Curated OER
News View
Students read and analyze three different news sources that describe the same event. They compare/contrast the similarities and differences of the news sources, and write an essay describing the main event.
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.
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Message in a Bottle
Sixth graders write a short story about being stranded on a deserted island. After a brief geography review of locations at various latitudes and longitudes, 6th graders draft their story about being stranded. They use sensory and...
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KinderArt Drawing for Kids
Students illustrate a creative adventure idea. In this arts and crafts lesson, students design drawings based on where they would like to go for an adventure. Before creating their illustrations, students brainstorm the method of...
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Designing a Playground!
Young scholars design their own playground equipment. In this design lesson, students take pictures of equipment they like and make a class pictograph of their favorite ones. They investigate the design, research equipment around the...
Museum of Tolerance
My Experience with Injustice
As part of their preparation for a visit to the Museum of Tolerance, individuals are asked to write about a time when they witnessed or experienced unjust, biased, or prejudicial treatment. A great way for writers to make a personal...
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, and...
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Children Using Antonyms to Write Short Stories
Second graders discuss what antonyms are and read the book, Quick as a Cricket. In this antonym lesson, 2nd graders write a short story by describing themselves.
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Picturing a Story
Students 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 picture....
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Emblems of the Land I Love
Students explore the histories of American patriotic emblems and examine ways in which patriotic artwork uses these emblems to reflect the ideals that they embody. They find a common or popular patriotic image and design a modern...
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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.
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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...
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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...
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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?"
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Entrepreneurs
Students explore becoming entrepreneurs. For this career exploration lesson, students work in small groups to begin a new business that they will "build" from scratch as they learn what it takes to create a successful business by using...
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I've Got News For You!
Students explore their hometown newspaper for ideas. They create their own classroom newspaper.
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For Sale! Part 1
Middle schoolers create a new document in a graphic organizer. They add main ideas to their document and reorder the items. They share their organizer with the class.
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What's Your Symbol?
Sixth graders investigate how colors, objects and geometric shapes have been used symbolically in art during specific time periods. They use this information to create symbolic artwork and write a descriptive/informational piece...
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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 lesson is based upon the book "Thanksgiving" by Miriam Nerlove.
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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, 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...
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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...
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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...
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Farewell to the Former Library Media Specialist
Young scholars 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...
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And Then What Happened, Inspector?
Students further their understanding of the United Nations inspections in Iraq. They develop flow charts to organize ideas for interactive scenarios about the inspections in which the choices made determine the outcome.