There are more than 260 types of monkeys in the world. With the novel study for Wilson Rawls' Summer of the Monkeys, pupils research interesting facts about the banana-loving primates. They also practice exaggeration, write...

Only one character receives a name in William H. Armstrong's novel, Sounder—the dog! With the novel study, scholars explore the author's purpose in the unusual decision. They also write similes, answer comprehension and analysis...

A picture really can speak a thousand words—no matter how old! Scholars become history detectives as they learn how to analyze historical photos and evidence to uncover the past. The fun hands-on activity makes history come alive through...

First graders examine the lifestyle of classroom and family pets in their natural habitat. They determine the needs of plants and animals, and how those needs are met. They listen to read alouds, sing songs, and draw using computer based...

Young poets focus on one character from a story they are reading, collect details, and use a biopoem template to analyze this character. The activity can be used with any text.

Students watch a Biz Kidz video about money, learn what they can do with money, and fill out worksheets on what they learn. Students learn about spending, saving, donating, and investing.

Get to know your young scholars with this project. Each individual writes an autobiography that is at least seven pages long with major facts, visual facts, focal stories, and chronology. The lesson includes a point breakdown for the...

Young scholars design a quilt square to reflect their special memory. In this family heirlooms lesson, students read The Patchwork Quilt and discuss the importance of family involvement in creating a family heirloom. Young scholars write...

Students investigate family philanthropy. In this family philanthropy lesson, students review vocabulary such as community, family, service, volunteer, tradition, and caring. They listen to Valerie Flournoy's, The Patchwork Quilt. They...

In this reading a book at home worksheet, 1st graders read a book at home with a family member, draw a picture of what they story is mostly about and then write. in their own words, what the story is mostly about.

Students listen to the story The Littlest Matryoshka and sequence the story. In this sequencing lesson plan, students sequence the story and also make little dolls based on the story and write stories about them.

In this reading a book at home worksheet, 1st graders choose a book to read at home with a family member and then write what was the first thing that happened in the story, what happened in the middle and what happened in the end of the...

Students discuss famous examples of historical fiction as a genre and why it is used so often. They create an original piece of historical fiction by developing a character who is an immigrant to the United States. They are assessed...

In this spelling instructional activity, learners learn to spell 10 names of family relatives. Students write each word once, define the word "sibling" and write a short story about their family.

In this reading a book at home instructional activity, 1st graders choose a book to read at home with a family member and then answer 2 short answer questions about the book.

Young scholars explore the elements of a ghost story and cautionary tales. The story, "Encounter With a Skull" is read and used as a model for their own story creations. The values and belief systems of various cultures are examined.

Students interview, record, and retell school stories of a family member. They research, document, and describe how schools have changed over time.

Young scholars explore literature and art forms containing creatures that are part human and part animal, such as the Greek Sphinx, Neptune, or the Green Centaur. Individually, students write a poem or short story to create a character...

Students listen to the story Franklin Says I Love You by Paulette Bourgeois in order to discuss the meaning of the story and to focus on the concepts of love, kindness, and giving. In this lesson on manners, students discuss Franklin's...

Students observe their environment and write detailed, sensory-specific sentences about that environment. This lesson can be extended to include the creation of a personalized story or movie of the experience (student examples are...

Students identify and interpret what heroes are by researching various American heroes of the past. Students select several school heroes and interview them, as well as their own personal hero and write a story about them. Students...

Students interview a family member about their heritage. They listen to and record part of their family's oral history. Students also create and label a family tree going back a minimum of two generations and compare and contrast...

Learners write a first-person narrative from the perspective of a runaway slave, or a historical character of the period, and present their story orally.

Third graders demonstrate the ability to make an emotional connection to A Quilt Story.