Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
A World of Animals: Challenge Activities (Theme 10)
Animals are the theme of this series of challenge activities. Extend scholars' learning opportunities by writing personal narratives and book reports, creating picture and alphabet books, and drawing scenes from stories read aloud.
Curated OER
Egg Carton Lobsters
Who doesn't love learning about the ocean? And who wouldn't want to help create an ocean themed mural? Little learners make lobsters out of recycled egg cartons, pipe cleaners, and paint. These are then used as part of a larger 3-D ocean...
Curated OER
Articulated/Moveable Paper Dolls
Young scholars create articulated/moveable dolls, that fit a specific theme, using various forms of media, including recycled paper, jewelry, foil, and other items. They may choose to display their dolls on a background.
Teaching Tolerance
Collage of Concerns
A picture can speak louder than words. An interesting lesson introduces the themes of social justice and diversity to young learners by having them create artwork. Scholars create collages from a variety of sources to showcase what...
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
That’s Amazing!: Challenge Activities (Theme 3)
Synonym dominoes, anyone? As part of the activities designed for kids who have mastered the basic concepts in the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt thematic unit That's Amazing! kids are offered a variety of activities that include developing a...
Curated OER
Cosmic Mobiles: Recycled Art
If you have a little left over tinsel and aluminum foil, your class can create these fun moon and star mobiles. Poster board or recycled cardboard become your moon and stars; the tinsel gives them sparkle. This would be a great activity...
Curated OER
Sorting
A lesson on classification and sorting is here for you. Elementary schoolers participate in an interactive computer game in which they sort books by theme. They take a trip to the library to observe and discuss how books are sorted, and...
Curated OER
Rewrite, Revise, Recycle
Students examine different pieces of literature that have a similiar theme. They read an article about reusing ideas for television shows. They work together to create their own program proposals. They also create backstories for one of...
Curated OER
Modern African Art and Artisans
Students are explained the difference between artists and artisans. They discuss some of the common themes among artisans, such as traditions, materials, process, and inspiration. Students descsribe other modern-day African artisans and...
PJ Library
Joseph Had a Little Overcoat
Teach children that just because something is old, doesn't mean you have to throw it away with a reading of Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback. Engaging children with an arts and crafts activity in which they patch the holes in...
Curated OER
Earth Day Theme Activities
Students make recycled animals. In this Earth Day lesson, students use recycled materials to create artistic animals. A game, a song, a craft, and a recipe are all included with the lesson.
Curated OER
The War Lesson Plan
Students view video clips of the film "The War". Several classroom activities are included and address major themes found in the film. The lessons incorporate video clips from the film as well as additional resources provided.
Curated OER
Shoe Fish
Fishy, fishy, fishy, fish! Kids take off their shoes and trace them to create fish for a large aquarium art project. Each traced shoe shape is decorated with gills, fins, scales, and eyes, then hug on an aquarium background. Three book...
Curated OER
Have It Your Way Sandwich Collage
You want to make a sandwich out of fabric and paper? If so, this art project provides the instructions needed. Learners will use a variety of fabrics and paper to construct a sandwich through collage. Tip: Have leaners describe the...
Curated OER
Dragonfly Sculptures
Art projects are great when they apply to other subjects. First study insects, their parts, and their habitats. Then have little ones create a dragonfly. They use clothes pins, raffia, pipe-cleaners, and paint to construct their...
Curated OER
Go Fish! Fish or other Sea Creature from Recycled Materials
Students brainstorm what a fish looks like determining the parts from schema and research. They create a unique and interesting 3-d sculpture of fish or underwater creature mostly from recycled materials, then examine the aesthetics of...
Curated OER
Fitting Trash into Yesterday: A Fifth Grade Activity
Fifth graders explore the concept of waste management. In this recycling lesson, 5th graders discover the history of waste management and discuss how the U.S. should respond to the issue of ever-increasing waste.
Curated OER
Our Green City
Students practice beginning reading while exploring an environmental theme. In this our green city activity, students create their own published books, examine phonemic awareness, alphabetic principle, comprehension, and vocabulary.
Curated OER
Clowning Around: Drawing
Kids create a clown out of shapes. They work to show emotions while practicing their drawing skills. Pupils use circles, triangles, squares, oil pastels, and their imagination to draw, color, and decorate a sad or happy clown. Tip: Have...
Curated OER
Make Something Beautiful
Students create an art piece using recycled objects. In this environmental lesson, students collect and sort recycled objects and create a three dimensional art piece.
Curated OER
Do We Control Nature, or Does Nature Control Us?
Student examine the theme of man versus nature in art. In this man versus nature lesson plan, students examine various pieces of art and discuss the theme as it is depicted. They discuss whether the themes shown in the artwork are...
Curated OER
Making Paper
Students read about the history of paper production and make their own recycled paper. In this paper making lesson, students follow the directions to make paper from recycled paper. Students also learn about making paper from live plants.
Curated OER
Earth Day
Students complete a variety of Earth Day activities. In this recycling and the environment lesson plan, students listen to Earth friendly music, create a car out of juice boxes, use soda cans and bottle caps to create a Halloween...
Curated OER
Land Art
Students use natural materials outside to create a work of art. In this land art lesson plan, students plan their sculpture inside in one day and create it outside over a period of 2 days.