Curated OER
Oh, Say, Can You See What the Star-Spangled Banner Means?
Students research the historical inspiration for the lyrics of the "The Star Spangled Banner". They explore websites, read articles and analyze poetry in an examination of America's patriotic symbols and history.
Curated OER
Onomatopoeia
This mini-activity on onomatopoeia introduces the device through a poem and definition. It culminates in drawing an element of nature with the sound associated with it written across the picture.
Curated OER
Out of the Dust: Biopoem
As part of their study of Out of the Dust, readers create a biopoem for one of the characters in Karen Hesse's 1998 Newbery Medal winning verse novel.
Curated OER
Tennessee Cities Word Jumble
In this word jumble worksheet, students unscramble the letters to spell cities in the state of Tennessee. Students spell 10 cities.
Curated OER
Landmine Poetry
Young scholars create a variety of poems based on information they gather about the worldwide landmine crisis. They create shape poems, diamante poems and acrostic poems. This is a very nice lesson on poetry, with a strong tie-in to the...
Curated OER
Memorial Day Word Jumble
In this Memorial Day worksheet, students unscramble a set of Memorial Day related words. Worksheet has links to additional activities.
California Academy of Science
Poetic Reflections
Poetry is a wonderful way to explore language, express topical understanding, and incite creative thinking. After a trip to the local natural history museum (or zoo), learners write an acrostic or a cinquain poem describing one of their...
Carolina K-12
Affrilachia
What makes a culture unique? Learners research life in the Appalachia region of the United States. Poetry, music, and oral history create Affrilachia, the term used to describe the lifestyle of the area. African-American mountain culture...
Curated OER
Who Am I? (Intermediate Grades)
Students write "Guess Who?" poems in a descriptive manner. They listen to the poems as they are read aloud and try to guess who the poem belongs to.
Curated OER
Out of the Dust
Students create a poem that expresses the physical and emotional turmoil of living through the Dust Bowl. In this Out of the Dust lesson, students research facts about the time period and discuss the cause-effect patterns associated...
Curated OER
Georgia Cities Word Jumble
In this Georgia cities worksheet, students unscramble the letters in 12 names of cities in the state of Georgia. Students write the city names on the lines.
Curated OER
Cinquain
Students use poetry Cinquain to help review nouns, adjectives, verbs, and synonyms. They follow up by composing their own Cinquain.
Curated OER
Bloody Business
Students research word frequencies in Macbeth and create a frozen picture inspired by a word. For this Macbeth lesson, students view Blood Will Have Blood and discuss the dual meaning of the word "blood." Students identify five major...
Curated OER
Big Cat Classification
First graders discover the different names and classifications of big cats by using word processing applications. In this animal life lesson, 1st graders investigate one big cat and create a database of facts about it using an word...
Curated OER
Spenser, Shakespeare, and the "Blazon": Lesson 4
Students discuss the meaning and tone of Shakespeare's Sonnet 130. In this sonnets lesson, students compare Spenser's sonnets to Shakespeare's. Students discuss specific words that add to the humor in Shakespeare's sonnet, paying close...
Curated OER
A Sneaky Poem
Third graders incorporate a subject and its synonym, and the parts of speech to create a Sneaky Poem. After a lecture/demo, 3rd graders begin writing their poems, and have their classmates act as peer reviewers before final submission.
Curated OER
Poetry Book
Students study the following terms and concepts: word choice, dialect, invented words, concrete terms, abstract terms, figurative and sensory language. In cooperative groups, they select three of the terms, research them, and pick poems...
Curated OER
Post-It Poetry
Seventh graders explore how to spice up their work using vivid words and images. Afte a lecture/demo, 7th graders try their hand at writing poetry using a lot of adjectives and vivid verbs.
Curated OER
Images of Maine: Poetry
Students read and evaluate several poems from various Maine authors such as Longfellow, Booth and Millay. They discuss the images of Maine and its people that are related in these poems and compare them to their own ideas of Maine...
Curated OER
The Nature of Haiku Poetry
Students brainstorm elements of nature art prints and photos. They identify the syllable count of Haiku and take a nature walk. They write Haiku poems while practicing the use of simile, alliteration, metaphor, and analogy to describe...
Poets.org
Ghosts and Spirits
Connect poetry to a naturally kid-friendly topic: ghosts! Draw on your class's prior knowledge of the paranormal to help them access the classic poem "Haunted House" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. After a fun warm-up activity describing...
Curated OER
Christmas Games
Your class will practice language and dialog skills by playing games associated with Christmas through these lesson ideas. Learners practice English conversation skills while simultaneously acquiring insight into their new culture. Games...
Curated OER
What's So Bad or Good About Conflict?
Learners of all ages discuss how conflict can be negative and positive. First, they create a class bulletin board about conflict, and provide their thoughts and connotations surrounding the word. In a class discussion, they ask questions...
Curated OER
Healthy Heart Night
The idea of having a Healthy Heart Night at your school is a fabulous thought. Here are a few ideas that detail was done at one elementary school. It would take a lot of organizing to make it happen, but seems well worth the effort. This...