Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Simple/Complex Machines

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students make a simple machine. In this physics activity, students learn about six types of simple machines and the purpose of each and brainstorm examples of simple and complex machines in the classroom. Students create a simple or...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Can You Do It?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students create a simple machine to help with the design of the traditional can opener. In this simple machines lesson plan, students analyze the can opener, and use the design process to solve problems.
Lesson Plan
Orange County Department of Education

Black Cowboy, Wild Horses

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders read the selection Black Cowboy, Wild Horses and identify characteristics of self-discipline shown by story's main character, Bob Lemmons. Students then identify some of their own traits of self-discipline and reflect upon...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Emotion in Art & Poetry

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders are introduced to famous works of art and begin to discuss the artist's work. Use art to explain and reflect their own emotions. The write about feelings in a work of art and make connections between art and other...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Train vs. Car: Who Wins?

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders conduct an experiment demonstrating what happens when a train hits a car using easily accessible materials. They calculate momentum, velocity, and distance using the appropriate formulas. Then they write an incident report...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Immigration in the United States

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore how recent immigration and migration patterns impact social and political issues. They apply affective learning techniques
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pennsylvania Colony

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students research the main reasons for the colonists moving to the Pennsylvania colony. They analyze maps, label a bubble map, list similarities/differences of immigrants then and now, and create a colonial newspaper advertisement.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Choices and Commitments: The Soldiers at Gettysburg

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Learners investigate the Gettysburg Campaign and the major actions for each day of the battle. They read primary source documents, write a diary entry, analyze the Gettysburg Address, and write a persuasive speech regarding an issue in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Orchid in Blind Contour Format

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students create blind contour drawings. They compare methods of drawing including blind contour and contour approaches. Students follow a blind contour method to produce a drawing of a flower and then complete the piece with a watercolor...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

About the Author: Kate DiCamillo

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students examine the writing process of Kate DiCamillo, the author of "Because of Winn-Dixie." They read author's comments, watch a slideshow narrated by the author, complete a free-write activity, and discuss Kate DiCamillo's top five...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Library Curriculum: What Would a Wonderful Library Be Like?

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders complete a KWL chart about libraries. They create a book using writing patterns of a particular author. Students decide criteria for awarding the Second Grade Librarian Award to books in the classroom library, and use a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Adventure Into The World of Shapes

For Teachers K - 4th
Students view Elmer Holtzrichter's work Mystery Planet and discuss basic shapes and patterns. They create their own collage. and discuss the patterning they created. Students demonstrate how this pattern would sound with clapping and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Style Myself Batisse

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders explore the artwork of Henri Matisse. In this Matisse lesson, 3rd graders recognize the characteristics of Henri Matisse. Students create a pastel collage self portrait in the style of Henri Matisse.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Improvisational Setting - "Where are You?"

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders explore setting through improvisations.  In this theatre lesson, 2nd graders perform a variety of improvisations in different settings and chart how they established the setting in the different environments. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Deal or No Deal

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Young scholars play a game in order to memorize any set of facts. In this memorization lesson, students play an adaptation of the game Deal or No Deal to help them review and memorize factual information. Young scholars also work on math...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Study of Fossils

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders dig for fossils. In this fossil lesson, 5th graders read about the oldest found fossils and discuss the process of fossilization. They dig for their own fossils in a fossil box made of several dirt layers. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ordered Pairs on a Coordinate Plane

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders identify the quadrants and axis of a coordinate plane. In this algebra lesson, 7th graders discover the correct way to graph using the coordinate plane. They discuss the relationship between x and y values, domain and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Busy Brain

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore biology by completing a human body worksheet. In this human brain lesson, students identify the different anatomy within the brain and the functions those pieces form. Students read an article about signals in the brain...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Flower Symbolism

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders identify flowers as symbols in art forms. They focus on the Victorian era and create their own flower design for use in visual art or literary forms.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Habitat Awareness

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders build a habitat. In this wildlife activity, 2nd graders work in groups to build a mammals habitat. They share their habitat with the class.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Life Cycle of the Butterfly

For Teachers 1st
First graders, after listening to fictional and non-fictional literature about caterpillars, and observing caterpillars from egg to butterfly, write a "biography" of a caterpillar using appropriate vocabulary and time lines.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Examine Economic Factors That Influence Human Migration Along the U.S/Mexican Border

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students bring in their own article about immigration and how it is affecting their community. They summarize their article and brainstorm reasons why someone would immigrate to another country. They discuss push and pull factors.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Governing National Socialist Germany

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Learners spend a month discovering the role of the Nazi Dictatorship during the Holocaust. Using the internet, they research the history of the Nazi party and the decline of the Weimar Republic. They examine how Hitler rose to power...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Postcards From Noah's Ark

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students complete a research project on a selected animal as the culminating activity on a unit about animals. They write a descriptive postcard sent by the animal as a passenger on Noah's Ark, and with a partner create a PowerPoint...