Curated OER
Breath as Metaphor - Poetry Exercise
Young scholars are required to critically read two poems, answer factual questions concerning the pieces, and then discuss the different uses of breath as a metaphor. They use the samples as a starting point for their own creative efforts.
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Just Say No to Drugs
Students explore the dangers of drugs, drug awareness and abuse and different types of drugs. They demonstrate reading comprehension sills including inference, literal meaning and critical analysis.
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Creative Writing
Students criticially read an unfinished creative writing piece, answer factual questions concerning the piece, and then finish the story or create their own story about their own neigborhood and possible environmental issues.
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I am a Hero for Animals!
Young scholars explore the humane treatment of animals. In this character development and civic responsibility lesson, students define "hero" and brainstorm related attributes. Young scholars complete an action plan using the "rational...
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Westward Expansion
Learners explore the Westward Expansion Movement of U.S. history. For this Westward movement lesson, students use primary and secondary source documents research personal accounts of those who travelled west during the era....
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Social Movements in American Politics
Students explore American social movements. In this writing skills instructional activity, students read Orwell's "Politics and the English." Students then apply the rules for writing that are included in the piece. Students follow-up by...
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Enemy Pie
Third graders read the book "Enemy Pie". As a class, they brainstorm a list of what they believe the ingredients are to an enemy pie. In groups, they follow a recipe to make their own pie and pudding. To end the lesson, they write...
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Words, words, words
Students discuss words that represent the big ideas in Othello and that recur throughout the play. They are assigned words to track throughout the text, recording which character says the word and in what context.
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Nature and Nurture
Learners look into the role both nature and nurture play in determining an individual's traits. They examine how genes and the environment affect personality
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Nature And Nurture
Students develop an understanding of the role both nature and nurture play in determining an individual's traits. Using a website, students answer questions about nature and nurture in order to solve the riddle, What do you call a smart...
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poem "One Inch Tall" from the book "Where the Sidewalk Ends" by Shel Silverstein
Students use the terms: ratio, proportion, and measurement in their description of the life of a person one inch tall.
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Exploring the West Using Fiction
Students explore post Civil War development of the American West. They investigate the conflict among various groups involved in the settlement of the West and select a novel by a western writer and complete questions from the Exploring...
PBS
Financial Crisis Glossary
Secondary learners explore the background and vocabulary surrounding US and global economic crises. Originally, the lesson was written to address the 2008 economy, but the material and information is easily adaptable to today's economy....
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Recognizing Similes: Fast as a Whip
Students review basic knowledge of similes and engage with similes on a more abstract level. In this similes lesson, students define similes and identify examples. Students read and analyze the similes used in poetry by Derricotte,...
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Teaching Awareness of Human Development
Students examine the process of human development and identify the reasons for a good nights sleep. Individually, they write a list of the situations in their lives which are stressful. As a class, they discuss myths about stress and...
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Becoming a "Gringo" Immigrants, Language Learning and Acculturation
Students examine the experience by immigrants coming to America who are Spanish-speaking. As a class, they define "Gringo" and read poems whose authors first language is Spanish. In groups, they participate in different sections in...
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American Idols
Students design a biographical web for a famous American figure. They identify key research questions and organize information as a prewriting strategy. This can be done individually or as a class, depending on your needs and students.
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Recognizing Similies: Fast as a Whip
Pupils review what they have already learned about similies and begin to engage with similies on a deeper and more abstract level as they create their own.
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Globalization: The Garment Industry in Southeast Asia
Students are introduced to the concept of globalization. In groups, they read primary source documents to view sweatshops from different points of view. They write a paper about the impact of globalization on the garment industry and...
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Slavery
Students trace the routes of escaping slaves on their journey north by calculating the mileage each one walked and define and use accurately the term Underground Railroad. They read The Drinking Gourd by Jeanetter Winter.
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The Songcatcher
Young scholars read Sharyn McCrumb's and Maggie Greenwald's versions of "Songcatcher" and use them as a springboard to explore the heritage and traditions of Appalachian folk music. They review Internet sources, conduct research and...
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Utilizing Art, Literature and Film to Teach Black History
Fifth graders are introduced to different aspects of African-American history through literature, art, and films. As a class, they are read a story about the Underground Railroad, identify the main characters and put the events into...
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Harlem Renaissance: Pivotal Period in the Development of Afro-American Culture
Students examine the time period of the Harlem Renaissance. In groups, they compare and contrast the type of art before and after the movement along with the state of society at the time. After reading a book on the topic of their...
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Project Based Learing: Social Responsibility
Students explore social responsibility. In this service learning lesson, students participate in 4 weekly activities that require them to research "communitarians", write poems about their contributions, and create works of art that...