Desert Discoveries
How Old is Old? (And, How Much is a Million?)
Here is an interesting instructional activity on how old things are designed for young scientists. In it, learners compile a list of their birthdays, and the class puts them in sequential order from youngest to oldest. Then, they...
Desert Discoveries
Bird and Feather Features
Ornithology is the study of birds, and young scientists do just that with an interesting science lesson. They identify the parts of a bird, realize that birds have different types of beaks, wings, and feet, and take a close look at bird...
BBC
Sorting and Using Materials
First and second graders see that everyday objects are made from a variety of materials. They interact with objects such as keys, plastic spoons, a wooden ruler, a towel, and a plastic bag. A discussion ensues which leads them to...
Illustrative Mathematics
A Pencil and a Sticker
How much do a pencil and sticker cost? Youngsters use a bar diagram to find the cost of a sticker that is twenty cents less than the cost of a pencil. Given the prices, learners must find the cost of the sticker in order to find the cost...
Curated OER
Writing Process- Narrative Writing
Graphic organizers are a wonderful tool for young writers to use to help them get their thoughts in order for a piece of writing. Here, learners are coached on what a piece of narrative writing is, and how they must have a distinct...
Curated OER
Writing to a Specific Topic
After a class discussion where learners make predictions about what will happen in a book based on its cover illustration, pupils are asked to compose a written response about an aspect of the story and include some of their own...
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Fraction Strips
Identify, compare, and order fractions with a hands-on learning tool. Fraction strips are a great way to help young mathematicians understand and visualize fraction values. The worksheet can be made into an activity in which pupils cut...
Curated OER
YMCA With a Twist
Skip, march, do some jumping jacks! These are the basic moves in this version of the "YMCA" dance. There are some new poses for each of the letters. Watch the video and learn the new poses, or just use the video to teach the dance to...
Curated OER
Scattered Square Dance
Take a good, square look at this introductory square dancing lesson. Each square dance move has what is termed a "call." Teach some beginning calls to your young dancers. They can be scattered around so that their focus is on learning...
Curated OER
Cool Line
This dance activity focuses on lots of arm movements. Arm circles, raise-the-roof, swinging arms, and clapping are the main arm movements. There is movement stepping right and stepping left as well as steps forward and steps backward. It...
Curated OER
This Land is Your Land Shaker Routine
Shake it up! Give each dancer two hand-held shakers of any kind. If your class doesn't have any shakers, do a project and make your own. Small containers with lids, some rice or dried beans, and glue or tape to seal the lids shut. Teach...
Curated OER
Raise the Roof
There are only four different dance moves to teach in this activity. Each move is done for eight-counts. First is pushing the hands above the head, second is a combination of moving the arms and shrugging the shoulders. Third is doing a...
Curated OER
Building a Case for Clues
Here's a strategy that can be used with any narrative, whether read by the instructor or as independent reading. At the end of each chapter, learners predict, using prior knowledge as clues, what will happen in the next chapter. Readers...
Curated OER
Jingle Bell Dance With the Crazy Frogs
Skater's Glide, Reindeer Stomps, Skiers, and Snow Shoe Marches are the four types of dance steps in this activity. Find the Crazy Frog version of "Jingle Bells" and teach these dance moves. There is a video included so take a look at it...
Curated OER
Santa Claus is Coming to Town
Take a look at this simple, easy line dance. Forward steps, backward steps, jumps, and grapevines. Shake arms, shake hands, and clap! Put this all together and dance to "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" by Mariah Carey. A nice little...
Curated OER
Imitation
Young children can learn quite a bit by imitating. And here is a simple lesson that allows them to do just that by playing some follow-the-leader games. First, they all sit on the floor and imitate the way you slap your thighs and clap...
Curated OER
Fun Dance
"Fun Dance" is a 32-count dance of some very basic dance moves. Walking forward, walking backward, grapevines left, grapevines right, some punching arm moves, and some swimming arm moves. Put on some upbeat music and get movin'.
Curated OER
To The Beat
This activity is two-fold in that it addresses having youngsters get a feel for different rhythms in music and in practicing their underhand tossing skills. Gather all kinds of equipment to throw, such as: yarn balls, spider balls, and...
Curated OER
Fun Bones
Use the hokey pokey music to teach the names of some of the major bones in the human body. Circle up, put on the music, and put your right radius in. Use this in an anatomy class to spice things up a bit!
Curated OER
Rock This Party
Watch this video to learn the line dance steps that are performed to the song "Rock This Party" by Bob Sinclair. The written directions are a little confusing but after watching the video it all makes sense. This is a 32-count dance that...
Curated OER
Feeling Left Out
Youngsters use puppets and role playing to explore how they feel when excluded by their peers. They brainstorm ways to feel better when this happens and how to avoid excluding others. There's nothing worse than feeling excluded or left...
Curated OER
Teaching Locomotor Skills and Directions With a Circle Line Dance
Teach this circle line dance to focus on locomotor skills and directions. Which way is clockwise and which way is counter clockwise? The steps in this dance are very basic: grapevine, sliding, hopping, jumping. Put these steps together...
Curated OER
Use Your Senses
Kids love to guess what's hidden in the bag! This classic lesson allows them to do just that by using two of their senses: their sense of touch and their sense of hearing. Objects are hidden inside a sock, and pupils must guess what they...
Curated OER
Appreciation Cards
Showing appreciation for those who help them is an important skill for youngsters to acquire. This lesson helps them do just that by having them make appreciation cards for people. The card reads...."2, 4, 6, 8....Who Do I Appreciate?"...