State University of New York
Going Back in Time Using “George Washington’s Socks”
After reading Elvira Woodruff's George Washington's Socks, young readers and writers embark upon writing their own historically based story, with a focus on developing ideas and details throughout the piece. In small groups, class...
Curated OER
Robinson Crusoe Island Adventure
After reading and describing the characters, setting, and plot in The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, class members write original Island Adventure narrative pieces including detailed descriptions of people, places, and things. Afterward,...
Curated OER
Beanie Friend Vacation Stories
Students write an adventure story about their vacation with a Beanie friend. They select a city, research its vacation possibilities and write about the places that they would like to visit.
Curated OER
The Mayflower Story Up-Close and Personal
Young scholars gain a deeper understanding of what the early colonists experienced in search of a new life in America while giving them a taste of historical methodology. This is an engaging way to assess what your students know about...
Curated OER
Frontier Life Story
Learners undertake a similar (but not quite as drastic) adventure as that of Frontier House as they explore the day-to-day realities of frontier life through a Laura Ingalls Wilder story, and reflect on which time period suits them...
PBS
Mark Twain: Storyteller, Novelist, and Humorist
Scholars investigate the use of satire in Mark Twain's writing. Literary lovers research the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer, political cartoons, and videos to see how Twain uses satire to make the stories more memorable....
Curated OER
Choose Your Own Adventure
Learners investigate the historical underground railroad. They also access technology to conduct research and write stories with the railroad as part of the historical fiction. The cumulative assessment is the creation of a book that...
Mary Pope Osborne, Classroom Adventures Program
Mummies in the Morning Egyptian pyramids, hieroglyphics
Visit the Magic Treehouse and take your class on a trip through time with a reading of the children's book Mummies in the Morning. Using the story to spark an investigation into Egyptian culture, this literature unit engages...
Curated OER
Native Americans of Our Region
Students describe the life of a Native American tribe native to their area. They form small groups and visit stations in the classroom to read about various Native American tribes. They write journal entries and draw pictures of the...
Curated OER
THE TRAVELS OF BABAR: An Adventure in Scales
Students locate and identify the seven continents. They use longitude and latitude in establishing a location. Students enhance the knowledge of geographical location with cultures. Individuals or small groups research multiple aspects...
Curated OER
THE ORPHAN OF ELLIS ISLAND: A TIME TRAVEL ADVENTURE
Fourth graders read the book together and imagine what it was like to come through Ellis Island as an immigrant to the United States. They write a story describing the process at Ellis Island from a first person perspective. They share...
Curated OER
Easter Egg Disaster: A Harry & Emily Adventure
In this reading comprehension worksheet, students read a one paragraph story about coloring Easter eggs. Students then answer 10 short-response questions. Finally, students solve 3 logical reasoning queries related to the reading.
Curated OER
The Faithful Friend
Students work in co-op groups to create a Reader's Theater production of the story. Students create a flow map that sequences the major events in the story. Students research the island of Martinique and create a travel brochure...
Curated OER
The Magic School Bus in the Time of the Dinosaurs
Students draw names of dinosaurs out of a hat and write a report about the one they picked. Students write a riddle about their favorite prehistoric animal, post it on a bulletin board, and have other guess which animal it is about....
Curated OER
Flat Stanley Travels to U.S. Regions
Fourth Graders read the book Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown. In the story a bulletin board flattens the main character. He is then sent in an envelope to a friend in California. During a fantasy genre language arts unit, groups of students...
National First Ladies' Library
Finding Treasure Island; An Exciting Escape
Young scholars read Treasure Island. They have a choice of a number of activities associated with the novel, including writing a review of the book. Students also participate in a National Geographic High Seas Adventure, going on an...
Curated OER
A View from Overhead
Students explore the concept of mapping. Using given illustrations, students observe views of a park from above the ground. They compare and contrast the different views. Students discuss uses for maps. Using a resource from the...
Curated OER
Prepare for a Field Trip
Students write a journal exercise that relates to preparing for a trip. They make a visual map to generate ideas about things to see, do and learn during the field trip. They assign roles for different tasks that need to be performed...
Curated OER
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Students read "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." After observing the illustrations and previewing chapter titles, students predict what will happen in the story. They research and contact chocolate companies to gather information on...
Curated OER
Tales of Truman's Travels Fifty Years Ago
Fourth graders study President Truman and the Whistlestop Campaign. In this US history lesson, 4th graders complete a KWL about President Truman and write letters to stops on Truman's Whistlestop Campaign. Students create a presentation...
Curated OER
Moose Traveler
Students collaborate and write a story about a Moose that travels across country. The adventure would take place in their state and each chapter would include information about the state. Other schools across the states could participate...
National First Ladies' Library
Who Wants to be a Pioneer?
Students write a story based on their research of the Oregon Trail. Using the Internet and traditional sources, they engage in research about pioneer's experiences on the Oregon Trail during westward expansion. Students write a story...
Curated OER
A Pioneer Journal
Fourth graders take on the persona of a pioneer boy or girl. They write a fictional series of journal entries describing, from a child's view, some of the events, hardships and adventures of the trek west
Curated OER
On Top of the World
Students listen to excerpts from an autobiography about the first blind man to reach the summit of Mt. Everest. They discuss Erik Weihenmayer's life, and write a bio-poem using a bio-poem formula.