Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduce Vocabulary: Franklin Goes to School (Bourgeois)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Join Franklin the turtle at school as youngsters learn new vocabulary in the context of Paulette Bourgeois' story (or apply this strategy to any book). Scholars are acquainted with new words before reading and raise hands when...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduce Vocabulary: Franklin's New Friend (Bourgeois)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Franklin the turtle makes a new friend as youngsters learn vocabulary in context using Paulette Bourgeois' story (tip: this strategy can be applied to any book). Brief kids on the new words so they can raise their hands when they...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduce Vocabulary: Grandfather's Journey (Say)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Read Allen Say's classic tale Grandfather's Journey as scholars expand their vocabulary in context (note: this strategy could be done with any text). Wondering what words they will learn here? Although you could easily include...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduce Vocabulary: Have You Seen Bugs? (Oppenheim)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Are your scholars interested in bugs? Get future entomologists excited about vocabulary through Joanne Oppenheim's colorful book Have You Seen Bugs? They use the informational text (although this strategy is useful for any book) to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduce Vocabulary: Make Way for Ducklings (McCloskey)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Use the Caldecott Award-winning book Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey (which can be found on YouTube if you don't have it) to guide budding readers through vocabulary in context. Although the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduce Vocabulary: Arthur's New Puppy (Brown)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Learn new words as you read Marc Brown's story, Arthur's New Puppy. This is focused as a vocabulary-in-context activity (though this strategy could be used with any book and set of words). Introduce the new words you will focus on:...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introducing Vocabulary: Christopher Columbus (Weinberger)

For Teachers K - 3rd
The story of Christopher Columbus has fascinated young historians for centuries; use this vocabulary-in-context strategy to dive into Kimberly Weinberger's picture book about this classic explorer. Begin by introducing the new words:...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduce Vocabulary: Cross a Bridge (Hunter)

For Teachers K - 3rd
What does suspension mean? Learn this and other bridge-related vocabulary as scholars listen to Ryan Ann Hunter's nonfiction book, Cross a Bridge. This strategy can be applied to any book. Before reading, acquaint pupils...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduce Vocabulary: Doctor DeSoto (Steig)

For Teachers K - 3rd
William Steig's story of a witty mouse couple will have scholars intrigued as they listen for new vocabulary words and context clues. Doctor DeSoto can be found on YouTube in case you don't have it. Emerging readers expand...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduce Vocabulary: Happy Birthday, Moon (Asch)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Can you wish the moon a happy birthday? Beginning readers contemplate this as they listen to Frank Asch's book Happy Birthday, Moon, the context for a vocabulary study. There are three words outlined here: chat,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduce Vocabulary: Smoky Night (Bunting)

For Teachers Pre-K - 2nd
Experience the Los Angeles Riots through the eyes of a child in Even Bunting's poignant story Smoky Night. Use this text as you teach vocabulary in context, using comprehension questions to help scholars make connections to outside...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Mitten

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Explore children's literature by researching a book and it's author. Youngsters read the story The Mitten by Jan Brett and discuss the animals and characters mentioned in the story. Then, they practice retelling their favorite portion of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Chocolate Graphing

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Chocolate lovers develop a bar graph based on the types of chocolate the class likes. They participate in The Art of Chocolate at The Hershey Story before they make a bar graph that shows the favorite chocolate types of their class. They...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduce Vocabulary: Clouds (Bauer)

For Teachers K - 3rd
What type of cloud is that? Explore meteorological vocabulary using Marion Bauer's book, Clouds (although these strategies could be used for any fiction or nonfiction text). Pre-teach the new words before reading the story...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduce Vocabulary: Dandelion (Freeman)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Dandelion the lion is dapper and elegant; young readers learn these and more vocabulary words as they read Don Freeman's story Dandelion (hint: this strategy can be applied to any book). Familiarize pupils with the new words...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Picture This

For Teachers K - 4th
A unique writing lesson, this plan begins with learners talking about multiculturalism in small groups. Each learner will choose a picture from a newspaper, describe it to their small group, and think about how it relates to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pablita Indian Legends

For Teachers K - 3rd
Scholars are introduced to the characteristics of a legend. They read and discuss Old Father Story Teller by Pablita Velarde. Then, in groups, they write and illustrate a poem based on one of the legends from the book. This lesson plan...
Lesson Plan
PBS

Arguing over Area

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd Standards
With the help of the Area Officers and Perimeter Patrol, you learners will develop a better understanding of area and its relationship to perimeter. First, they view a video clip from Cyberchase, and then they visit a website to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Find The Hidden Message: Media Literacy in Primary Grades

For Teachers K - 2nd
Learners practice listening to and reading various types of media and text. In groups, learners use video, newspapers, magazines, and more to compare and contrast different types of information. They identify the differences between fact...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Quilt Squares-Literature Reporting

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Differentiate instruction with this crafty approach to demonstrating comprehension. Learners choose a fictional book at their reading level, and afterward create a quilt square. The square is "decorated" with words, illustrations, and...
Lesson Plan
Tech Museum of Innovation

Balloon Astronaut

For Teachers 2nd - 8th Standards
Design protection from high-speed particles. The STEM lesson plan highlights why astronauts need protection from space debris. Pupils use the design process to design, build, and test a spacesuit that will protect a balloon from a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Infamous W Gang & Lonely H

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Learners remember that the main purpose of reading is to comprehend what they have read as they read a section in their history book with the expectation that they answer questions at the end. They answer comprehension questions using...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Give Me the Facts!

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Pupils study how to summarize a reading passage to improve their comprehension. They read a non-fiction passage and use five steps to summarize it while working in groups of three. Next, as class, they decide which group provided the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Shh! I am Trying to Read!

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students explore the advantages of being able to read silently. They then review a "stuck on a word" strategy using context clues to determine meanings of unknown words. They then practice reading silently and the teacher assesses for...