Curated OER
Details, Details: How Choices Reveal Character, Setting, Tone, and Theme. (Analyzing and Interpreting, Making Inferences)
Students respond to works of art. In this art interpretation instructional activity, students examine images of art while using concepts they learned as they read literary pieces. They detail the setting, characters, and the mood and...
Denver Art Museum
Putting Images into Words
Engage your class in art analysis of Indian Look-Alike by Melanie Yazzie. Using this work of art as inspiration, writers compose a poem or short story. After a peer review session, the teacher conveys information about the work of art as...
Curated OER
Comparison and Contrast - Two Short Stories
Students investigate writing techniques by analyzing 2 stories written by Edgar Allen Poe. In this language arts lesson, students choose two Edgar Allen Poe short stories to read and take notes on the setting, theme, characters and...
Curated OER
After Reading: "Plot the Plot" Activity in the Library Media Class
"Plot the plot" of "The Adventures of the Speckled Band" with your young readers. Take a few days to read Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's short story as a class or in pairs, having learners write down what they consider to be the most important...
Curated OER
Short Stories and Sitcoms
Middle schoolers compare 19th Century short stories to 20th Century sitcoms. They address seven questions as the watch a sitcom for homework and create a web to use for further comparison.
Curated OER
Literature and Art Through Our Eyes: African-American Artists
Examine the contributions of African-Americans in the worlds of art and literature. Over the course of a few days, young scholars will read and analyze a poem, a short story, and a piece of art. They complete a range of...
Curated OER
Original Children's Books
Bring the fun and creativity of children's stories to your language arts class. Middle schoolers write, revise, and publish an original student book which incorporates the elements of a short story. They put their story in the form of a...
Curated OER
Sunday School Inspiration Lessons
Many activities related to the Chrisitan religion are included in this lesson about storytelling; learners create their own Bible related art from stickers, stamps, t-shirts and hats. Puppets also help to to retell Bible stories and...
The New York Times
Writing Fiction Based on Real Science - NYTimes.com
Refuse to alienate your scientific-minded young scholars during your creative writing unit. Learners explore how literary writing can reflect observable fact, and be based in actual science. The links include examples of fiction and...
Curated OER
Exploring Science Fiction
Twelfth graders read a variety of science fiction short stories. Using the text, they identify the components that make it science fiction and a well written piece of literature. They record their observations and share them with the...
Curated OER
Music and Interdisciplinary Connections
Students examine the interconnectedness of different art forms. They listen to music and watch a video while determining the similarities of the themes. They make connections between books, movies, opera, dance, and music.
Curated OER
Langston Hughes: Artist and Historian
Students examine the life and works of Langston Hughes. In groups, they research the characteristics of the Harlem Renaissance and how Hughes' poems relate to the era. They use the themes in his writings and relate it to the Great...
Curated OER
Rap as a Modern Poetic Form
Students write and listen to rap songs. They discover how common themes in rap are indicative of the problems, as well as the empowerments, that can be seen in our urban cultures today. They discover how rap is actually an evolution of...
Curated OER
The Grapes of Wrath: Scrapbooks and Artifacts
High schoolers complete research to enhance their reading of "The Grapes of Wrath". Using the text, they identify and locate cultural artifacts and discuss their symbolic connotations. As a class, they create a museum exhibit of the...
Curated OER
Classroom Potlatch
Elementary schoolers study the history and purpose of potlatches. The listen to two stories about potlatches, then design a potlatch that they will host for their family members. They must come up with the gifts they would give, the...
Curated OER
Ladybugs
Students listen to the book, The Grouchy Ladybug, and discuss what they know about ladybugs. They observe live ladybugs, write down what they see, and write a short story about ladybugs.
Curated OER
Most Wanted Villians
Students review the characteristics of various characters in fairytales. As a class, they review the story details and create a concept map using a software program. They create their own wanted poster of the villians in the fairytale to...
Curated OER
A Turkey for Thanksgiving - Lesson #2
Second graders investigate realistic fiction, holiday celebrations, making tally charts. In this multi-disciplinary lesson, 2nd graders listen to a story about Thanksgiving and one about the Chinese New Year to develop an understanding...
Curated OER
Forgiveness and Gratitude
Pupils are introduced to the concepts of forgiveness and gratitude. As a class, they listen as they are read a story and note acts of forgiveness and gratitude. They answer comprehension questions and brainstorm definitions of peace to...
Curated OER
Powerful Words Can Warm the Heart: Art from the Heart
Young scholars explore how artists contribute to the public good. In this art and community lesson plan, students identify a community's needs and wants, identify how characters in a story meet their needs and wants, and identify ways...
Curated OER
Bears and Panthers Aplenty: Early Settlers Make a Home in Arkansas
Young historians research the Southwest Trail, which ran through Arkansas back in the 19th century. Pupils are divided into four groups. Each group researches a pioneer who blazed the Southwest Trail. Then, the group presents an oral or...
Curated OER
We're All The Same on the Inside
Students discuss prejudice around the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. They use brown and white eggs to discover that they are both the same on the inside even though they look different on the outside.
Curated OER
Rainforest Resources
Students explore products of the rainforest. For this environmental stewardship lesson, students discover the resources that the rainforest holds and examine products from the rainforest used around the world.
Curated OER
Ladybugs
Young scholars read The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle, and explore the life cycle of ladybugs and how they interact with our environment.