National Endowment for the Arts
Teacher's Guide: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
A 10-lesson unit takes high schoolers through a novel study of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. To start, students learn about Fitzgerald's background and gain historical context that prepares them for a reading of the book. The...
University of Georgia
Stoichiometry of S'mores
How fun would it be to teach the concept of stoichiometry while allowing your chemistry class to assemble a classic campfire treat? This fun and engaging activity allows pupils to explore the principles of the chemical theory while...
Curated OER
Ivan the Fool: Lesson 1
Students read and analyze a classic Eastern European folktale. In partners, they read the story, take notes, define vocabulary terms, and write a summary of the folktale.
Curated OER
Incorporating Archaeological "Time-Outs" into the Latin Curriculum
Here is a lesson whose focus is on classical archaeology. In groups, high schoolers read various myths and legends to examine the how the culture was passed between different groups. They participate in a role-play activity in which they...
Mr. Roughton
The Maya Files
What a creative approach to studying about the ancient Mayan civilization! Learners will become investigators in the case of the "disappearance" of the Classic Maya by examining a variety of primary and secondary source material,...
Curated OER
What Is It?
You have to love lessons that foster problem solving strategies. This one has upper graders devise and employ their own strategy to solve given problems after they have used classics like guess/check, substitution, make a table, and look...
Curated OER
The Virtuoso Phenomenon
After reading the New York Times article "Virtuosos Becoming a Dime a Dozen," learners answer eight who, what, when, where, and why questions. They post their answers on the New York Times Education Blog. A fun way to get learners...
BBC
Crime: Justice
Are the juvenile courts fair? Learners read a bit from the classic Oliver Twist to consider how young people are treated and represented when they've been accused of a crime. They read a case study from their books, discuss children's...
Curated OER
"Knot" the Whole Truth: Writing a Modern-Day Story with a Tall Tale's Voice
Beyond Paul Bunyan and his blue ox, tall tales can be a great way to teach young writers about word choice and voice in their writing. Using Jerry Spinelli's Maniac Magee and the Six-Trait Writing process, they begin to write...
San Francisco Symphony
Lesson Ideas for Any Music
Music is a wonderful tool you can add to enhance the learning process for every subject. Here is a list of music selections that are categorized by subject, along with some neat teaching suggestions. You'll find songs suited to...
Curated OER
Teaching A Tale of Two Cities
Ninth graders read "A Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens. In groups, they analyze the opinions of various philosophers on the French Revoluion. To end the activity, they take all the information gathered during their readings and...
Curated OER
Teaching Kids About Healthy Foods: Snacks Alternatives
Learners inspect human health by participating in a class game. In this nutrition lesson, students examine an interactive food pyramid and discuss the healthy alternatives to their typical diets. Learners complete a flash card activity...
Curated OER
Teaching Fluency Using Readers Theatre
Third graders listen as their teacher reads them a book. In groups, they are given a story and time to practice a skit. After taking suggestions from their teacher, they perform their skit and receive feedback from the class. They can...
Curated OER
Teaching Handball
Students participate in a number of different lessons with the intention of improving skills to play handball. Each lesson plan focuses on a certain skill like strokes and serves. The skills have a progression of difficulty until the...
Boston Symphony Orchestra
The Elements of Music—How do Composers Plan?
The introduction to Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake and the finale of his Symphony No. 4 provide young musicians with an opportunity to investigate the music elements composers employ to develop the themes they want to create. They compare the...
Curated OER
Goldilocks Live!!!
Study story elements with your young learners. Read Goldilocks and the Three Bears and discuss the order of events by making a story panel out of butcher paper. Sentences are given as suggestions for the panel, though you may...
Special needs in Music
Silent Practice
Don't have a keyboard in the classroom but still want to teach piano theory? No problem! Learners engage in "silent practice" as they play classic songs like "My Country 'Tis of Thee" on a printed keyboard image. Use the images on the...
Curated OER
Writing Poetry Like Pros
Students name classic and contemporary American poets. They explain one poetry idea in classic or contemporary poem. They explain poetry idea at work in their own poems.
Curated OER
Pop on the Block
Students consider what makes a movie, television show, musical talent, or artist a cult classic and create descriptive lists of items from these phenomena that may be sold at auction.
Curated OER
Nureyev: The Unconquerable Will
Students consider the development of dance across cultures. For this dance genre lesson, students study the history of Russia and the Mongol Tatars. Students research how classical ballet made its way to Russia and create collaborative...
Curated OER
Tis the Season for Turkey Math
Put a mathematical twist on the classic turkey-related projects.
Curated OER
Geometry of Democracy
Learners explore the architecture of New England by identifying geometric shapes. In this architectural lesson, students examine photographs of classic building architecture and use a transparency to trace geometric shapes they...
Curated OER
Experience the 5E Instructional Model with Electrical Circuits
Students build electrical circuits. In this lesson plan teaching pre-service teachers how to use the 5E instructional model, students use materials to explore how to create an electrical circuit.
Curated OER
Chemical Changes and Biscuits
Fourth graders investigate chemical changes in everyday life settings, such as cooking. They investigate leavening which is one of the classic chemical changes that people experience. Pupils observe leavening in biscuits with the...