Curated OER
Telling A Story
Students discover that every story has a start, middle and end. In this literature instructional activity, the teacher models using a picture to show the parts of the story. Students each take a picture and tell a story using start,...
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Rosa Parks Autobiography
Students write the story of Rosa Parks from the perspective of someone who was sitting on the bus that day. In this Rosa Parks/biography lesson, students read the story of Rosa Parks and discuss it in small groups. After...
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Land, Liberty and the Struggle for the American Dream
Students investigate equality by reading a historical fiction book in class. In this civil rights lesson, students read the story Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry with their classmates and define the Jim Crow Laws that kept blacks...
Creative Educator
Design a Rainforest Postcard
Send your class on an expedition through the rainforest! Along the way, they will write informational postcards to demonstrate what they've learned. Each team will be responsible for one of five rainforest regions. When they return from...
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What price Freedom! Civil War and Reconstruction
Fifth graders become familiar with the events of Reconstruction and the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments. In this reconstruction lesson plan, 5th graders work in pairs where each student creates a building with blocks and draws it....
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Walking Down Main Street: The Changing Times of a Railroad Town
Students explore the historic district via a scavenger hunt. In this community history lesson, students complete a scavenger hunt using historic postcards and clues as guides. Students create a timeline demonstrating changes of the area...
Curated OER
Aztec Myths 1
Students write a diary entry or a letter from the viewpoint of a character in a myth. For this Aztec myths lesson, students define myths and read "The Heart of Copil" and "The Eagle of Tenochtitlan" and find the land of the...
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Portrait Analysis of Lincoln in Richmond, VA
Students view and analyze a portrait of Abraham Lincoln made during his visit to Richmond, Va. Students determine the historical significance of his visit and create fictional newspaper accounts from various perspectives.
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Root Words
Learnersstudy root words. In this word study lesson, they identify the root words from several compound words. There are examples listed in this lesson plan.
Curated OER
Eureka! You've Struck
While incomplete, this instructional activity could provide ideas for a instructional activity on the California gold rush. Learners look at a chart to analyze population growth in San Francisco after the discovery of gold, analyze...
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Confronting the -Isms
Learners keep "Mindwatch" diaries to chart their own prejudices and stereotypes. For this social justice lesson, students monitor their own reactions to people who are different from themselves. Learners identify and discuss patterns of...
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Problematic Situation For A Raisin In the Sun
Students explore the different perspectives within the text. In this language arts lesson, students read A Raisin in the Sun and discuss what they would do if they were in the same position as the Younger family.
Curated OER
Art and Artists
Students effectively gather and use information for research purposes. They comprehend the visual arts in relation to history and culture. Students practice note taking skills, and summarizing skills. They know and compare the...
Curated OER
Friday Forum (Day 4)
Have your young speakers participate in a discussion/debate with their whole class on their prepared argument. They listen and analyze other student's arguments and refute arguments using logic and not emotion.
Curated OER
That Is Not My Opinion!
Being an informed citizen requires distinguishing fact from opinion and understanding persuasion methods. Secondary learners evaluate newspaper editorials. They read opinion pieces, identify the writer's purpose and position on an issue,...
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Mariachi:Intermediate Lesson
Students research the history of mariachi music. In this music instructional activity, students identify mariachi music and investigate it from its origins to the present. They compare it to country music.
Curated OER
Analyzing Perspectives
Young scholars discuss how cultural values and societal beliefs influence perspectives in literature. They identify and articulate how their own culture and society affects their actions and beliefs.
Academy of American Poets
We Sing America
Pair the famous poems "I Hear America Singing," by Walt Whitman, and "I, Too, Sing America," by Langston Hughes, with a more recent poem by Elizabeth Alexander called "Praise Song for the Day" to demonstrate a theme and introduce your...
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I Am Special and You Are Special Too
Pre-schoolers identify things that make them a special individual. In this diversity lesson, they read the book Little Gorilla and discuss ways they are special and unique. Children create a birthday party for "Little Gorilla" and...
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What's My Point: Persuasive Writing
Why do readers need to know an author’s purpose? How do you figure out what that purpose is? Guide your pupils through a series of activities that show them how to identify various techniques and structures used in persuasive writing....
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Write a Description
Finding the central idea is the focus of this lesson. Middle schoolers write descriptions of different animals using details and descriptive language. They watch a video of kids using descriptive language, and then use showing language...
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Finding Meaning in the Badge
Children who are three to five years old study two rank badges from the Qing dynasty to develop an understanding of social rank, language skills, and symbolism. The instructional activity is discussion-based and requires learners to...
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After Reconstruction: Problems of African Americans
Students describe issues or problems facing African Americans following Reconstruction. They explain possible solutions to these problems suggested in the sources you find, and cite arguments for and against these solutions.
Curated OER
On the Road with Marco Polo: Homecoming
Students role play as Marco Polo to detail his travels. They include the terrains, foods, religions, people and cultures that were encountered. They write a journal entry as if they were Marco Polo detailing one aspect of his travels.