University of Pennsylvania
Mock Trial of Alfred Dreyfus
What if scholars based mock trials on history? The fourth installment of a five-part series on the Dreyfus Affair asks learners to read various pieces of evidence before conducting a mock trial for a French officer. Teams answer...
Curated OER
Identifying Irregular Past Tense Words
Third graders locate past tense words in a story. In this irregular past tense word lesson plan, 3rd graders read "Gus and the Goblin" and find past tense words. Students give the present tense form of each, then continue the process for...
Curated OER
Summary, Note Taking, Main Idea and Details
Young scholars take notes from oral readings and lectures to create a summary of the material. They use different sizes of post-it notes to complete the activity. They practice pulling the main ideas out of the given material.
Curated OER
Main Idea and Supporting Details
High schoolers identify main idea and supporting details from a short reading selection using a two-column note taking process. In this literacy lesson, students work in groups of three to four, then compare their papers with the other...
Curated OER
Our Children are Learning to Survive
Learners examine the various cultures of the world through literature. After reading various stories, they compare their own personal experience with the characters. In groups, they take the original story and add their own characters...
Curated OER
Main Idea and Supporting Details
Eighth graders identify the main idea and supporting details in paragraphs. In this language arts lesson plan, 8th graders review organizational patterns in paragraphs and determine which pattern is best for a given situation. ...
Curated OER
The Environment In The News
Students explore environmental issues. Using a newspaper, students scan headlines for articles related to environmental or sustainability issues. From the article title, students predict the article's intent and then read the article for...
Curated OER
The Mister Runtles' Bet
Students listen to a story dealing with exponential and linear growth. After reading the story, students complete a table comparing information. Using a calculator, students graph the rice and daily population of flies. They study the...
Historical Thinking Matters
Spanish-American War: 1 Day Lesson
After analyzing newspaper articles portraying different perspectives of the explosion of the Battleship USS Maine, your young historians will take a stand on which position is the most believable in both discussion and writing.
Curated OER
Guided Reading with David's Drawings by Cathryn Falwell
First graders participate in a guided reading instructional activity. In this guided reading instructional activity, 1st graders read David's Drawings by Cathryn Falwell, which is a realistic fiction book on the DRA:16 level. They...
Curated OER
Charlotte's Web
Fourth graders focus on fluency by reading the book Charlotte's Web. For this reading strategies lesson, 4th graders partner read, do guided reading, and independent reading to increase fluency. Students use Venn Diagrams, discuss cause...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Folklore in Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God
Learners define folklore, folk groups, tradition, and oral narrative. They identify traditional elements in Their Eyes Were Watching God Analyze and understand the role of traditional folkways and folk speech in the overall literary...
Curated OER
Knights Templar Trial
Students study the trial of the legendary Crusader Knights who were tried for heresy by Pope Clement. They read a text which about the trial proceedings of the Knights Templar, review vocabulary and complete matching exercises.
Curated OER
First Graders, Fluency and FUN!
First graders develop their reading fluency during the school year. In this language arts lesson plan, 1st graders discover what skilled readers do when they are reading, such as chunking text or thinking about the meaning of the...
Curated OER
Where the Red Fern Grows: A 4th Grade Literary Focus Unit
Fourth graders explore the human and animal connection along with the idea that death is a part of the life cycle. They read "Where the Red Fern Grows." Students examine the feelings and emotions surrounding death and they discover the...
Curated OER
Plane Figures
Fifth graders create polygons requested by their teacher. In this polygons lesson, 5th graders watch a video and listen to a song about polygons. Then, students take turns labeling various polygons and practice making polygons.
Curated OER
Measurement Mania
Second graders get many opportunities to practice their measurement skills.
Curated OER
Summarize What You Read
Third graders summarize a selected piece of nonfiction text. After reviewing the correct way to use a Venn diagram, 3rd graders read a nonfiction article. They write a summary paragraph using their Venn Diagram and the five-step process...