Curated OER
W. Eugene Smith: Photojournalism and Compassion
Students examine the work of the photojournalist W. Eugene Smith. They analyze photo-essays by Smith, construct a pinhole camera, and create their own photo-essay.
California Department of Education
What Occupation Interests Me?
Is the secret to success turning an interest into a career? Eleventh graders explore the occupation-interest connection in a career education lesson. Individuals first take an interest inventory and then create a presentation about a...
Curated OER
Order! Order!
Polish organization skills in your youngsters. With this lesson, they are introduced to the trait of organization and participate in activities that reinforce organization. They cut apart a familiar story, receive different parts of the...
National Gallery of Art
Van Gogh’s Self-Portraits
Scholars get to know famous Dutch painter, Vincent van Gogh, as an artist as well as a person. After reading personal letters and analyzing paintings, participants paint two self-portraits that represent their personality. Then, write a...
Curated OER
Positive Experiences
Ask your learners to reflect and write with this learning exercise. This activity asks pupils to write about positive experiences - times when they have displayed positive qualities such as courage, kindness, wisdom, and determination....
Curated OER
Word Search: Personal Character Traits
In this character education word search activity, students locate 15 words. All are positive character traits. This puzzle is in the shape of a lock and key.
Curated OER
Self-Esteem, Advocacy, Media Literacy
Students recognize their strengths and personality traits. As a class, they discuss and brainstorm qualities a professional organization may look for in a company representative. They observe a commercial and determine the intended...
Curated OER
Punnett Squares
Eighth graders take a short quiz on genotypes and phenotypes. As a class, they are introduced to the concept of Punnett Squares and listen to a description of Gregor Mendel's pea experiment. In groups, they complete Punnett Squares to...
Curated OER
Personality Collage
Young scholars trace their profile on their poster board by projecting their shadow onto the poster board. OR students may lie on the ground on a very large piece of paper and trace around themselves with a pencil.
Curated OER
Personal / Group Magazine
Sixth graders complete the magazine template in the Macmillan "Writer's Journal" available through the basic skills department using word processing, spreadsheet, graphic, and electronic resource (i.e.-Internet) skills
Curated OER
Choose Your Words Wisely
Improve word choice! Writers use dictionaries and thesauruses to aid them in choosing exciting words to incorporate in their writing. They rewrite sentences and practice identifying words that can be replaced using a better word. Flip...
Curated OER
Check Comprehension and Apply Writing
Elementary schoolers practice the skill of non-fiction writing. They study aspects of the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa, and write an essay which describes the tower and it's fascinating history. The article about the tower is included in...
Curated OER
A Tough Act to Follow
Students take on the role of impersonators as they identify the distinctive human traits that comedians and imitators single out in order to do their jobs.
Curated OER
Genes and Inheritance
Learners explore genes and inheritance. After listening to a story describing a rare genetic disease, students discuss inheritance and how living things pass on traits to their children. In groups learners, students decipher code...
Kenan Fellows
Unit 4: Bioethics and the Future of Biotechnology
What's the future of biotechnology? Explore a hot topic in the fourth and final unit in a series of Biotechnology lessons. Learners develop an understanding of the many issues in bioethics, then create an argument for or against the role...
Curated OER
Discovering Our Legacy of Giving
Seventh graders examine the characteristics of philanthropists. In this cross- curricular instructional activity, 7th graders evaluate the character traits of people from a film. Students write a metaphor about responsibility to community.
Curated OER
Writing Author's Purpose
Write in all three authorial purposes (persuasive, informational, entertaining) with this instructional activity. Young writers consider a time when a friend of theirs helped them out and gave them advice on something. They write a short...
Curated OER
Break the Code: Anthropology Terms
Spice up your study of basic anthropology terms using this decoding worksheet. Using a provided code, learners answer 10 fill-in-the-blank questions. Because the code is very simple, more advanced pupils may enjoy the challenge of...
Curated OER
Harriet The Spy
Fourth graders investigate the style of diary writing as its own genre of literature. They read Harriet The Spy in order to have a text for this literature study. Students use the skill of prediction to preview the story, and then...
Curated OER
A Cat's Life
Students construct a timeline of a panther's life. Students decorate their timeline with illustrations and words, or they can choose to have it orally read to the class. Students use the computer to construct their time-lines. Students...
Curated OER
Young Author Books: I Am a Leaf on My Family Tree
Fourth graders create family tree books. They discuss culture and brainstorm interview questions for family members. They write stories, poems, and captions for family photos. They interview family members and assemble the interviews...