Lesson Plan
ELA Common Core Lesson Plans

American Romanticism

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Rappaccini's Daughter" provides the text for an activity that asks readers to select specific passages from the story, identify the aspect of American Romanticism the passage exemplifies, and then provide an...
Study Guide
Reed Novel Studies

Hatchet: Novel Study

For Teachers 6th - 9th Standards
Thanks to Gary Paulsen's Hatchet, teen readers now know it's possible to survive in the wilderness. A study guide for the novel discusses common topics and vocabulary words found within the text. Additionally, readers get the chance...
Lesson Plan
University of California

Impact of the California Missions on Native Americans

For Teachers 4th Standards
While the Spanish claimed to bring civilization to California indigenous peoples, in reality, they also brought violence and forced assimilation to European values. Primary sources, such as the reports of Catholic priests and Europeans...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Performance Task: Planning the Final Brochure

For Teachers 7th Standards
Partners use a Brochure Planning Guide to create brochures giving advice to consumers about products based on the research they finished about working conditions. After planning the brochure, they complete a sketch outline and then...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Performance Task: Publishing the Final Brochure

For Teachers 7th Standards
Add your final touches! Seventh graders finish the final draft of the brochure they began in the previous lesson. They then reflect by talking with other learners to discuss their work. Peers talk about the choices they made in layout as...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

End of Unit Assessment, Part 1: Drafting Body Paragraphs of an Essay to Inform

For Teachers 6th Standards
Anybody can write a body paragraph! Pupils analyze the development of ideas in a body paragraph from a model essay. Next, using what they've learned, they draft the body paragraphs of their My Rule to Live By informative essay. 
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

End of Unit Assessment, Part 2: Drafting Introduction and Conclusion of an Essay to Inform

For Teachers 6th Standards
A powerful introduction and conclusion can really pack a punch. Using the resource, scholars first read and discuss a model essay. Then, as part of the end of unit assessment, they draft the introductory and concluding paragraphs of...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Final Performance Task: Final Draft of Essay to Inform

For Teachers 6th Standards
Sometimes, it's fun to follow the rules. Using their drafts of an evidence-based essay from previous lessons, scholars write their final informative essays about rules to live by. Next, they choose and share quotes from their essays that...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Writing to Inform: Analyzing a Model Using a Rubric

For Teachers 6th Standards
Learn to write right. Scholars analyze the model essay Adversity Faced by Townspeople in the Middle Ages. They discuss the essay and make annotations working with an elbow partner. Learners then take another look at the essay using a...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Evaluating Evidence: Adversities Faced in the Middle Ages

For Teachers 6th Standards
How is that relevant? Scholars gain an understanding of the words relevant and compelling. They then go back to the End of Unit 1 Assessment Prompt: Adversity in the Middle Ages and look at the second bullet that pertains to relevant and...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Drafting Body Paragraphs

For Teachers 6th Standards
That's just the style. Learners begin with a mini-activity about formal writing style. They then use what they learned about formal writing to begin the body paragraphs for their End of Unit 1 Assessment Prompt: Adversity in the Middle...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Drafting Introduction and Conclusion

For Teachers 6th Standards
In conclusion ... Scholars analyze the model essay Adversity Faced by Townspeople in the Middle Ages to gain a better understanding of introductory and concluding paragraphs. After studying the author's strategies, learners begin...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

End of Unit Assessment: Final Essay

For Teachers 6th Standards
This is just the transition phase. Scholars participate in a mini lesson about using transitions in writing. They then have a brief peer critique of the introduction and conclusion paragraphs for their end of unit assessment. Learners...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Performance Task Preparation: Peer Critique and Mini-Lesson Addressing Common Errors: Revising Draft Essay to Inform

For Teachers 6th Standards
Time to revise! Using a writing evaluation rubric, scholars participate in a peer editing process to provide feedback on each others' informative essays. Next, pupils begin revising their drafts based on the feedback they receive. 
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Qualities of a Strong Literary Analysis Essay

For Teachers 6th Standards
Read like a writer. Scholars read a model literary analysis in preparation for a similar writing assignment before annotating each paragraph for the gist. Next, pupils devise a list of qualities of a strong literary analysis essay. 
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Planning for Writing: Introduction and Conclusion of a Literary Analysis Essay

For Teachers 6th Standards
First and last impressions are important. Using the helpful resource, scholars draft the introductory and concluding paragraphs of their literary analysis essays. Next, they use a writing evaluation rubric to self-assess their work. 
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Analyzing the Purpose of a Newspaper Article

For Teachers 6th Standards
Shh! No talking during the discussion! Using the resource, scholars engage in a silent discussion called a Chalk Talk activity to analyze the purpose of a newspaper article. Additionally, they read a model newspaper article and try to...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Writing Interview Questions

For Teachers 6th Standards
And now for the star witness! Scholars take a look at a model newspaper article and discuss the importance of eyewitness accounts. In groups of three, they take turns underlining text from eyewitnesses. They then regroup to talk about...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Analyzing a Model Informative Consumer Guide

For Teachers 6th Standards
What do consumers need to know about overfishing before buying fish? Scholars consider the question as they prepare for their performance task, which is to create a consumer guide for people about purchasing fish responsibly. After...
Activity
Smithsonian Institution

What's the Code? Coding Robot Movements Using Sound

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Tap into the desire to learn about computer codes. Pupils apply the Tap Code and the Polybius Square to send secret codes using sound. They design a code that tells a robot what movements to make and then test out their code using one of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Work and Power: Waterwheel

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students investigate a waterwheel and the physical properties of energy.  In this waterwheel lesson students create a model waterwheel and calculate the amount of power produced. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Learning Light's Properties

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the properties of light and the behavior of light during interference.  In this electromagnetics lesson students explain behaviors of light.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Off the Grid

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Young scholars examine the advantages and disadvantages of renewable and non renewable energy sources.  In this engineering lesson students explain what it means for a house to be "off the grid".
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Makes Airplanes Fly?

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students examine force and conduct activities that model parachutes and helicopters.  In this airplanes lesson students identify the forces that make airplanes fly higher and land.