Curated OER
Play on Words Design
Students create a design of an image that combines two words to create an unusual visualization. They improve their drawing skills by completing a detailed, colored pencil rendering of the "Play on Words" they design. Using technology...
Curated OER
Peter and the Starcatchers: K-W-H-L Strategy
Bookend your study of Peter and the Starcatchers with a KWHL centered around treasure and power. Pupils work in small groups to compile knowledge and questions and then revisit this chart after reading and research.
Novelinks
The Winter’s Tale: Bio Poem
Readers of Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale demonstrate their understanding of the play by selecting a character and crafting a bio poem that reveals his or her fears and aspirations.
Curated OER
Foundation work for writing
In this writing worksheet, students read and practice the correct steps on how to write a good report. Students read a total of eight steps.
Curated OER
What's for Dinner? (Using Adjectives)
Sixth graders use adjectives to describe foods listed in restaurant menus. In cooperative groups, 6th graders create menus and identify the adjectives used in the menu created by their group.
Curated OER
Norval Morrisseau
Students investigate the art of Norval Morrisseau and create "x-ray paintings" using styles and symbols related to his work in this one or two day art lesson for third grade through twelfth grade. Emphasis is placed upon creative...
Curated OER
Character Development Through Reader's Theater
Ninth graders study a piece of literature, adapt it into a script and perform the piece to the class. Students practice reading their scripts. They use Inspiration software to create a multimedia presentation.
Curated OER
Write for Change
Students discuss and list injustices experienced in the novel "Hoot". They review the different ways letter writing was a part of the novel "Hoot". They choose one issue that is of concern to them and state their viewpoint on the issue....
Curated OER
Horsepower: Harnessed for War
Students explore the technology of war. In this war technology lesson, students research the fighting styles of the Vikings, the Normans, and Medieval Knights.
Curated OER
Prepositional Relationship Dance
Students learn the meaning of prepositions through movement. In this dance lesson plan, students choreograph a piece showing that they understand the meaning of various prepositions.
Special Olympics
SO…What’s the Challenge?
What does it feel like to be the victim of intolerance? Class members engage in activities, watch a video, and reflect on their own experiences with intolerance or discrimination before creating a project designed to combat...
Media Smarts
Teaching TV: Enjoying Television
What makes a TV program enjoyable? As an introduction to media analysis, kids identify their favorite programs and the elements they find engaging.
Chicago Children's Museum
Simple Machines: Force and Motion
Get things moving with this elementary science unit on simple machines. Through a series of nine lessons including teacher demonstrations, hands-on activities, and science experiments, young scientists learn about forces, motion,...
Curated OER
Picturing a Story
Young scholars view slides from the movie "Hoot" and discuss characters, setting and the caption. They identify where in the rise and fall of the plot this scene takes place. They brainstorm elements needed to create a story from a...
Curated OER
Which team?
Students identify the many groups to which they belong and consider how groups are formed. They explore group dynamics and how group rules influence individual choice and develop strategies that might influence their groups.
Curated OER
Preparing Arguments
Students review the information from the previous lesson on persuasion essays. In groups, they brainstorm a list of arguments to use to support their trip to Six Flags. They also develop counterarguments and gather information to put...
Curated OER
World without Trees Composition
Fourth graders write a composition on what they think the world would be like without trees. They brainstorm ideas of what they think the world would be like treeless, and creative a story. A rubric is distributed to the students which...
Curated OER
Thanksgiving Quilt
Second graders create individual "thankful" felt squares for use in a large classroom Thanksgiving quilt that can be put together using glue or hot glue. This great holiday instructional activity is based upon the book "Thanksgiving" by...
Curated OER
What information do we want to find out about a real-life millennium superhero?
Fourth graders come up with interview questions for heroes. In this hero lesson plan, 4th graders discuss what information would be important to include in a report on a superhero. They write their questions in the database program on...
Curated OER
Designing Carousels
Students design a carousel for an amusement park. In collaborative groups they conduct research, develop a presentation, write a descriptive paragraph, evaluate design features, and draw an artistic rendering of their carousel.
Curated OER
No Title
Fourth graders, after brainstorming a list of things good friends do for each other, apply prereading strategies to the book, "Be A Friend to Trees," and create similes and metaphors utilizing content ideas. They also sketch an...
Curated OER
Upside-Down Books
Students read various examples of literature. In groups, they brainstorm a list of views that go against what was in one of the stories. They illustrate the opposite ideas and compile them into a class book. They use each other to...
Curated OER
Farewell to the Former Library Media Specialist
Students write a letter to their former library media specialist incorporating brainstormed ideas of what they have liked about the library media center. In this way students let the teacher know about what has been done in the past and...
Curated OER
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
Students communicate and express ideas through drawings that represent the stated ideas. They use a pattern book after listening to the story, "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?"