Curated OER
Identify Intended Media Messages
How does media convey different messages? Use this lesson to explore media by identifying and analyzing selected images. Middle schoolers analyze a poster and discuss the intended meaning of the imagery and how it makes them feel. They...
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Become an Expert
Students are assigned a separate species of plant or bird to research. Using a worksheet, they are responsible for finding a variety of information on their assigned plant or bird. They also complete a mini-poster and give an oral...
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Mathematical Magazines
Pupils classify and tabulate the type of advertisements found in a collection of magazines. Determination is made on what percent of the total number of ads each type represents. They present their results orally and in a graph.
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Creating a Consumer-Awareness Information Campaign
Students work across grade levels to research and design a community awareness campaign on the benefits of purchasing fair trade chocolate. They develop print advertisements, conduct research, write letters, make posters and prepare oral...
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Twisting Versions of Little Red Riding Hood
Students read orally two versions of Little Red Riding Hood (Classic and Cajun) They compare and contrast the two Little Red Riding Hood versions. Students create a concept map to demonstrate the comparisons/contrasts. They could also...
Core Knowledge Foundation
Rocks & Minerals
Take young geologists on an exploration of the rock cycle with this six-lesson earth science unit on rocks and minerals. Through a series of discussions, demonstrations, and hands-on investigations your class will learn about the...
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Poetry
Fifth graders preview different poetry selections form different poets to narrow their criteria for a favorite poem. They use the web and written sources to find a favorite poem and then give an oral interpretation of their poem in class...
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Black History Month
Students work in cooperative pairs to research information and give oral presentations about African American men and women who have made significant contributions to U.S. history.
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Words into Pictures
Students discover the history of writing through images, and the universal themes that are still relevant. In this communications lesson plan, students analyze a group of symbols on the black board and must translate them into a...
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Research Project
Students research a given topic and organize information in order to write a report or make an oral presentation. They design and create a visual aid (poster, model, PowerPoint, etc) to help clarify the concepts of their...
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Interpreting a Story from a News Article
Students read and retell a story form out of the newspaper. They write to communicate ideas, stories, letters, simple explanations, and short reports. They edit and perfect their projects for homework, and they share their work with the...
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OaxacaTurtles
Students identify types of turtles off the coast of Oaxaca. They become acquainted with the Mexican Turtle Center. They create a project (mural, map, panel discussion, logo/design) to communicate researched information.
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Lesson Plan: A Bird's Tale
Who wouldn't love to get a letter from a blue bird? Elementary art enthusiasts analyze the social and historical context of Ason Yellowhair's Navajo piece, Bird and Cornstalk Rug. They examine the construction and images on the rug...
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Multiple Perspectives: Newspaper Stories and Editorials
Newspapers are the perfect medium through which to explore different perspectives in informational text. After researching the fur trade and resultant colonization, groups write a newspaper, including an editorial page, selecting one of...
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Novel Character Study
Students complete a character study using a database to compile information from a novel. They design a five slide presentation highlighting the character's reaction to different situations in the book. They write an acrostic poem using...
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A Fair Trade
Students examine a piece of art to find objects and symbols used by the artist. For this visual art lesson, students look at Jaun Quick-to-See Smith's, "Trade Canoe for Don Quixote." They look for symbols and items that show the artists...
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What's in a Name?
Students explore the plants that grow in Glacier National Park. In this plant biology lesson, students invite a guest speaker to speak about plants that grow in Glacier National Park, as well as the scientific names for the plants....
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T-shirts for Change
Can school children change the world? With a social or environmental issue in mind, 5th graders use what they know about advertising media to make t-shirts that have something to say. They research the issue they'd like to focus on,...
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Forests/Natural Resource Management II
Students write about the importance of trees. In this natural resources lesson plan, students look at deforestation occurring across the globe and present what they learned to the class. As closure, all students write a poem about the...
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Discovering Yourself
Students explore Aboriginal storytelling. In this literature lesson, students read Knots on a Counting Rope and then create a story line as they discuss the attributes of Aboriginal culture. Students retell the story in their own words.
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Dream Career Presentation, Part 1
Fifth graders brainstorm a list of characteristics which people have when they have their dream career. In groups, they complete a worksheet which helps them describe their dream career. To end the lesson, they present their information...
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Dream Career Presentation, Part 2
Fifth graders brainstorm a list of characteristics people have when they are happy with their career. In groups, they review their material from the previous lesson and share their information with the class in the form of presentations....
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Truly Amazing Mammals
Explore the world of amazing mammals with your kids with special needs. Each child identifies one mammal from a previous instructional activity and writes a short paragraph on that mammal. This instructional activity states that it is...
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Colorado Animals Newsletter and Directed Web Page
Young scholars select a Colorado animal, develop a Directed Web page, and research their animal. Each member of the group combine their research and develop a Newsletter.