Curated OER
"Dr. Xargle's Book of Earthlets"
Students examine the expressive and descriptive language used in the books "Dr. Xargle's Book of Earthlets" and "Planet of the Robots." In pairs they take notes about each other's physical appearance and conduct interviews, identify the...
Curated OER
Waking Up, Stepping Out
Students focus on a rich and colorful description of a culture unfamiliar to most of them. They compare the similarities and differences they find between Nepali culture and their own and determine our similarities as people can bridge...
Curated OER
My Favorite Room
Students practice describing a room. In this descriptive writing lesson plan, students use all of their five senses to describe their favorite room. The teacher will model for the class by creating a word list that describe the classroom...
Curated OER
Reading and Activity Suggestions for The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Students learn about characterization techniques in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. For this Adventures of Tom Sawyerlesson, students write a description of one character through the eyes of another character and identify scenes that give...
Curated OER
Words That Hold Court
Students research legal terminology used in the Supreme Court. In this legal terminology lesson, students study a quote from President Obama about the Supreme Court. Students make a list of facts about the Supreme Court and the justices...
Curated OER
Concise Directions: Pictures in School
Learners practice giving directions. In this descriptive writing lesson, students create maps and other visual aids that provide sets of directions for learners to get from one location of their school building to another.
Curated OER
Controlled Narrative Writing
Learners add details to their narratives. In this narrative writing instructional activity, students look at a simple four sentence narrative and add adjectives and adverbs to make it more descriptive. They do this activity whole class,...
Curated OER
Mandela The Man
Ninth graders explore civil rights by reading several biographies. For this Nelson Mandela lesson, 9th graders discuss the trials and tribulations Nelson Mandela had to face in South Africa and how they were similar to the problems...
Curated OER
Corn Cob Toys
Students make toys from corn cobs. They study the many uses for corn, both historically and today. They write a description of the toy/object he or she has made and provide instructions for making it. They write and perform plays,...
Curated OER
The Power of Words in "Charlotte's Web"
Students analyze the text in Charlotte's Web. In this language arts lesson, students dissect the passages from Charlotte's Web, specifically the adjectives Charlotte used to describe Wilbur. Finally, students play a game using "word...
Curated OER
Understanding Characters
Young scholars analyzing characters from a story by creating an article about one. In this story analysis lesson, students read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, and pick one character to write descriptively about. Young...
Curated OER
Narrative Writing-10 Strategies for Engaging the Reader
Fifth graders discuss what narrative writing represents. In this language arts lesson, 5th graders review the ten strategies for engaging reader. Students listen to and read good examples of each strategyand write engaging beginnings in...
Curated OER
Reading-Author's Purpose
Students review what author's purpose is by understanding that authors either persuade, inform, describe, or entertain with their story. For this language arts lesson, students bring in junk mail and in small groups discuss what the each...
Curated OER
Uncommon Heroes of Today
Students create a photo-biography of someone they consider a real life hero. In this character sketch lesson, students define a hero and identify heroic characteristics in short stories. Students use descriptive words to write about...
Curated OER
Comparing North American Colonies Vs. Britain
Fifth graders practice creative writing by describing events from the Colonial era. In this U.S. History lesson, 5th graders identify King George III and George Washington, the roles they played, and the differences between them. ...
Curated OER
Place Names
In this interactive vocabulary instructional activity, 3rd graders read various descriptions of places and select the appropriate name of the place. For example, for the description of a place where you can see different kinds of fish...
Curated OER
Historical Context: Discovering a Painting
High schoolers analyze a work of art. In this historical context lesson plan, students research the time period in which the art they observed was created. High schoolers consider differing opinions about a work of art.
Curated OER
Impressionism
Students explore and discuss Impressionism and artists, like Monet and Renoir, who defined the Impressionism Art Movement, choose an artist to research, and create web sites based on their research.
Curated OER
Flat Shapes in Three Dimensions
Students examine the 20th-century sculpture "Gandydancer's Dream" by Mark di Suvero. For this visual arts lesson, students examine the sculpture and then use flat shapes and wire to create their own sculpture. The students are encouraged...
Curated OER
Joltin' Joe Has Left and Gone Away
Students assess admirable qualities in entertainers. They discuss Joe DiMaggio's obituary, focusing on his accomplishments and place in American society. They research and create their own descriptive biographies of athletes and...
Curated OER
Fear and Loathing in Othello
Students research the ideas that people had of African people during Shakespearean times and examine Othello's descriptions of himself as written by Shakespeare.
Curated OER
Expanding Journal Writing Entries For Beginning Writers
First graders through a variety of strategies assess how to write in journals openly and effectively. Those strategies include integration of technology, story telling, group and team work, performance-based assessment/rubrics, visual...
Curated OER
Keith Haring & Social Awareness
Students view four sections of one of Haring's paintings. They describe the people and characters they see. Students participate in a variety of classroom art activities such as: Making a treasure box modeled after Keith Haring's work,...
Curated OER
Picture This
Students, after explaining the famous quote, "A picture is worth a thousand words," supply the missing words to a wordless story by Mercer Mayer called "A Boy, A Dog, and A Frog." They brainstorm the setting, plot, descriptive words,...