Curated OER
Beginning With Writing; Convey Ideas in Writing
Walk young writers through the process of creating an initial writing sample for their portfolio. They determine their purpose, organize their ideas, and then create a draft. The lesson includes worksheets and online resources to aid in...
Curated OER
Writing Interesting Sentences
Help your class build their own 20-word sentences with this step-by-step guide designed to enhance sentence depth, interest, and variety in the work of young writers. They complete five basic SVO sentences using a given word bank. Then...
Oakland Unified School District
Class Animal Report
Whether preparing your second graders for an expository writing proficiency assessment or just planning on introducing the writing process, this 37-page packet is for you. The unit has everything you need from scripted lessons to...
Curated OER
Letter Writing Basics
Students write a business letter with information regarding specific writing mechanics. In this writing instructional activity, students learn to write a business letter and they focus on one area of concern. Students follow a business...
Curated OER
Walk in My Shoes: A Shoe's Perspective
Help learners write a creative story from the viewpoint of a shoe. The teacher brings a variety of different types of shoes to the classroom and each person chooses one. They then write a story from the point of view of the shoe,...
Art Institute of Chicago
Send a Postcard
Using Claude Monet's On the Bank of the Seine as inspiration, young artists create their own postcards. During the lesson, learners discuss the techniques used in Monet's painting, as well as the woman in the painting, and learn how to...
Curated OER
Doctor DeSoto's Foxy Persuasion
Who is Doctor DeSoto? Start by playing a video clip (included). Discuss different methods of persuasion, and then analyze two different persuasive letter examples. What should your class be looking for? Send them off to work in groups...
Curated OER
Preparing to Write
Students practice writing techniques by creating a draft of a story. In this creative writing lesson, students discuss organizational techniques writers use to plan out a story they wish to write. Students have the option to write...
Curated OER
Learning to Analyze Characters
Students discover writing strategies authors use to enhance characters. In this character writing activity, students are read the Knuffle Bunny books by Mo Willems and analyze the story, characters and settings as they listen. Students...
Curated OER
Getting Hooked, Introduction for a Narrative
How can you interest your reader? Here is a great lesson on reading and discussing the characteristics of a narrative. Elementary schoolers explore writing techniques to hook the reader. They identify their hook and share their...
NWT Literacy Council
How to Kit: Readers Theatre
Immerse your class in a good story with an extensive resource featuring reader's theater techniques. The worksheets are designed for both teacher and student, and carefully explain how to organize, write, and perform stories in a...
Curated OER
A Conventional Family
Students explore writing techniques by analyzing their own families. In this family values lesson, students view the film "The Incredibles" in class and discuss the different types of modern-day families. Students write about their...
Curated OER
Pizza Biography
A biography writing lesson plan with a tasty twist! Kids create a "visual biography" in which each pizza slice represents a paragraph, and toppings represent supporting details. They learn research techniques, note-taking skills, and how...
Berkshire Museum
Adopt a Schoolyard Tree
Help young scientists connect with nature and learn about trees with a fun life science lesson. Heading out into the school yard, children choose a tree to adopt, taking measurements, writing descriptions, and drawing sketches of it in...
Curated OER
D'Nealian Writing Practice- Color Words
In this spelling and art writing practice activity, students follow the dots to write color words. They use the D'Nealian technique to write the words red, blue, yellow, green, orange, purple, and brown thee times each.
Curated OER
For the Birds
Second graders observe, identify, and document birds sighted at the library feeder station. They observe and document birds in order to begin their birder's life list. They apply scientific concepts and principles by using library...
Curated OER
Thankful List
Students practice using free association as a pre-writing technique as they list things that they are thankful for. They share the lists of words and apply them when they write a descriptive essay or poem after identifying commonalities...
Curated OER
Dinosaur Stomp
Second graders write a dinosaur poem using information from a research activity. For this dinosaur poetry and music lesson, 2nd graders listen to the book Saturday Night at the Dinosaur Stomp in music class. They work in small groups to...
Curated OER
Water Wonders
Students explore hydrology concepts. In this environment and biology instructional activity, students identify and describe macroinvertebrates using a variety of pictures and resources. Students observe and write about a classroom...
Curated OER
Honing in on Hummingbirds
Students explore ruby-throated hummingbirds. In this cross-curricular hummingbirds lesson plan, students listen to the book The Mystery of the Missing Hummingbirds and choose related topics to research with a partner. Students draw or...
Florida Center for Reading Research
Multiple Meaning Words in Context
Multiple meaning words is the focus of a instructional activity designed to reinforce the use of context clues. Scholars listen carefully to a variety of sentences using the words pool and cast to decide which definition best fits the...
Curated OER
Introduction to Ludwig van Beethoven
"Ode to la Tortilla" and "Ode to Joy"? Sure! Use Gary Soto's poem to introduce learners to the ode format. After examining the descriptive words Soto uses, class members study a poster of Ludwig van Beethoven, suggest words that describe...
Curated OER
Subtracting with Regrouping
Second graders explore math functions by completing a worksheet in class. In this subtraction lesson, 2nd graders identify the techniques used to assist in subtracting multi-digit numbers. Students complete a subtraction worksheet and...
Curated OER
Dinosaur Party
Students explore dinosaurs. For this dinosaurs lesson, students view a PowerPoint presentation and write 2 or 3 facts about their favorite dinosaur. Students sculpt a figure of this dinosaur using modeling clay. Students participate...