Curated OER
Looking at Portraits: Portraits in Line
Students use Van Gogh's Portrait of Joseph Roulin as inspiration for their own portraits for their friends. In this portrait analysis lesson, students explore portrait art and analyze Vincent Van Gogh's use of line in his art. Students...
Curated OER
Homeschooling Chronicles - Music in the Home
The sounds of music can produce the melody of learning.
Curated OER
Weathervanes in the Wind
Young scholars investigate wind and weather by creating a weathervane. In this environment lesson, students identify the purpose of a weathervane and observe weathervanes in action on their campus. Young scholars create a...
Curated OER
Where No Student Has Gone Before
Middle schoolers create a story about an unknown planet invaded by humans as a pre-reading activity for the novel, A Wrinkle In Time. They discuss good versus evil, and identify examples of the theme good vs. evil in books, film, and...
Curated OER
Ways to Reinforce Learning with Meaningful Activities
There are many ways to reinforce learning with student-designed or creative assignments.
Curated OER
Art Museum Visit
Students engage in a lesson designed to be used before visiting The Orange County Museum of Art in California. They are exposed to works of art from a featured artist and recreate some of his work in the classroom. Students also conduct...
Curated OER
Meeting Your Students' Learning Needs With Differentiated Instruction
Here are three ideas to help differentiate classroom instruction.
Curated OER
Social Studies Board Games
Student-created board games are an effective in-class study tool.
Curated OER
Writing Novelettes
Young scholars practice their writing techniques by creating a novelette. In this creating writing instructional activity, students brainstorm and decide on a topic they would like to expand upon in order to create their own...
Curated OER
Teaching Students There Isn't Only One Right Answer
By encouraging students to take risks in learning you can create a group of problem solvers and critical thinkers.
Curated OER
TE Activity: Trash Talkin'
Students collect and categorize solid waste produced in the classroom. They weigh the waste that has been collected over one week's time, and separate it into recyclable and non-recyclable waste. They talk about the role of engineers in...
Curated OER
Metaphorical Poetry
Twelfth graders read and discuss poems by Jewel., Sylvia Plath, and Langston Hughes They examine poems for examples of metaphors and similes. After discussing Jewel's poem Lost, they write their own poems. They hold a poetry reading in...
Curated OER
Garbage Bag Costume Creation
Students create plastic bag costumes for a short scene developed in the classroom. Performances and assessment occur at the end of this quick lesson. A very creative mini-project for theatre arts classes.
Curated OER
Amphibian Spawns
Students observe tadpoles as they gradually change into adults. In this amphibian biology lesson plan, students watch tadpoles in a tank in the classroom, keep a daily record of what they observe, and chart the growth development...
Curated OER
Donkeys and Elephants and Voters, Oh My!
Students celebrate party politics. In this American politics activity, students discover what the 2 main political parties in the country are and discuss their functions. Students then participate in a classroom simulation that requires...
Curated OER
Dear Diary
Students analyze a piece of writing by creating diary entries based on a character. In this reading comprehension lesson, students read an assigned book with their classmates and create a sketch of what they believe the main...
Curated OER
Intro to Witch on Blackbird Pond
Fourth graders read Witch on Blackbird Pond and understand the difficulties of traveling to America during the colonial period. In this Witch on Blackbird Pond lesson, 4th graders compare the choices we have in...
Curated OER
Mythical Creatures
What a creative way to explore mythology in your classroom. Learners create their own mythological creatures after identifying key elements. They design a creature and describe its appearance, its nature (aggressive, shy, peaceful), and...
Curated OER
Exploring Weather Conditions Through Painting
Your advanced class will paint a picture of a particular weather condition. In this painting lesson young scholars describe elements of art in pieces of artwork. They analyze the weather and seasons in the artwork. The students use...
Curated OER
Creating a Life Map
Students create their own life map in which they introduce themselves to each other by sharing what they are most proud of. They use a life map to expressive themselves creatively.
Curated OER
Laura Joffe Numeroff "If You Give..." Book Activities
Have learners choose activities to complete based on the books by Laura Joffe Numeroff. They are introduced to If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and the other books in this series through prereading activities. They then construct a portfolio...
Curated OER
Past Imperfect: Examining Secondary Sources of the American Revolution
Ninth graders respond in essay form to the following writing prompt. Mel Gibson, star of The Patriot, is quoted as stating, "If one were to adhere to historical accuracy all the way, you'd probably have the most boring two hours on...
Curated OER
Law of Conservation of Momentum
A suggested sequence of events lays out five hands-on activities and four creative assessments on the conservation of momentum. Using spring scales and mail scales, junior physicists examine Newton's Third Law. After you have taught the...