Aspen Institute
The Voice That Challenged a Nation
Included here are step-by-step instructions for conducting a close reading of The Voice That Challenged a Nation by Russell Freedman. After an individual and class reading, class members read carefully through the text excerpt,...
Curated OER
Checking Sources For Accuracy
Middle schoolers will paraphrase a resource without plagiarizing. Then rewrite after reading text. They then evaluate the site or reference they are using for accuracy. In the end, they complete a note-taking organizer.
EngageNY
Drafting Introduction and Conclusion
In conclusion ... Scholars analyze the model essay Adversity Faced by Townspeople in
the Middle Ages to gain a better understanding of introductory and concluding paragraphs. After studying the author's strategies, learners begin writing...
iCivics
Drafting Board: Interest Groups
Does the influence of interest groups harm a political system? Your class members will analyze the role of interest groups in American politics, as well as consider the effect of perspective, bias, loyalty, and the First Amendment.
Curriculum Corner
ELA Common Core Checklists for K-6
In the hustle and bustle of life in the classroom, it's easy for teachers to lose track of the standards they have taught, and those that still need to be addressed. This Common Core checklist provides educators with an easy-to-use...
Curated OER
Introducing Literacy Elements in Nonfiction
Explore nonfiction writing with your class. They will identify elements in nonfiction by reviewing elements of fiction. Then they use biographies, memoirs, menus, Time for Kids, and text books to identify elements of nonfiction. They...
Polk Bros Foundation
Collect Evidence to Support an Idea
In order to support an idea, writers must use evidence. Your class members can prepare their evidence with this basic instructional activity. Writers note down the topic they are learning about and their own idea. Next, they come up with...
Curated OER
Using Aphorisms to Help Dealing with People
Here's a formal plan for what many effective teachers already do: Provide a week's worth of aphorisms and have learners choose one to write about in their journals each day. They reflect on the meaning of each aphorism and project how it...
Curated OER
Death On Board La Belle: Finding Clues from Old Bones
Young scholars practice analyzing skeletal remains for clues by using the Internet. For this scientific investigation lesson, students research the La Belle shipwreck using the Internet and written materials, later completing a Skeletal...
Curated OER
The People's Design Award
Students analyze, critique, and evaluate information from various sources and learn about the design process. In this design lesson, students critique work submitted to People's Design Award and create a design of their own to present to...
Curated OER
Passing Down Family History Through Oral Tradition: Corridos
Students create and perform Corridos which are oral tradition ballads. In this Passing Down Family History Through Oral Tradition lesson, students interview family members using a predetermined list of questions. In addition, students...
Channel Islands Film
Magic Isle: Lesson Plan 4
After watching West of the West's documentary on Catalina Island, The Magic Isle, class members research how Walt Disney's and William Wrigley's different visions impacted the island.
Madison Public Schools
Journalism
Whether you are teaching a newspaper unit in language arts, covering the First Amendment and censorship in social studies, or focusing on writing ethics in journalism, a unit based on the foundations of journalism would be an excellent...
Curated OER
Egyptian Burial
Students research burial tombs of ancient Egypt. Acting as pharaohs of Egypt, students create burial plans to decide what items they would include in their own tombs and why. They find another student to analyze their plan.
Curated OER
The Lorax Explorations
Students read and debate the purpose of Dr. Seuss' The Lorax, analyze its story elements, and write their own The Lorax II.
Curated OER
Product Persuasion
Learners examine various products and analyze the marketing strategies used to entice consumers. They bring in a product they like to use, and using persuasive writing, they write their own advertisements for their products.
Curated OER
Can You Hear Me Now? A Study Unit on Cell Phones
In this comprehensive reading comprehension lesson, students complete an indepth look at the introductions and history of cell phones. Students research, analyze and determine the answers to twenty two questions regarding what a cell...
Curated OER
Using the Commentaries in Class
Students examine language and communication by listening to a commentary radio show. In this communications lesson, students listen to Michael Josephson's radio broadcast using the Internet and analyze his words and their meaning....
Curated OER
Hollywood
Pupils listen to a play, or perhaps, take turns reading portions of it aloud. Afterward, they thoughtfully analyze and discuss the components of a well-written play. Next, a theme is assigned, and each person writes a play in conjunction...
Curated OER
Express Yourself Lesson Seed 12: Story Event
Focus on plot and the impact-specific events in The Cay. Class members use their double-entry journals, created in a previous lesson in this series, to record their thinking about the guiding question as they read chapters 15 through 17....
Curated OER
Come On, Rain!
Students read and analyze the story. In this language arts lesson, students read Come on, Rain! and examine how mood and tone are created, the use of figurative language and the characteristics of the genre. Students research the time...
Curated OER
Creation Mythology
Students construct a map from geographic data and explain relationships found in the information. Students identify ancient beliefs and customs through Hawaiian creation myths while comparing similarities and differences and appreciating...
Curated OER
Tables, Charts and Graphs
Students examine a science journal to develop an understanding of graphs in science. In this data analysis activity, students read an article from the Natural Inquirer and discuss the meaning of the included graph. Students create a...
Curated OER
Breaking News: OMG, LOL, FYI Now in Oxford English Dictionary (26th March, 2011)
Students explore vocabulary by analyzing the current events. In this dictionary addition lesson, students discuss a news topic about word additions into the Oxford Dictionary. Students complete a list of activities about the story...