Curated OER
Secondary Citizenship: The Importance of Volunteering
Eleventh graders define the word citizenship and explain what they think Dr. Langstaff meant by the question "Are you being a good citizen?" They are asked if they are active citizens. Students list acts they consider to be...
Curated OER
Veterans' Voyages
Introduce your middle and high schoolers to a different perspective on war: that of soldier's. Read Guisseppi Ungaretti's poem "Vigil" to kick-start this activity. After discussing his perspective, read "The Screaming Eagles Fly to...
Curated OER
The Velveteen Rabbit
First graders discuss and touch stuffed animals and a real rabbit. They complete a KWL chart about rabbits. They listen to the story The Velveteen Rabbit and discuss it. They research rabbits in the library and make a book.
Curated OER
My Country, My Country: To Vote or Not to Vote
Learners view a film about elections in Iraq. They examine the story of a doctor and his decisions to vote. They work together to complete a worksheet about voter turnout.
Curated OER
The Polar Express Experience
Explore the holiday classic "The Polar Express" with a variety of activities.
Curated OER
The Journey to Civil Rights
Students explore Civil Rights. In this Civil Rights lesson, students read about Ruby Bridges and define the words segregation and supremacy. Students make a timeline of important events in Civil Rights and write a paragraph about why the...
Curated OER
In the Shadow of My Country: A Japanese American Artist Remembers
Learners analyze artist's themes and means of communication, think critically about their sources of information, and weigh claims of national security against the civil liberties of diverse groups.
Curated OER
The Star of My Show
Students recognize how they are stars in their own rights. In this language arts lesson, students consider their personal achievements as they make a star mobile that includes written life event highlights.
Curated OER
The Pianist
Do you play any musical instruments? Consider using this question to interest readers in this short passage. Then, have them read the passage and answer the multiple-choice questions that follow.
Curated OER
Dalai Lama: Day 2 of 5
Sixth graders explore philosophy by researching the Dalai Lama. In this Tibetan history lesson, 6th graders discuss the influence of Buddhism on the Dalai Lama and the unique view on life a Buddhist must have. Students read a Tibetan...
Curated OER
The Popular Bully
Fifth graders investigate bullying and nonviolent ways to deal with bullies. In this conflict management lesson, 5th graders discover the definition for the word ahimsa and examine ways to incorporate that philosophy into their...
Curated OER
Think It, Write It, Create It
Help your scholars create a class story. They will write a page of the story and illustrate that page. Then they use a variety of digital technologies to make the story come alive. A variety of digital resources are recommended for the...
Curated OER
Get Excited, Get Mad, Show Emotion!
Youngsters explore the importance of becoming fluent, expressive readers by changing their voice when reading a book. They read the book Ella Sarah Gets Dressed, by Margaret Chodos-Irvine, and poems from the book For Laughing Out...
Curated OER
Justice for All
A reading of Roald Dahl’s Lamb to the Slaughter opens a discussion of justice and fairness. Using a Venn diagram and an Idea Wheel graphic organizer, class members consider the similarities and differences in these two terms. They then...
Curated OER
Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King, Jr.
Primary learners will embrace diversity and celebrate multiculturalism through these engaging activities. Which include reading the story Martin Luther King and singing the song "A Man Named King." They will also explore the...
Baylor College
Lungometer
Life science learners construct lung-o-meters from gallon-sized milk jugs and then measure their lung capacities. For older students, have them graph the vital lung capacities of each person in the class. Cross-curricular pieces are...
Curated OER
Movie Riddles: An ESL Activity to Get Student Talking About Movies
Enjoy the thrill of the movies with this ESL activity! Not only can learners talk about their favorite films, but in creating riddles about their chosen movies, they can practice the skills of context clues and deductive reasoning. This...
Curated OER
Larger-Than-Life Lara
Students explore child psychology by reading a children's book in class. In this bullying lesson, students read the book Larger Than Life Lara and discuss the characters and how they treat each other. Students answer study questions...
Curated OER
ReQuest and Motor Imaging with My Side of the Mountain
Fifth graders read "My Side of the Mountain." They create a pantomime using vocabulary words from the story. Students create three questions about the reading. They discuss the passage they read and act out words to help them better...
Curated OER
Stories of Nepal
Young scholars explore folktales and fairy tales from Nepal to help them understand the Nepalese culture, and to compare the stories to the ones the students may know. After reading the stories, young scholars consider what rural life is...
Curated OER
Elements of Fiction
Students identify key story elements in a fiction text. In this literacy lesson, students are introduced to the various elements of fiction such as the setting, plot, and theme. Students read a short story of their choice and identify...
Curated OER
Examining the African American Family through the Eyes of Women Authors
Students read stories by women authors on the characteristics of the African-American family. Using the internet, they research the history of issues that have affected African-American families from the Civil War to the Civil Rights...
Curated OER
Point of View
Fifth graders identify first and third person points of view in literature. In this point of view lesson students compare the point of view in different pieces of literature, some telling the same story. Students write a first-person...
US Citizenship and Immigration Services
Thanksgiving 1—Pilgrims and American Indians
The Pilgrims first arrived in America in order to gain religious freedom. Here is a instructional activity that takes the class on this journey with the Pilgrims, stopping to look at how they got here, who they met when they arrived, and...