Here is a activity that sounds like a lot of fun. Kids discuss the artistic elements and motives for the painting, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. To get the scope and scale of this oversized masterpiece, they use butcher paper and the...

The New York Times' Learning Network provides great lessons! This one uses articles from the paper to help readers understand homonyms like mail (verb and noun). It also includes an exercise in reading informational text. Links to the...

Learners write a four paragraph essay that tells about two things in society that Ray Bradbury criticizes in the book, Fahrenheit 451. In this social criticism lesson, students develop a thesis based on their reading of the book and...

Students investigate editorials.  In this literacy critical thinking instructional activity, students compare and contrast two newspaper editorials and two letters to the editor by completing a Venn diagram. Students work in groups...

Students will increase spelling and vocabulary skills. Then they will develop critical thinking skills. Next, they will develop expository writing skills. Finally, students will practice language skills with non-traditional text: a...

Students interview people who work in a variety of fields and explore the requirements, opportunities, and unique characteristics of their jobs. As preparation, they brainstorm what they think the expression "invisible worker" might mean.

Conduct research focused on improving a current technology by having students work in groups to investigate improvements that could be made to a particular piece of technology. They list the current problems and attempt to develop...

Fourth graders recognize that the Tejanas were Texas women of Spanish-Mexican origin who contributed to the history of Texas. Students read and research the Tejanas women, complete an essay about a day in the life of a Tejanas woman ,and...

Seventh graders discover who the Tejanas were and how they contributed to World War II. In this World War II instructional activity, 7th graders listen to their instructor discuss who the Tejanas were prior to researching the...

Designing a travel brochure is a classic project that will help your class members develop a variety of skills, such as researching informational texts, designing creative visual products, and communicating what you have learned.

Students create good arguments by exploring the basic structure of an arguments. They determine premises and conclusions for analyzing the effectiveness of arguments. In addition, they explore the differences between arguments and...

Sixth graders complete many activities and lessons based on a reading of "Call It Courage." They watch the video, complete computer based writing assignments, and prepare writing folders in the art center. They practice their word...

Students create news articles that help them build their knowledge, skills, and academic confidence. In this special education lesson, students use previous knowledge to write a newsletter and demonstrate their understanding of various...

Learners produce a holiday newsletter using a software program. In this holiday newsletter lesson, students use a software template to write a newsletter. They fill in the template with appropriate information and pictures.

Fourth graders use Publisher to create their own magazine. In this online magazine lesson, 4th graders follow the instructions to create a magazine using text, pictures, and colors within the Publisher system.

Students consider a variety of well-known proverbs that refer to the weather. They research the scientific validity of these proverbs, conduct interviews about public perception of the proverbs and summarize their findings in writing.

Third graders discuss the weather and how it changes during the different seasons. They listen to a read aloud of Judy Barrett's, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. They write and illustrate a news article about the weather that is found...

Students prepare for and respond to literature selections. This package includes fourteen lessons from the American Literature, The Civil War and Its Aftermath: 1845-1880 series, each covering a different reading selection. Pre-reading...

Third graders read several Magic School Bus books, compile list of criteria for good places to visit, research two possible destinations for magic field trip, and prepare and deliver presentation to "convince" classmates to choose...

Eighth graders explain the meaning of the Declaration of Independence. They view a political cartoon of the period, then do a writing assignment for homework. They write about how they would feel if the British were calling them traitors.