Curated OER
Forestry and Changing Feelings
Students investigate how the forest affects their daily lives by creating a concept map. In this ecological lesson, students create a concept map linking the forest to the many things they use each day. Students take a field trip in...
Curated OER
Esperanza Rising: Lesson 2
Sixth graders explore adversity. For this summarizing lesson students compare their culture to the Hispanic culture. Students reflect on a time they were met with adversity. Students summarize Chapter 1 of Esperanza Rising.
Teachers.net
How to Write a Movie Review from a Pet's Perspective
When would two paws up denote a blockbuster film in your classroom? Only when young writers create movie reviews from a pet's perspective in this imaginative expository writing practice. This engaging topic begins with a class discussion...
Curated OER
Episodic Writing Using Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff
Help your middle-schoolers expand their writing skills with this lesson on episodic writing, which focuses on story details, idea development, and organization. After reading "The Eighth Picture: End of Summer" from Patricia Reilly...
Curated OER
Compare and Contrast Poems vs. Lyrics
Combine your pupils' love of music with their growing knowledge of poetry! First, have them bring in their favorite songs for a discussion on word choice and literary devices. Then, use a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast the...
Curated OER
Learning Abstract Concepts
Middle schoolers create iMovies depicting abstract concepts, such as sorrow, future, wishes, infinity, etc., in this technology-based Visual Arts/Language Arts lesson. Music can be used to enhance created movies.
Southern Nevada Regional Professional Development Program
Using Maps to Inspire Personal Narratives
A solid description of one way to teach narrative writing, this resource outlines the writing process from concept to completion. Class members create concept maps of moments in their lives and follow the writing process to publish their...
Curated OER
Supplementary Angles
Middle schoolers develop an understanding of the journalistic concept of the "news angle," by examining the newspaper coverage of an airplane disaster.
Curated OER
Defining Biology
Sixth graders engage in a brainstorming activity in which they predict what the next grade level or subject matter curriculum offer. They write and draw a picture about their predictions.
EngageNY
Drafting Body Paragraphs
That's just the style. Learners begin with a mini-instructional activity about formal writing style. They then use what they learned about formal writing to begin the body paragraphs for their End of Unit 1 Assessment Prompt: Adversity...
Curated OER
Jeffrey and Sloth
Students listen to the story Jeffrey and Sloth and explore the six traits of writing. In this six traits of writing activity, students practice doodling as a method of brainstorming ideas. Students then discover the importance of...
Curated OER
Astronomy
Students brainstorm about what they know about the solar system. They study a planetary fact sheet and create a Venn Diagram with the information. They work in groups to examine the names of the planets and information regarding each of...
Curated OER
Earning Trust
Students explore trustworthiness. In this character development lesson, students brainstorm communities to which they belong and generate common traits of these communities. Students discuss how trust is gained and write a reflection on...
Curated OER
Courageous Heroes
Students investigate the concept of a hero. In this character education lesson, students define courage and discuss heroes they know. Students brainstorm ways to describe a hero and create an acrostic poem.
Curated OER
After 15 years, Air Force gets memorial over capital
Students examine the meaning of a new air force memorial. In this reading comprehension lesson students read an article, students discuss and brainstorm abstract concepts such as sacrifice, past, present and future. They will also...
Curated OER
Roar-Shack Poetry
Students use tempera paints to create blots. They use the blots as inspiration for poetry writing by brainstorming and organizing all words they associate with the blot. They present their poetry along with their inspiration.
Curated OER
Trust Circles
Students explore trustworthiness. In this character development instructional activity, students brainstorm synonyms for trustworthiness. Students consider two communities to which they belong, and compare and contrast these communities...
Curated OER
Soundtrack to War
Students discuss the important role of music in lives of soldiers stationed in Iraq. They identify and demonstrate skills in creating compositions with limited resources, similar in concept to the soldiers viewed in the documentary.
Ahisma Summer Institute
The Power of One - Math in a Different Angle
In this 2-day lesson focused on exponents, middle schoolers will cross the curriculum by engaging in science, history and language arts activities. Exponential growth will be explored using grains of rice on a chess board. Exponential...
Curated OER
Fabulous, Fractured Fables
Elementary schoolers develop an awareness of the literary form known as the fable. They explore how authors write fables to pass along moral lessons. After reading and discussing many famous fables embedded in the plan, learners attempt...
Curated OER
What Makes Our Community Special?
Explore websites, complete research, and use technological tools to create a final multimedia presentation on what makes a community special. Learners of all ages work with a partner to research an interesting aspect of their community,...
Curated OER
Writing Pattern Books
Have your older students assist young children with writing in this community service and literacy instructional activity. Middle schoolers become partners with a local elementary school. They assist the grade school children in writing...
Curated OER
Reviewing Good Playing Habits
The string section of your school orchestra can get a proper form make-over by incorporating this lesson. They reestablish proper playing form, posture, and sound as they compose an essay on how to maintain good playing habits during...
Curated OER
A Call for Change
"Come gather round people, wherever you roam..." Bring the voice of Bob Dylan to your class with this lesson plan, which takes Dylan's song "The Times They Are A-Changing" and analyzes both the message and voice in the lyrics. Your class...