Curated OER
Identifying and Using Parallelism and Balance in Literature
Analyze the use of balanced sentences and parallelism in a narrative. Included in this resource is a narrative about serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kazakhstan titled, "The Train Ride Home". Middle and high schoolers review...
Curated OER
Welcome to the Blogosphere
Create a blog spot for your classroom and promote online discussions. There are several blogging websites listed here, and you can create one specific to each class or one collective site. Teach your learners how to post on the blog, and...
The New York Times
Big Brother vs. Little Brother: Updating Orwell's 1984
Government surveillance is an enduring conflict that has become increasingly complex with our nation's use of technology. Add to the understanding of Orwell’s 1984 by using the resources here that display the contemporary actions of Big...
Curated OER
The Waterfront Debate
Tenth graders debate a resolution about a planned waterfront community from the point of view of various interest groups. They have a "Town Meeting" in which members from each interest group debate their researched opinions for points....
Curated OER
Unique Monique: Building a Community of Unique Individuals
Students recognize that each student is unique and has special talents. Students develop a puzzle piece that describes them and their particular talents. Students share their pieces and post on a bulletin board.
Curated OER
Online —On Stage—and Action
Use your tablets to participate in a culture-sharing project with a class in a foreign country. Your class can communicate and share ideas with a class in another country, swapping information regarding language and culture. Together you...
PBS
Journalism in War Time: What Does the Public Need to Know?
A viewing of the documentary War Feels Like War, launches an exploration of the importance of accurate and comprehensive war reporting. Groups investigate various news agencies and assess the factors that influence their stories. A...
EngageNY
Developing Reading Fluency: Selecting a Text and Practicing Reading Aloud
Young readers continue to strengthen their fluency skills with a text of their choosing. The teacher first engages the class with an audio recording or read-aloud of a short poem, modeling for children how to read fluently. Next it's...
Novelinks
The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter: Concept Analysis
Considering Carson McCullers' The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter for whole-class reading or as a selection for book circles? Check out this resource that overviews the organizational patterns, themes, plot structure, tone, and setting.
Curated OER
Formal and Informal Language
ESL students use the graphic organizers to record different phrases of speech with an emphasis upon the use of slang.
Digital Public Library of America
Teaching Guide: Exploring Little Women
Louisa May Alcott's Little Women is a literary masterpiece as well as a timestamp of the formative mid-nineteenth century in America. Using a primary source set of photographs, letters, and portraits, readers discuss the ways...
Curated OER
Sarcophagus
Here is another in a series of fantastic art lessons from this source. This one has young artists create a sarcophagus-style clay box! This lesson would be ideal to utilzie during a study of the ancient Egyptians. One note of caution:...
Curated OER
Electronic Survey Activity
Fifth graders conduct a class survey and share the results with a class in another state via an electronic bulletin board. This technology-rich lesson is an ideal way to have learners practice communicating with others through the use of...
Curated OER
A Passage Through Time
Young learners research and present information about a chosen subject to their peers, parents, instructors, and community. This lesson has a strong research and public speaking component, and would be ideal for your higher level students.
Curated OER
Social Studies: Bridging the Gap Between Cultures
Have you special education class examine multiculturalism. By exploring the cultures of Israel and Greece, they discover the holidays, cuisine, arts, andgeography of the countries. During this twelve-week unit, learners develop a...
Curated OER
The Perfect President
Students advertise for the perfect president. For this presidential duties lesson, students determine the attributes that the ideal president should have and then write job descriptions for the role.
Curated OER
Terrabagga Activity Using a Magnetometer
Clever! Earth science learners construct a model of a planet containing a magnetic core. The planet, Terrabagga, is made out of a paper grocery bag, magnets, a dead D battery, and rubber bands. Pictures of each step of the construction...
Curated OER
How Were European Nations Capable of Dominating the African Continent?
Primary source documents provide a realistic context for pupils to explore. Included are 5 experts relating European ideals and methods for colonizing and controlling the African continent. Middle schoolers answer 4 critical-thinking...
Middle Tennessee State University
Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? A Comparison in American Culture
As part of their study of the Progressive Era, class groups examine a 20th century version of "The Three Little Pigs" through a New Era lens and identify how ideals such as the value of hard work, creativity, and problem solving,...
Curated OER
Schools Going Solar
If your school has a photovoltaic system, you can use this lesson plan to guide learners through an investigation of the factors affecting performance. Familiarize yourself with the data acquisition system, and then provide data for your...
US National Archives
We the People Focusing on Details: Compare and Contrast
Even the most inspiring documents in American history had to go through a few drafts before they were ready for publication. Reinforce the importance of the writing process, as well as the collaborative nature of democracy, with an...
National Institute on Drug Abuse
The Brain's Response to Drugs
Marijuana affects the brain differently than inhalants, which have a different effect than opioids. Elementary and middle school classes read about these drugs as well as nicotine, methamphetamine, hallucinogens, and steroids before...
US National Archives
WWII: Western Europe 1939-45 – Hamburg
Was bombing German cities an effective means to an end, or was it a war crime? Could it be both? Young historians ponder these questions with an activity that prompts them to use primary sources to summarize the debate surrounding RAF...
Curated OER
Art: It Takes a Village
Pupils identify the different areas found in a Winter Games Village and different sports played in the Winter Games. This will be done through whole group brainstorming.