Curated OER
'Me Fail English? That's Unpossible' : Studying Literature with "The Simpsons"
Does your class love The Simpsons? It might seem dated, but with reruns constantly popping up on television, this show still holds the attention of most of your learners. Play the opening sequence of an episode, and brainstorm any...
EngageNY
Writing a First Draft: Accessing Books Around the World Informative Paragraph
Supervise the final drafting of a well-organized paragraph by following the steps outlined in this plan. Using the included sample paragraph as a model, class members brainstorm criteria for quality work and then compose their paragraphs...
US Department of Health and Human Services
Learning Something New: How Does It Feel?
Use song and dance to help your youngsters identify their feelings and embrace learning. Starting with a brainstorming activity, class members talk about learning new things and how this made them feel. After listing to the song, and...
Missouri Department of Elementary
The Successful Student: Picturing the Successful Student
Class groups brainstorm the characteristics that make up a successful student before taking part in a whole class discussion. Assigned group roles promote member participation.
Curated OER
Compound Words - My Baseball Book
First graders examine compound words and what they look like. In this compound word lesson, 1st graders read the book, My Baseball Book, and compile a list of compound words from their reading.
US Institute of Peace
What Does Peace Mean?
Let peace begin with your class! After brainstorming definitions and interpretations of the word peace, class members draw their version of peace and pass it to a neighbor, who adds to the drawing. Several rounds later, learners get...
Committee for Children
Learn to Identify What’s Bullying, What’s Joking, and How to Deal With It
A quick lesson takes a look at the differences between bullying and joking. Through whole-class discussion, scholars identify between the two behaviors and brainstorm actions to take to cease bullying behavior. Small groups share with...
Teaching Tolerance
Civic Engagement and Communication as Digital Community Members
Don't feed the Internet trolls! Using a thought-provoking resource, pupils brainstorm a whole-class list of the possible kinds of bias young people may experience online. Next, in small groups, scholars create posters illustrating how to...
Overcoming Obstacles
Starting the Decision Making Process
The takeaway from a lesson on decision-making is that the more significant the consequences, the more complex the decision. Class members brainstorm a list of factors they consider when making decisions and then create a flow chart of...
Curated OER
Creatively Creating Expository Essays
Students, after reading Fahrenheit 451, brainstorm inventions that could have been in the novel. They present their invention to the class and writing an expository essay about their creation.
Curated OER
Columbus Day (Native American Perspective)
Teach your class the perspective Native Americans had on Christopher Columbus. They will examine the effects of Christopher Columbus' exploration on the Native Americans using a reading theater and a carousel brainstorming activity. They...
Curated OER
Why Rules or Laws
Here’s a fresh approach to establishing classroom rules at the beginning of the school year. Class groups brainstorm what they know about rules for baseball, basketball, and football. They then consider how the games would differ without...
Curated OER
Kiwi Story Chain
Write a story as a class. In this writing lesson plan, each person takes turns writing one to two sentences onto the paragraph given about Kim the Kiwi bird, including characters and events. Altogether, brainstorm a title for...
Curated OER
Developing a Topic for Writing Using an Idea Web
Teach your upper graders how to use an idea web to develop a topic for writing. After reading a variety of stories about friendship (a list of stories with the theme of friendship is included), model using an idea web. Class members...
Curated OER
What Do I Want to Research?
Study the eight slides that detail the steps to writing a research report. The steps include brainstorming for ideas, constructing graphic organizers, and writing the final research product. An example of each step is given on each...
Curated OER
Introduction to Sculpture
Here is a series of questions intended to get kids thinking about what they need, what they have, what they like, and how the overall environment is changed when art is added. They consider the impact of sculptural art in their community...
National Wildlife Federation
Plastic in the Sea
How much plastic do people use? Class members identify how plastic is involved in their daily lives by looking at food packaging either at a grocery store or at home. Learners view statistics for the amount of plastics found on a beach...
Curated OER
Singular Adjectives
Beginning speakers work on their singular adjectives with this basic activity. Consider having the class brainstorm a list of adjectives on the board before they begin this activity.
Curated OER
Verbos: Verbos de acción y verbos conectores
Have your Spanish language learners brainstorm a list of action verbs and another list of auxiliary/ linking verbs. Depending on your class, you might want to provide a list of verbs for them to organize into these categories.
Curated OER
Introduce /n/
What is this letter? Once your class is ready to explore the letter n, use these strategies to combine word examples, pronunciation, and letter recognition. First, can they identify the letter? Make the /n/ sound, explaining...
Curated OER
Reintroduce /l/
Connect letter recognition, pronunciation, sound, and word examples to give scholars a solid grasp on the letter l. They watch you draw a large l on the board and make the /lll/ sound. Using your tips, they try the sound on...
Curated OER
Reintroduce /x/
What words end with /x/? Unite several alphabet concepts as scholars learn all about the letter x. After identifying it, they listen to you pronounce the /x/ sound and try it themselves (use these tips to explain how you do this)....
Curated OER
Introduce: Main Idea
Begin exploring main idea in a text by telling the class an interesting story. Can they recall the main idea after you finish? What clues told them this was it? Explain that you will apply this concept as you read a nonfiction book....
Curated OER
Different Points of View
Considering an examination of point of view? Use visual arts to engage learners in of this element of art and literature. Class members select a portrait from the Renaissance Connection and, guided by a series of brainstorming...