Orange County Department of Education
Black Cowboy, Wild Horses
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...
Curated OER
Bone Transformations
Young scholars create a picture from the shape of a bone. In this life science and art lesson, students discuss their bones and their purposes, then use a picture of a bone as a starting point for an artistic transformation. Lesson can...
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Simple/Complex Machines
Students make a simple machine. In this physics lesson plan, 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...
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Designing "Green" to Save Our Green Planet
Students design an environmentally friendly home. In this middle school math/science lesson, students watch videos on creating green design. Students work in collaborative groups to determine what makes a house green and to...
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Ordered Pairs on a Coordinate Plane
Seventh graders identify the quadrants and axis of a coordinate plane. In this algebra activity, 7th graders discover the correct way to graph using the coordinate plane. They discuss the relationship between x and y values, domain and...
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Immigration in the United States
Students explore how recent immigration and migration patterns impact social and political issues. They apply affective learning techniques
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You Are Smarter Than The Ads
Fourth graders examine advertising techniques and create original designs for advertisements in this three day, 4th grade art/social studies lesson. The lesson includes assessment ideas, resource information, and learning objectives.
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Adventure Into The World of Shapes
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...
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Style Myself Batisse
Third graders explore the artwork of Henri Matisse. For this Matisse lesson, 3rd graders recognize the characteristics of Henri Matisse. Students create a pastel collage self portrait in the style of Henri Matisse.
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A Pixie Biography Report
Students practice biographical writing after completing research on the subject. In this journalism activity, students read a story of an important person's life and discuss the important moments along the way. Students...
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Baseball Saved Us Teacher’s Guide
Students read the book "Baseball Saved Us" and respond to the story through writing activities. In this reading activity, students create a chart of events which they predict will take place in the story. Students then use their...
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The Life Cycle of the Butterfly
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.
Curated OER
Train vs. Car: Who Wins?
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...
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Roundball for Remembrance
Students view a segment of Futures With Jaime Escalante showing the application of math in basketball, and they try to find some of these applications in a tape of a game played by their home school. This fun lesson should be very...
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Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Fourth graders read and take quizzes over the book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
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Weaving with Seed Beads on a Bead Loom
Students describe, and try, the process of weaving and demonstrate how Native Americans and others wove beads on a loom to create long, narrow bands for hair and bracelets.
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Bead Weaving on a Loom
Students investigate the process of weaving and how Native Americans wove beads on looms. They research Native American geometric patterns online, design a pattern on graph paper, and create a patterned beaded band.
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Flower Symbolism
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.
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Pennsylvania Colony
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.
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Governing National Socialist Germany
Students 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...
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About the Author: Kate DiCamillo
Young scholars 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...
Curated OER
Clay Magic Pots
Fifth graders create clay artwork that resembles African and Egyptian monolithic sculptures. In this visual arts lesson, 5th graders are shown examples of monolithic and figural sculpture from Egyptian and African cultures, then...
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Language Arts: Plotting Stories
Second graders read the story, "The Foolish, Timid Rabbit," as part of a unit on appearances. After reading with partners, they write their own stories that include elements about some forms of matter from their science studies. Students...
Center of Excellence for Science and Mathematics Education
A Sick Astronaut
Aspiring astronauts graph, interpret, and analyze data. They investigate the relationship between two variables in a problem situation. Using both graphic and symbolic representations they will grasp the concept of line of best fit to...