What do an early 20th century poet and a 1980's rock star have in common with a novel from the 1960's? Using Wilfred Owen's poem "Disabled" and George Michael's song "Mother's Pride," learners answer questions about the lyrics and themes...

You could spend a full day discussing The Phantom of the Opera and not scratch the surface, but a set of lessons about the literary elements and themes of the musical production is a great start. Young thespians build upon the...

Students practice b words, search for sea shells, write on beach post cards, and more, all to learn about the beach. Students also wear sun hats around the room.

Invite your pupils to express their understanding of a novel through a collaborative video project. Groups choose a novel from those you have studied in class, select four scenes, storyboard the scenes, film the scenes, edit the film,...

Compare and contrast ideas, hopes and dreams with those of Cassie in Faith Ringgold's, Tar Beach. your students can entries in their journals expressing their ideas.

Students read a current event article orally and make connections regarding the geographic themes of the newspaper location. In this current event article lesson, students use a map to locate where the event from their...

Pupils engage in a variety of activities that are given the theme of "Fun At The Beach". The games can be played outside or at the beach. The use of a game helps to keep student engagement.

Flotsam by David Wiesner and The Magic School Bus on the Ocean Floor by Joanna Cole, illustrated by Bruce Degen, begin a reading adventure pack focusing on oceans. With story listening and thoughtful discussion, scholars complete several...

Students design and create an experimental film to express a theme or concept regarding heroism. They establish shots of locations, write dialogue, create montages and subjective footage.

Here is a very fun idea that introduces young learners to how geographical location affects cultural development. They are introduced to four areas where Native Americans have lived in the past by reading stories and examining images....

With Eros and Psyche, your learners will have the opportunity to combine the art of reader's theater with a study of the ancient Greek gods! This engaging reader's theater script will also serve as a fantastic way for your...

Students identify characteristics of good poetry and compose their own.  For this marine poetry lesson, students are introduced to several different types of poetry with a marine theme.  After discussing the elements...

Students study a mural that represents life in Florida. They choose one portion of the mural and redraw it showing what the character in that portion would be doing next. (Is the person headed to the beach? Where the bird fly next? etc.)

Students take a field trip to a local park or beach to collect objects. They practice counting the objects and put them into categories according to type of shape like a cone, cylinder, etc... As an extension to the lesson students could...

Explore Japanese society and national identity. Class members share ideas about the Japanese economy and then investigate a series of resources, including an article, a film, a lecture, and a poem, to learn about Japan's Bubble Economy...

What educational opportunities were available to women during the colonial era in American history? How did the opportunities available to women differ from those for men? To answer this question, class members examine a series of...

Show a Powerpoint presentation about descriptive writing. Fourth graders brainstorm a list of writing topics and place them in graphic organizers. Then they write their own paragraphs describing topics of their choice and create...

Models of and directions for how to write 20 different types of poems are featured in an NCTE resource. The introduction to each form highlights the embedded concepts. For example, tongue twisters encourage poets to use alliteration and...

The centerpiece of this lesson plan is a predator-prey simulation in which colored paperclips represent different species of animals camouflaged against a colored background. Relevant follow-up questions are provided. The activity is...

Third graders explore the importance of art in Haitian culture by analyzing the cause and effect within the story, "Allie's Basketball Dream." They examine all the aspects of the story and characters including their goals, dreams,...

Students role play as newscasters to highlight the lives of estuary animals. In this estuary animal lesson, students watch local new shows to examine how interviews take place. They research the lives of animals that live in estuaries...

Students survey other students and record the information on a chart using tally marks. They record their favorite fish and their favorite foods, and share the results with the class.

Young scholars become acquainted with the art and literature of artist/author Faith Ringgold.

Students consider feelings about the things we have. They look at their friends, their home, possessions, and things given to us and if we take them for granted, wish for something else, or are grateful for them. Students reflect on how...