Curated OER
What is an Endangered Species?
Here are two well-designed, and easy-to-follow lesson plans on endangered species for your third graders. The focus is on the bison; the history of the slaughter of the animals in the 1800's, and the story of how they were saved from...
Curated OER
Columbus Day (Native American Perspective)
Teach your class the perspective Native Americans had on Christopher Columbus. They will examine the effects of Christopher Columbus' exploration on the Native Americans using a reading theater and a carousel brainstorming activity. They...
Curated OER
Because of Winn-Dixie Scrapbook
Here is a fun resource that your kids will love. While reading the book Because of Winn-Dixie, they analyze the story's main characters by creating an online scrapbook. The purpose is to have them identify character traits and use...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Campaigns and Gas Pains
Even before they are driving, your scholars have heard the ups and downs of gas prices. Assess the political turmoil behind rising prices using this analysis handout, which features a political cartoon from 2006. Background information...
Curated OER
Fate vs. Mind: A Macedonian Folk Tale
Students read examples of folk tales and describe the characteristics of fables and folk tales. They also examine the concept of fate and if it plays a part in people's lives.
Shakespeare in American Life
Tom Hanks and Caliban: Survivor Superstars
Here’s a clever way to combine language arts and social studies. Shakespeare’s The Tempest is believed to have been inspired by the wreck of the Sea Venture on Bermuda in 1609. The class views a brief scene from Castaway in which Tom...
GNS Science
Think like a Geologist: 1
How well do pupils play the role of geologist? Test their abilities in the first installment of a two-part series. Presented with a series of rock formation diagrams, learners write stories to match what they see in the diagrams. The...
National Endowment for the Humanities
The Preamble to the Constitution: A Close Reading Lesson
"We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union..." These familiar lines begin the Preamble to the Constitution, but do learners know what they mean? A close reading exercise takes a look at the language of the...
Curated OER
Detective Fiction: Focus On Critical Thinking
Turn your 6th graders into detectives while growing their love of reading. Using critical thinking skills, they will be able to describe the five basic elements of detective fiction, read detective novels, make predictions, use the...
Curated OER
Character Study
Third graders work in pairs to choose two characters and find their similarities and differences. In this character instructional activity, 3rd graders compare characters by their actions and attributes. Students individually...
Curated OER
Thesis statements: The Six Basic Claim Types
Evaluative or Analogical? The wolf in the story of "The Three Little Pigs" and the wolf in "Red Riding Hood" represent what can happen to the unprepared. Despite his defeat in the end, the Big Bad Wolf is a good example for kids because...
Independence Middle School
Eight Parts of Speech Grammar Project
Young grammarians demonstrate their understanding of the eight parts of speech by creating a scrapbook that uses personal stories and photos to illustrate each term. After defining a term, individuals relate and illustrate a personal...
Curated OER
The Keeping Quilt
Students discover story analysis by discussing a book the class reads together. In this reading comprehension lesson, students read the book The Keeping Quilt and discuss the different characters and plot points among the...
Curated OER
Jubal's Wish
Students discuss the story "Jubal's Wish." In this literature lesson, students take turns making predictions about what will happen next in the story and state their own wish by taking turns as well.
Curated OER
Replacing idioms
In this replacing idioms worksheet, students read the story given to them and rewrite it replacing the idioms in the story with their literal meanings. Students then reread the story.
Curated OER
Techno Movie
Students explore storytelling by using video editing software. In this movie making lesson, students identify the uses of PowerPoint and create a story using a digital camera which takes stills or video. Students combine this footage...
Curated OER
Rate of Work and Motion Problems
In this ratw of work and motion worksheet, students solve 14 word problems. Six of the problems are labeled class work, and 8 are labeled homework. Answers to all problems are included at the bottom of the page.
Curated OER
Knock Knock Multiplication
Fifth graders listen to a story about multiplication and play a multiplication game with counters. In this multiplication lesson plan, 5th graders review all four operations and practice multiplication problems.
Curated OER
Experience This!
What would you do if you had to go to school all day every day? Tillie tackles this problem in Sharon Creech’s A Fine, Fine School. After a discussion of how Tillie got the principal to change his ways, brainstorm with your class...
Curated OER
Narrative Peer Editing Worksheet
Need a template for a narrative peer editing worksheet? Reviewers use this worksheet to record their responses to a classmate’s story, commenting on the effectiveness of the story’s introduction, conflict, character development, etc.
Curated OER
Let the Pictures Tell the Story: Presenting a Point of View
Ninth graders examine the process of writing a newspaper article that presents a point of view. They read various newspaper articles, analyze methods of persuasive writing, interpret and create editorial cartoons, and write an editorial.
Curated OER
Is That Expression in Your Voice Or Are You Just Happy To See Me?
Student increase their reading fluency through the use of various strategies. After reviewing decoding strategies, 3rd graders, working in groups, write sentences that could be read with expression. Each member of the group takes turns...
Curated OER
Philanthropy in Michigan???Civil War Lesson 2: Forming Opinions
Learners act out a section of the book Gentle Annie that is depicted in Chapter 4. They discuss the character position taken by each of the characters in the scene. They write a persuasive letter to one of the characters.
Curated OER
Water: Liquid or Solid?
First graders investigate how water can be both a liquid and a solid. They weigh popsicles and observe them as they write in their science journals. They measure the liquid as the popsicle melts and refreeze them to change them back...