Pennsylvania Department of Education
Analyzing Key Ideas and Details in Nonfiction
Students explore nonfiction texts. In this language arts instructional activity, students read a nonfiction text and make predictions. Students identify facts and opinions in the text and draw conclusions as they read.
Curated OER
Great Barrier Reef
Ninth graders read text imbedded in this plan and find the answers to 3 questions: Why is the Great Barrier Reef one of the natural wonders of the world? What value does the reef offer Australia's economy? How is the reef being damaged?
Curated OER
I Love the Mountains
First graders discuss and define different landforms. They read the book "Our Land", sing a landform song and perform it with motions and then complete a worksheet.
Curated OER
Jelly Belly: What a Wonderful "Bean"!
Students explore how jelly beans are produced. They discuss the origins of the jelly bean and view a video about how jelly beans are prepared, tested, shaped, finished, and shipped and estimate the amount of jelly beans in a jar and sort...
Curated OER
Photo Editing and Photo Ethics
students investigate how to editphotos and understand the ethics of photo-editing in regard to photo-journalism. In this photo journalism lesson, students examine photos and photo spreads in various sources to identify editing components...
Curated OER
Needs of the Homeless
Students explore the needs of the homeless. In this philanthropy lesson plan student read chapter 1 of Trevor's Place and discuss facts regarding homelessness. Students write their impressions about homelessness in journals.
Curated OER
Great Online Art Sites
Students complete an online study of art websites. In this art and technology lesson, students explore the links and try the activities to learn about art online.
Curated OER
Click! Writing Through Digital Photography
Students take their own digital photographs and scan them onto the computer. For each photograph, they write about them and use the internet to research their subject in the photo more throughly. They are graded based on a rubric and...
Curated OER
Globe Skills Lesson 5
In this map skills worksheet, students read a text selection about locations during the American Revolution and then respond to 8 fill in the blank questions.
Curated OER
Ecological Dilemmas
For this ecological dilemmas worksheet, learners read about people's impact on ecosystems. Students complete 3 activities that require them consider the negative impact humans have on their environment.
Curated OER
Energy Inspiration Document and Website Production
Seventh graders conduct a web quest to find information on types of energy found in US. In this earth science lesson, 7th graders investigate the environmental consequences of using these resources. They develop a creative presentation...
Curated OER
What Would You Do?
In this writing worksheet, students read a story starter about being in the park and seeing a classmate being bullied. Students respond by writing what they would do in this situation.
Curated OER
The Underground Railroad and The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850
Students discover racism and slavery by completing a role playing activity. In this U.S. history lesson, students analyze documents from the Civil War era and describe the Fugitive Slave Law. Students view a video on YouTube about the...
Curated OER
Writing a Criticism
Students view various paintings and write down the adjectives that come to mind. Using the painting, they use information from a previous lesson to write their own critique or point of view. They share their writings with the class.
Curated OER
Critical Consumerism
Learners investigate the ways companies target the teenage demographic. In this advertising lesson, students discuss in focus groups what they like to buy. Learners also complete a related worksheet.
Curated OER
Sacred Blade at Heart of School Dispute
Fifth graders read the Sacred Blade at Heart of School Dispute, a religious freedom story. In groups students create a mediation session to demonstrate the conflict in the story.
Curated OER
"Julie of the Wolves"
Fifth graders research life in Alaska and compare life there to their lives in this lesson. They read "Julie of the Wolves." They research through the novel and other reference books facts about the Alaskan climate and geography. They...
Curated OER
Literature Circles
Pupils complete the reading of an age appropriate piece of literature. They think critically about their reading and discuss it with a group of peers. Students make connections among their reading, their own lives, and the discussions...
Curated OER
Writing with Writers
Young scholars identify unique characteristics of different writing genres such as biography, folktales and mysteries. They create original piece of writing using the writing process and then post their original writing online. They...
Curated OER
"Et tu, Brute?" - The Characters, Conflict and Historical context of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar
Students analyze the Shakespearian play, "Julius Caesar" in this seven lesson unit. Through readings, hands-on projects, and the study of plot development, comparisons are made to the movie and the historical records available.
Curated OER
Meet the Instrument Families
Fourth graders listen to a recording of a string quartet and ask questions about what kinds of instrument they think they are listening to and describe what they think the instruments look like. Then they discuss musical ideas such as...
Curated OER
911 As History
Learners recognize persuasive techniques, think criticaly about the messages contained in various media, and discuss controversial issues in constructive ways. They analyze the deeper messages contained in children's literature, and...
Curated OER
Al Qaeda & the Taliban: What threat to the U.S.?
High schoolers examine the War on Terror. In this national security lesson, students read articles about the War on Terror and President Obama's foreign policy. High schoolers respond to discussion questions and debate the presence of...
Curated OER
Shrek
Students watch the movie Shrek and compose a text that displays an understanding of the film. Also, they create writing that reflects a critical analysis of content and a personal interpretation of the film's meaning.