Curated OER
Time for All Ages
Fourth graders discover time keeping by analyzing technological advances in history. In this time lesson, 4th graders create and complete a KWL chart based on their research of a famous timekeeping invention, such as a sundial....
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Land, Liberty and the Struggle for the American Dream
Students investigate equality by reading a historical fiction book in class. In this civil rights lesson, students read the story Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry with their classmates and define the Jim Crow Laws that kept blacks...
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Paul Revere, American Patriot
Students research Paul Revere's life and role in U.S. history by examining first-person accounts, works of historical fiction, a popular narrative poem, and other resources. They create a mural depicting their findings.
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2105
Students read excerpts from Jon Scieszka's novel, 2095, prior to presenting their vision of the future in a creative project accompanied by written explanation. They design a museum exhibit which shows a scene from a science fiction book...
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Forms Of Knowledge
Students put writing pieces into categories to show different organizational features in writing. In this writing lesson plan, students are shown examples of speeches, poems, editorials, cartoons, parodies, historical fiction, and more.
Mr. Arnayro
California Missions Project
Looking for alternative options to the traditional California missions project? This is the resource for you!
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Chivalry
Eighth graders explore manners by writing short stories. In this chivalry code lesson, 8th graders identify the traits of chivalry and explore the history of chivalry in England. Students complete a chivalry worksheet and write a...
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An Immigrant's Journey
Students collect photos of immigrants coming to the United States. They write fictional journal entries for one of the photographs.
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Characterization in Literature
High schoolers discover characterization techniques and methods. In this characterization lesson, students choose favorite fiction characters and discuss what makes a character come alive. High schoolers then describe a family member or...
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Run Your Own Boarding House
Students become familiar with the historical and sociological aspects of the boarding house phenomenon in America. As students work in groups, they read and analyze documents that will help them gain a deeper understanding. To...
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Character in a Box
Partners choose, research, and analyze fictional or historical characters and design character life boxes to represent them. They also compose a rhyme royal, which they understand inductively by deconstructing examples. Based largely on...
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Breaking the Chains, Rising Out of Circumstances
Discuss the history of slavery by analyzing historic photography depicting slavery. Learners write fictional stories based on these photographs. This is a creative and motivating way to launch a discussion of these topics.
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I, Spy
Fifth graders utilize the library in order to find the answers to three questions about The Revolutionary War. In this writing and library skills lesson, 5th graders pretend they are a Spy, and write the answers in a fictional letter to...
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Investigating Fables
Time for a story! Learners of all ages enjoy listening to stories, so read them some common fables and have them work cooperatively to create a fable. Differentiate for varying ability levels by providing sentence frames, graphic...
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"Families and Schools of the Past"
First graders listen to and discuss historical fiction and bigraphies from the early American time period. They role-play, draw, write stories and dress up to re-create events from these historical characters.
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Scrapbook of Evidence
Students read three different genres of fiction. They create a story map and brainstorm possible collage inclusions. Each student prepares a minimum of two scrapbook page entries for each text or passage. Students write beside each...
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Simile Stories
Fourth graders view song lyrics and identify similes in the song text. In this similes instructional activity, 4th graders define and identify similes on a worksheet. Students write their own similes using various adjectives.
Star Wars in the Classroom
Star Wars Geography Unit
What kind of animals live on an ice planet like Hoth? How would the habitat on Tatooine allow different organisms to thrive? Connect social studies, science, and Star Wars in one engaging activity that focuses on the ecosystems of the...
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History Detective: The Case of the Mysterious Trunk
Students role play as history detectives. In this historical inquiry lesson, students discuss what detectives do, analyze a trunk of "artifacts" and make conclusions about its fictional owner. Students complete six pages of related art,...
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Once Upon a Castle
Learners complete a variety of activities surrounding castle communities and fairy tales. They write a letter to a fairy tale character, write a fairy tale, create a model of a castle, and draw a map of a castle community.
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Slavery and the Underground Railroad
Third graders discover racism in our country by investigating the Internet. In this abolitionist movement instructional activity, 3rd graders define the Underground Railroad and participate in an activity by logging on to an on-line...
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Visualizing Jazz Scenes From the Harlem Renaissance
Learners identify themes of selected nonfiction, fiction, poetry and art to Harlem Renaissance jazz and describe the impact of jazz on African-American literature of the Harlem Renaissance
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The United States and the Soviet Union were Engaged in a Cold War
Students work together at figuring out the definition for what cold war means. In this social science lesson, students listen to "The Butter Battle Book" by Dr. Seuss and recognize how this story relates to the cold war between the...
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Ancient Rome
Students investigate information about the leaders of Rome. In this ancient Rome lesson plan, students research Roman warfare and military leaders in order to write and present their own one-act plays based on Scipio, Hannibal, Julius...