After discussing the artistic elements and design process needed to construct the modern sculpture, Lao Tzu, kids get logical. They consider the purposeful use of space in the sculpture, design a modern piece for a specific space at...

Who wouldn't love to get a letter from a blue bird? Elementary art enthusiasts analyze the social and historical context of Ason Yellowhair's Navajo piece, Bird and Cornstalk Rug. They examine the construction and images on the rug...

What's the best way to discuss a problem or concern with a professor? Using a helpful PowerPoint, scholars learn how to use e-mail to communicate effectively with their instructors. They discover good and bad e-mail topics, appropriate...

Having good written communication skills is a must in today's workplace. Foster these skills by engaging learners is a discussion on how good writing skills can improve communication in the workplace. Have them write a project proposal...

Young authors examine a clay figure in order to learn about the 6+1 Trait writing process. They consider how the art was made or buit up step-by-step, they then write about a process in their own lives that occurs in a similar way. 

Help your autistic learners to create a story and publish a book. They write simple stories, then turn their stories into books. A picture is drawn for each page of the book and the story is written below. Note: This is a good activity...

After reading an interesting article comparing the disputed presidential election of 1877 to a similar event in the year 2000, kids blog a response. They read the article, check out the embedded links, then respond to four related...

A pre-made letter is ideal for parents to use if their child is being bullied. The template comes with a brief overview for implementation, as well as two separate 504 and IEP templates to address bullying instances. Use the document...

Unlike mathematics, statistics comes with a context. The author reminds teachers that data analysis involves using the context to make sense of the numbers. The article stresses good communication skills by highlighting the scoring...

A student has failed an important exam. What's the best way for a teacher to break the news? A useful PowerPoint introduces professors to strategies for proper e-mail etiquette. Using the presentation, instructors learn how to correspond...

What do you use a brochure for? Middle schoolers or underperforming high schoolers identify the attributes of informative brochures. Either bring in a few brochures you've collected or use the sample brochures attached here. While...

Investigate letters to the editor and their persuasive qualities. Break your class into reading groups and give each one a different article. As they read, they complete a graphic organizer to record their thoughts and opinions. There is...

Use literacy tools to select precise vocabulary. High schoolers respond to discussion questions that require them to consider the denotation and connotation of words. They then read non-fiction passages and identify words in the passages...

Understanding propaganda is very similar to understanding advertising's influence on an audience. Teach learners all about effective propaganda tactics by analyzing posters from World War I. Pupils work together to make their own posters...

Write friendly letters to your classmates! Pupils randomly choose the name of a classmate to write a letter to. (Consider assigning each learner a classmate instead to ensure that each person receives a letter.) Before writing, discuss...

Students put themselves in the shoes of American Civil War soldiers. In this Civil War lesson, students examine letters from the time period written by soldiers, edit the letters for grammatical errors, and then present the letters to...

Students discover how to write fables. In this writing skill lesson, students review the literary elements of fables and take all of the steps in the writing process to create their own fables.

Learners with autism face many challenges. Help them to meet these challenges with a packet loaded with practical suggestions, activities, and materials.

Is interacting with people from different backgrounds part of a well-rounded education? A big question awaits young readers as they explore two New York Times articles that discuss modern-day segregation, population statistics, and...

Fifth graders analyze the Mayan culture. In this Mayan culture lesson plan, 5th graders study the Mayan culture noting similarities and differences between the Mayan culture and their own. Students examine hieroglyphic writing and the...

Students compose persuasive essays. In this written communication lesson plan, students follow the provided steps to prewrite, draft, and present persuasive essays on topics of their choosing. Rubrics and graphic organizers are provided.

Students compose expository essays. In this written communication lesson, students examine paragraphs from sample expository essays and then discuss the attributes of well-written essays prior to writing their own expository essays.

Students take a closer look at the organization of written pieces. In this writing skills lesson, students examine transitions, repetition, parallelism, and other organizational patterns in writing.