Third graders make books which illustrate the growth and development of a saguaro cactus from its beginnings as a seed all the way through its death. They trace the life cycle of the saguaro, identify each of the stages in its life,...

How do you grow a goal from a dream to reality? You make a plan! After reading chapters two and three of Where the Red Fern Grows, learners map how Billy earns his dogs by completing an organizer in pairs and then discussing answers in...

First graders discuss different milestones in their life such as bathing, dressing, eating, walking, etc. They brainstorm ideas of how the changes affected their life from the moment they occurred to the present. Students brainstorm and...

Pupils explore trees. In this math lesson, students identify the basic parts of trees. Pupils create a model of a tree and label the parts.

Students study the different parts of a tree and the significance of each part.  In this build a tree lesson, students use role-playing theater to reinforce what they are learning. Students use their imagination to become tree parts...

Fifth graders read "My Side of the Mountain." They create a pantomime using vocabulary words from the story. Students create three questions about the reading. They discuss the passage they read and act out words to help them better...

The teacher reads and retells Californian tribal origin or creation stories that come from the traditions of a variety of California Indian tribes. Then, pupils get together in groups and retell the stories they just heard; just as...

Students write an essay. In this comparison lesson, students read about a child's typical day on a fair trade cocoa farm in the Dominican Republic. Students write about a typical morning of a child in the US and make comparisons.

Young scholars read poems about water and relate to their own experiences.  In this poetry lesson, students create drawings relating to a specific relevant memory.  Young scholars write a poem about the same event as their...

Second graders examine the artwork of Robert Harris and discuss how trees are an important part of their lives. In groups, they discover how people's use of the environment has changed over time and describe the climate and vegetation...

Learners identify tree specimens.  In this tree specimens lesson plan, students collect different parts of a tree from the areas around the school or their home.  They then work in groups to create booklet that identifies tree...

Sometimes short lesson outlines are enough to give you a great idea. Young writers draw any object inside an image of a jar, that doesn't belong in a jar. They can draw a tree, truck, or dinosaur. Tip: Have kids write a short story...

First graders share their wishes for the future and discuss changes that have taken place. They observe a puppet who describes life in the future and identifies positive and difficult challenges he may face. Individual students draw a...

Early settlers in the American Midwest experienced constant struggle. This reading passage describes for young learners the hardships of homesteaders as they journeyed west and sought to start a new life. When finished, learners identify...

Here is a nicely designed lesson plan on ancestry and family history. In it, learners read an article entitled, "Where Were Your Ancestors in 1871?" Then, they make up a series of questions to profile their family and their community 100...

Students compare and contrast the details from the life of the real David Crockett and the legendary folk hero he later became. They identify the characteristics of a tall tale and follow a rubric to create a tall tale of their own.

Have your class explore Buddhist Jataka Tales to compare and contrast them to European fables. After defining fables, Jataka tales, and the elements of each, learners identify themes and patterns for both types of narratives and the...

Growing up within a culture leaves a lot of ideas and values unspoken. Take a closer look at the cultures in which your learners live with a discussion activity that addresses cultural identity and traits of those living within the...

Students explore perspective while drawing. In this perspective instructional activity, students discover that faraway objects should be drawn smaller than objects that are closer. Students experiment with perspective as they draw...

Students explore the concept of culture. They discuss the Washoe culture, create a word web, develop a family tree of their own family for a class book, and complete a writing assignment.

Students analyze Impressionist art and complete related activities. In this Impressionist art activity, students read and study the art of Childe Hassam. Students explore basic design concepts and the steps in drawing. Students...

Students appreciate the natural environment.  In this "four L's" instructional activity, students  observe, reflect and appreciate unique ecosystems and how they help sustain life.  Students create posters with the four L's.

Students use the internet to gather information on the Japanese Gardens. They discuss topics with a horticulturist and build a replica of the gardens at their school. They work together to identify different types of plants.

Pupils discuss the life and artistic style of Henri Rousseau, identify traits of artistic perspective, and create paintings using simple shapes and oil pastels in this 4th through 6th grade Art Lesson. Resource links are included with...