Curated OER
Five Parts That Contribute to the Whole
Students listen to and read an online story. Then they use a graphic organizer to learn the basic story elements. They select another online story and create a graphic organizer for its story elements.
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Reading the Movies: Another Approach To Teaching Critical Thinking Skills And Writing
Students explore the elements of film to analyze character, action, and the themes in the movie, "Quiz Show." The lesson plan encourages students to make personal connections and real life applications as they view the movie, critically.
Curated OER
Perspectives on Written & Spoken English
Students explore issues surrounding language norms, including the distinction between prescriptive and descriptive norms, the differences between norms for spoken English and those for written English, how word meanings change, and...
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Study of an Artist
Fourth graders research an artist, write a short report and do an oral presentation.
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The Dream Factory
Students compare postcard samples from Los Angeles, CA and Austin, TX. They examine them to find common elements they share (tone, mood, romanticized themes, artistic elements, etc.) They create postcards to show the "real" Austin.
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Defining American Culture Photographic Parallels
High schoolers assess the diversity of the photographs taken by a Czech photographer, that illustrate how existed in 1920's Texas. Then students compare and contrast these photographs with more current photographs of Texans and evaluate...
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Reading Between the Lines: Making Inferences About Idioms
Learners discover idioms. In this inferencing lesson, students identify idioms from passages and infer meanings of unknown idioms using prior knowledge and experience. Learners write sentences using newly learned idioms.
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Persuasion
High schoolers explore the characteristics of a persuasive letter. They label each characteristic and they create a persuasive letter using the correct business letter format. Students recommend a school rule or change of a rule and...
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A Voyage of Endurance
Students apply the three different types of journal writing by composing one of each type on the subject of Shackleton's expedition to Antarctica. They also
write a dialectical journal summarizing the facts of the expedition and...
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Theatre- The Critic's Review
Students construct a critical review of a performance. In this theatrical lesson, students learn why critical reviews are important and create their own critical review. Students discuss their review.
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Book Education, Work and Play in One Building
Students gain an understanding as to how the development of different institutions can differ and evolve with time. This lesson focuses on the development of Gary, Indiana's schools in the early 1900's.
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Learning Festival ~ Book Buddies Visit High School
Students work together to develop a festival for book lovers. High schoolers work with young children and practice their reading. Traveling between reading stations, they focus on different reading standards. They act as role-models...
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Through the Odyssey, Lesson 3
Ninth graders create Powerpoint Presentation using information and assignments from previous two lessons. They compare Odysseus's obstacles with those from their own lives, and share slideshows with classmates.
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What Kind of Vessel Are You?
This is a strange question; but what kind of vessel would you be and why? After examining images of a large Inca jug, the class sets to writing a creative narrative that answers that very interesting question. They start by researching...
University of Southern California
Coming to America After the War
As part of their exploration of the American dream, class members examine primary source materials to compare immigrant experiences of those arriving early in our country's history to those arriving in the US after World War II. To...
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Our Nation's Natural Disasters
Sixth graders classify their regions' natural disaster(s). Within this lesson students enhance their research skills by utilizing different resources, as well as their writing skills by composing short research papers.
Curated OER
Twain: An American Humorist
Students examine American humor and character through analysis of works by Mark Twain. In this cross curricular lesson, students develop a definition of American humor and determine how and why some consider Twain the 'first truly...
Curated OER
Interesting Idioms
Pupils are introduced to the topic of idioms in figurative speech. Using the definition of idioms, they use literature to view examples. They identify idioms in different forms of writing and practice using them in speech. ESL classrooms...