Curated OER
Author's Purpose
How do you determine an author’s purpose? You ask the author, of course. Invite a local journalist into the class to respond to scripted student questions about his/her writing process. A review of basic classroom etiquette is also...
Curated OER
Using Details from Text to Identify Author's Purpose
Explore writing techniques by analyzing newspapers and magazines with middle schoolers. They will collaborate in small groups to read local news stories and identify the main ideas and author's intent. They also utilize an information...
Jessica Winston
Gingerbread Friends Lesson Plan Guide
Full of activities for Jan Brett's story "Gingerbread Friends," this resource will get your kids in the mood for some snacks, fortify their need for vocabulary, and fill their minds with story elements.
Curated OER
Write Right!
After watching part of a Club Write Kids video and discussing the editing process, each group of learners writes a letter to a favorite author. They ask for a copy of a page of manuscript that has gone through the editing process. Prior...
Curated OER
Language Arts: Awesome Authors Website
Students examine the writing techniques of professional authors and apply them to their own work. In pairs, they email authors to discover the tricks of the trade. Students create their own Website for their work.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Lesson 1: What Is the Purpose of the White House?
Pupils view images of presidents working and living at the White House. They list activities that take place at the White House and discuss the many purposes of the building.
Curated OER
Truth and Lies Games
Students participate in a get to know you activity. In this social instructional activity, students write three statements about themselves. One is true and the other is false. Students read their cards and their peers decide what is...
Curated OER
Because of Winn-Dixie Scrapbook
Here is a fun resource that your kids will love. While reading the book Because of Winn-Dixie, they analyze the story's main characters by creating an online scrapbook. The purpose is to have them identify character traits and use...
Curated OER
Cameras and Careers
Applying photography basics they learn for this project, first graders take pictures of an adult at work focusing on the tools used, the work site, and job responsibilities. After making a career book that includes photos and...
Classroom Adventures Program
Creating Characters
Examine character in depth. Over the course of these six lessons, learners explore their own character traits, determine the traits of characters in the books they read, practice comparing and contrasting, and collaborate in small groups...
Curated OER
Roman Numerals and Their History
Students identify Roman numerals and the history associated with them. In this historical number instructional activity, students investigate charts and photographs to discover the history of Roman numerals. Students bring a Roman...
Curated OER
Auto-Bio Poem
Students create an autobiographical poem. For this writing lesson, students write an eleven line autobiopoem after read the teacher's model. Students include their name, fears, and family in the poem.
Curated OER
Patty's Pumpkin Patch
Learners explore Halloween by examining pumpkins in class. In this pumpkin observation instructional activity, students discuss the method in which pumpkins are grown and the time line it takes a pumpkin to grow from a seed. Learners...
Curated OER
Under Construction
Young readers examine the elements of story structure that are included in all stories. They include these elements in their own written pieces. This phenomenally-designed plan has everything you need to easily implement it in your...
Curated OER
School News
Compile a school newsletter with your budding journalists! Use the school calendar to assign each learner a specific even to cover! Possible events include the science fair, sports games, concerts, talent shows, etc. This is a project...
Curated OER
Brazilian Animals
Students research the animals of Brazil. In this animal science lesson, students locate Brazil on a map and discuss the types of animals that can live in its tropical climate. They research a Brazilian Carnaval and see the roll the...
Curated OER
Valentine Candy Count
Students analyze a bag of Valentine candy to create a graph. In this graphing lesson, students make predictions, sort by color, record data and make a graph. Students discuss results and make generalizations. Students generate their own...
Curated OER
The Lorax
Third graders, while working in groups, identify five sets of words that rhyme in order to write and illustrate a storybook using rhyming words through a journal entry. They assess proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation in their...
Curated OER
Trees, Trees, Trees!
Students increase their awareness and knowledge of trees. They be involved within the world around them at home and at school and hopefully become caretakers of their environment. They adopt a tree of their choice and research it.
Curated OER
The Battle to Save Bats
Students investigate the disease that is causing the global decline of bats. In this animal health lesson, students read an article which discusses white-nose syndrome, the number one killer of bats. Students discuss ways to keep bats...
Curated OER
School News
Students create a video of school news to improve writing skills, speaking skills, questioning skills, and to help build self esteem.
Curated OER
Trees, Trees, Trees! - Adopt A Tree
Students adopt a tree, take a bark rubbing from that tree, and conduct research about that type of tree. They write an original piece about their tree using three facts and in a genre of their choice.
Curated OER
Bookmaking
Students make and assemble parts of a book, read and respond to classmates' work, read aloud from their own book of poetry. They use the writing process and written language skills, participation in fine arts experiences, appropriate and...
Curated OER
Dear Character
Students think about a character and how this character feels about life. This lesson can be used with virtually any grade level. They better explain a character, and identify character traits.