Curated OER
Out of the Box
Students brainstorm unique and unusual words associated with a given topic.
They then work together in groups to check their work against lists created by the teacher. Finally, they keep score of the points they receive for matching...
Curated OER
An International Menu
Students research etymologies using dictionaries. They explore the diverse origins of the common foods they eat after making a list of their favorite foods.
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Code Talkers
Students investigate the Navajo code talkers contributions to World War II. They read and discuss a fact sheet, and create and decode secret messages using a Navajo code talkers' dictionary.
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Veterans Day Newspaper
Students examine the reasons for and origins of the Veterans Day holiday. They define key vocabulary terms, read and discuss the article "The Origins of Veterans Day," conduct research and complete a worksheet, and create a class...
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Learning through The Duke
Students examine the important contributions made by Duke Ellington to the field of jazz, as well as some of the factors that led to his involvement in the field. As they explore the language of the 1920's, connections will be drawn...
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Spanish Influence in the U.S.
Eighth graders research the role of the first Spanish conquistadors who explored the now United States. Using the internet, they gather information on different explorers and write a paper about why he is important in American history. ...
Curated OER
Harcourt Story: Eleanor and Amelia Go for a Ride
Fourth graders are introduced to a list of vocabulary words as it relates to the story Eleanor and Amelia Go for a Ride and a use graphic organizer to clarify the meaning of the text. In this "Eleanor and Amelia Go for a Ride"...
Curated OER
Tall Tales
Students examine the characteristics of tall tales and how exaggerations are used. They create a character that is larger than life, they brainstorm attributes for their character, before writing a Tall Tale. They plan out their story,...
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WHAT'S ORGANIC?
Students explore how certain foods come to be certified "organic." They write the words "organic" and "synthetic" and given the definitions of each. Students are given dictionaries. They are asked: "What is organic food?" Students grow...
Oklahoma State Department of Education
Sandwich Feast
Creative! Youngsters listen to the reading of "Recipe for a Hippopotamus Sandwich" by Shel Silverstein as a warm up activity for a lesson in punctuation. They use bread-shaped pages, one for each type of punctuation, to identify which...
Curated OER
Wolf Fact Cards
Students write a non-chronological report about wolves. They read and discuss wolf fact cards in small groups, complete a KWL chart, observe the teacher model the steps of writing a report, and conduct research and write an original...
Curated OER
Equadorian Rainforest: The Tropical Supermarket
Young scholars study the concept of sustainable agricultural practices through cocoa farming and the lives of the people who are the producers. Students watch a slide show and read a story which helps them understand the origins of...
Busy Teacher
The Phantom of the Opera
It's no masquerade! If Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera is part of your curriculum, check out this three-page packet loaded with suggestions for before, during, and after reading activities.
Curated OER
Vocabulary of Ancient Rome (Grades 6-8)
Students define ancient Roman vocabulary using the dictionary writing sentences. They write sentences for each word that use the words in their original and contemporary contexts.
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Idioms...not the be taken literally!
Students define common English idioms which they find in books and book excerpts. They use an idiom dictionary and constuct a database of five idioms along with meanings and sentences. They beam this information to classmates.
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Watch the Birdie
Young scholars complete a six-week unit on North American birds. They conduct research, develop fact sheets, create labeled bird drawings, write a dictionary of bird vocabulary words, create a Concentration game, and observe birds in...
Curated OER
Cognate Detectives
Second graders examine how some root words are the same in English and Spanish. They explore cognates in Spanish and English language.
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The Founding of Los Angeles, California
Seventh graders examine the social and cultural impact of settler groups in California and the origins of the founding of Los Angeles, California. They read and discuss an informational handout, and discuss what it is and was like to...
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Traditions
Students study the vocabulary of philanthropy and the tradition in their community of altruism. In this philanthropy instructional activity, students discuss traditions and philanthropy. They create a class dictionary of...
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Coalition or Division?
Students research and write essays on contemporary Italian politics and their roots to explain the prime minister's recent resignation in context. They explain why coalition governments are formed.
Curated OER
Awesome Alliterations
Learners review examples of alliteration in Shel Silverstein's poems. They are assigned a letter of the alphabet and then write an original alliterative poem using that letter.
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Spenser, Shakespeare, and the "Blazon": Lesson 4
Students discuss the meaning and tone of Shakespeare's Sonnet 130. In this sonnets lesson, students compare Spenser's sonnets to Shakespeare's. Students discuss specific words that add to the humor in Shakespeare's sonnet,...
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The Preamble
Students read and analyze the meaning of the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution. They read and discuss the Preamble, look up difficult words in a dictionary, rewrite the Preamble in more common words, and create posters displaying the...
Curated OER
How To Use the Internet To Make Student Glossaries
Middle schoolers use an internet dictionary to produce a glossary of words related to a particular subject area being studied. They choose the correct meaning of the word for their glossary, based on it's relationship to the subject...