Icky Sticky Piggy
Students examine the letter 'i' and the short /i/ sound. Through instruction and modeling they explore how to make the short /i/ sound, how the letter 'i' is written, etc. They recite tongue twisters and read stories and pick out words...
Curated OER
Comparing Time Periods in U.S. History: The Ashford Project
Fifth graders use a "fact book" comparing periods in American history then students create a picture to illustrate their assigned periods. # # students use their pictures and concept maps to write expository paragraphs about their...
Curated OER
Pumpkin Carving for K-2 Students
Students engage in a variety of pumpkin activities. This lesson is especially rich for ESL students, who probably have little experience with this holiday and custom.
Curated OER
Number Stories 2: Self and peer Assessment
Students observe a video of a model classroom. In the video, children are creating a checklist outlining what makes a good number story. Students discuss teacher methods to ensure a task is accomplished. They discuss how to determine...
Curated OER
Dressing in Early American Times
Fifth graders, by doing research and seeing actual and simulated artifacts, gain knowledge of and make comparisons about clothing in the Colonial and early Republican eras with attire of present time.
Curated OER
Show and Share
Students share personal stories and artifacts, creating a community of trust and sharing.
Curated OER
The Magician's Elephant
Students explore the fiction book, "The Magician's Elephant." In this literary lesson/activity, students complete extension activities that coordinate with the reading, including magic tricks, and a writing activity.
Curated OER
Doodle Splash
Students navigate Doodle Splash to create a painting. In this doodle splash lesson, students explain their splash painting relationship to a piece of literature.
Curated OER
Thanksgiving Lesson Plan
A great ESL lesson focuses on Thanksgiving, the Pilgrims, and the Mayflower. Printable versions of the Mayflower, a Thanksgiving booklet, a Pilgrim house pattern, and links to other free sites that offer all sorts of Thanksgiving...
Curated OER
Clouds
Second graders explain what a cloud is, how it is formed and what the various types of clouds are. They do an experiment which shows them how to "make" a cloud, and write in their science journals about a "crazy weather day."
Curated OER
Analyzing Folklore: Redwall
Brian Jacques’ novel Redwall provides the focus for a series of lessons involving the analysis of folklore. Adopting the persona of a character, groups write letters in the voice of their character, assemble a collage using Microsoft...
Curated OER
Homophones
Here is a terrific activity on teaching homophones to your upper graders! In it, homophone word cards and homophone bingo cards, which are embedded in the activity, are used in a game format which reinforces this important part of...
Curated OER
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Here is a good activity on butterflies and caterpillars. After listening to The Very Hungry Caterpillar, young learners put cards that depict the life cycle of a butterfly in the correct order. There are some good ideas for center...
Curated OER
The Things That Bothered Farmer Brown
Link language development to literacy skills. This lesson template provides a comprehensible way to use the Braidy Web to maximize language and reading skills. It would be appropriate for developmentally disabled pupils reading at a K-2...
Shmoop
ELA.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.3
Teach your class the basics of narrative writing! The resource first describes the Common Core standard for narrative writing in-depth, and then moves into how to apply the standard. Show your class the example essay and quiz them...
Curated OER
Save the Lofty Trees
Save the Lofty Trees, by Leslie Mills, provides the text for a study of the roles of animals and humans in the forest. Richly detailed, the plan offers two approaches to the play: as a scenario for children to imagine what actions would...
San Francisco Symphony
Heritage Song
Learning how to compare and contrast is a core skill. Learners compare two music selections that showcase a specific heritage. They draw and discuss how each song and the composers of each song used their personal heritage as...
Curated OER
Santa Claus Around the World
Learn about the legend of Santa Claus around the world in ESL holiday plan. In it, learners explore the many ways that Santa Claus is depicted in cultures around the world. There are some excellent masters included in the plan that help...
Curated OER
Bringing Household Items to Life
Use folk tales as inspiration for learning about and using personification in creative writing. Learners brainstorm together in order to practice personification before writing their own poems or paragraphs about a household object.
San Francisco Symphony
Going West
Now this sounds like a fun lesson! Youngsters learn about pioneer life and the Westward Movement. First, they listen to the Copland's "Appalachian Spring," and then they discuss the elements of music found in the piece. They...