Curated OER
Children's Books
A challenging lesson on writing a book for children awaits your fifth-graders. They must use laptops, document cameras, and a projector to create and present an original piece of writing. A checklist that has all of the requirements for...
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Adding Strong Voice to Your Writing
Identify examples of strong voice in popular picture books. Young authors add voice to their writing and revise their own writing. In addition, they share their writing with their peers.
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How to Write a Biography
Looking for a great lesson on how to write a biography? Here, middle schoolers draw from magazine articles, novels, historical figures, and current events to choose a person, or character to write about in a biography. They follow a...
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On the Other Hand
Learners identify traits that are either genetic or developmental in nature and determine why it might be difficult to learn if handedness is genetic or developmental. They explore theories on the causes of left-handedness by reading and...
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Same, But Different
Students compare and contrast specific characters in the book, "Old Henry." They discuss similarities and differences between people and define character traits. They assess one's own character traits and have a class discussion about...
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For the Fun of It
Middle schoolers investigate author's purpose in autobiography by reading Amelia Earhart's autobiography entitled The Fun of It. Students examine character traits needed to fulfill personal goals.
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Integrated Skills and Speaking
Students work in pairs to decode a message that uses character adjectives vocabulary and counting skills. They design an "ideal friend" by listing their top five desired character traits.
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Well-behaved Women [and Men] Seldom Make History
Students examine historical context. In this historical perspectives lesson, students read and discuss instructor-selected picture book biographies. Students then complete graphic organizers based on the challenges the main characters...
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The Keeping Quilt
Students discover story analysis by discussing a book the class reads together. For this reading comprehension lesson, students read the book The Keeping Quilt and discuss the different characters and plot points among the class. ...
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The Wonders of Ancient Civilizations
Bring excitement and interest to your social studies with a unit on ancient civilizations.
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Understanding Core Values Using the Frayer Model
Students complete the Frayer Model. In this literature instructional activity, students review the concept of theme in literature. Students identify major themes in books they've read. Students learn the attributes of the Frayer Model...
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Where It Comes From: All About Heredity
Characteristics are not only inherited, but can be acquired through interactions with the environment.
Southern Poverty Law Center
Analyzing Gender Stereotypes in Media
Why might toy advertisers use gender stereotypes to sell their products? Young people think critically about media messages and its role in gender stereotyping with a thought-provoking lesson.
Character Kids
The Fourth and Fifth Rs - Respect and Responsibility
Set the tone for a successful school year with a list of strategies to instill respect and responsibility. With tips for classroom management and ways to get parents involved, the resource is valuable for new and veteran teachers alike.
NPR
Lesson Plan: Trolls—Just Like You and Me?
Not all trolls hide under bridges; some of them hide behind computer screens! Learners explore the causes and effects of people leaving mean comments online. After learning vocabulary, watching and discussing a video, and responding to...
Serendip
Soap Opera Genetics – Genetics to Resolve Family Arguments
Did she cheat on her husband? Did the hospital switch the babies? Should they have children? As much as this sounds like the plot for a soap opera, all of these questions fit into a single activity on genetics. Scholars read about three...
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Me and My Logo
Students design their own emblem. For this introduction lesson, students get to know one another by designing an emblem that combines symbols that represent themselves. They express themselves to their classmates.
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Graphing And Data Presentation
Students engage in a study of science and mathematics with the practice of creating graphs. A guest speaker comes to the class to share statistics from the community and the students are shown how he uses the coordinate system in the...
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Women Call Out: The Personal Narrative
After reading and discussing several personal narratives written by women in the 1920's, class members write a personal narrative of their own about a time in their lives they felt controlled. Sample narratives can be accessed through...
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Symbols and the Choices we Make
Upper elementary and middle schoolers recognize symbols that influence the choices that we make consciously or unconsciously in everyday life. They look at the symbols and choices that others make. They identify and apply knowledge of...
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Crisis Management
Learners research the issues facing President Bush and write short political commentaries predicting what course the president take. For homework, they write editorials stating what they think the president should do to best serve the...
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Sea No Evil
Learners research the characteristics of marine life at different ocean depths. They use their findings as the basis for a classroom 'Life Under the Sea' museum exhibit.
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Redefining Addiction
Students study about how addiction can have both physiological and behavioral effects. They synthesize their knowledge by creating a sensitivity training session for counselors working with teenagers who are addicted to drugs.
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In a Class of Their Own
Young scholars explore taxonomy and how birds are classified in this scientific system. They use this knowledge to create entries for a field guide to birds that can be used to identify different species.