Curated OER
English Lesson Plans for Grade 7
Discuss the correct use of certain phrases such as "managed" and "could" in this English lesson. Middle schoolers listen to interviews on work customs in different countries and compare them. They make inferences after reading given...
Denver Art Museum
The Poetry in Non-Events
The photograph, Nellie and her Italian Soda is viewed and discussed by the class. They are instructed to use the photograph as inspiration to write a poem about non-events, or things that are beautiful in every day life. Pupils use...
Speak Truth to Power
John Lewis: Non-Violent Activism
After comparing and contrasting non-violent and violent social movements, your young historians will take a closer look at the work and influence of John Lewis on the civil rights movement. They will then choose a current social...
Dream of a Nation
Creating Awareness through Action Oriented Writing and Research
Middle schoolers aren't too young to feel strongly about politics, social issues, consumer rights, or environmental problems. Demonstrate the first steps toward social change with a project about action-oriented writing. Eighth...
Curated OER
Stop Signs, Musical Notes, Letters & Logos: Designing Symbols
Students develop an awareness of environmental print, such as signs, logos, brand names, and other print and non-print items that the children see and read in their neighborhood each day. They then engage in active problem solving as...
Curated OER
20th Century Civil Disobedience
Young scholars write from varying perspectives in the American South about the civil rights movements in the 1950s. In this civics lesson, students view video clips and take notes. Young scholars discuss the film and listen to a lecture...
Curated OER
Treasure Hunters
Students design an on campus treasure hunt to find various architectural vocabulary words which they then create definitions for on the blog page on the Environmental Design website.
National First Ladies' Library
Writing (and Rewriting!) History
Middle schoolers differentiate between fiction and non-fiction, discuss historical fiction, which combines both genres, choose historical novel from list and read independently, and write original short stories that combine elements of...
Curated OER
Showtime! Profit or Non
Students perform a production. In this job activity, students perform the production they created about jobs in the profit and nonprofit sectors. Students write an essay describing the advantages and disadvantages of working in these...
Curated OER
A Different Drummer
Eighth graders investigate philosophy and meditation techniques by discussing Emerson and Thoreau. In this philosophical traditions lesson plan, 8th graders identify the men Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, their work,...
Curated OER
Northwest Coast Indians: Winter Celebrations Potlatch
Upper elementary learners engage in a study about the Potlatch as a Northwest Coast Indians social custom. Groups of pupils plan their own Potlatch ceremony; incorporating activities and creating gifts much like the ones that the Indians...
Mary Pope Osborne, Classroom Adventures Program
The Backpack Travel Journals
Strap on those backpacks, it's time to travel through history with this literature unit based on the first four books of The Magic Tree House series. While reading through these fun stories, children create story maps, record...
Curated OER
Looking for Heroes
Students explain the importance of the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery Voting Rights March and the long term impact in the US of non violent civic participation.
Curated OER
Power, Persuasion & Propaganda: Exploring Multiple Motives
Students recognize different motives even in non-commercial media. They analyze the role of media in a democratic society and wrestle with ethical issues concerning media and the public good. They create a media message with one or more...
Curated OER
Leadership: Communicating With Your Peers
Students explore communication by using non-verbal cues. In this body language lesson, students utilize blindfolds to communicate with classmates through words only, then use only physical actions to communicate and compare the two....
Curated OER
Pointed Comments
Fifth graders analyze pieces of writing to identify the author's purpose of writing. In this writing lesson, 5th graders consider a variety of pieces of writing such as, poetry, drama, fiction, and non-fiction. Each student completes an...
Curated OER
Glory Field Author Brochure
Middle schoolers create brochures about Glory Field author Walter Dean Myers using internet research and Appleworks, or a similar software program. Emphasis is placed on finding non-copyrighted material.
Curated OER
Quit Smoking-Together We Can Do It!
Learners explore how tobacco threatens the health of smokers and non-smokers. They research smoking and second hand smoke using the Internet. Students create a Quit Smoking brochure. They present a computer slide show to describe how...
Curated OER
Synonym Trees
Pair learners to define synonyms. They search flash cards to find a synonym partner. Then they chart pairs of synonyms on a synonym tree.
Curated OER
Figurative Language
What is figurative language, and why do we use it? Introduce your high schoolers to some examples and discuss the importance of including this element in your writing. After studying a text and searching for examples, writers will...
Dream of a Nation
Big6 Research Project
Do research projects at your school look like a class of eighth graders staring at a blank screen? Use the Big 6 research method to guide middle schoolers through the process of finding a topic, searching for and evaluating sources,...
Curated OER
What a Character!
Guide your readers to explore character traits. As a class, discuss and record the traits of a commonly-known fairy tale character. Then do the same with the main character in the class novel. Finally, have learners use magazines...
Curated OER
Lesson Plan: Musical Myths
Create musical myths in this West African tales lesson. Middle schoolers read myths from African Myths and Legends as well as West African Trickster Tales. They note when music could be used to enhance the tales, and then write their own...
Alliance Theater
The Jungle Book Post-Show STEAM Lesson
An ecosystem is really just the flow of energy through many different living organisms. A study of Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book leads to an environmental science activity in which learners study how various factors can affect...