Carnegie Library
Creative Writing: Middle School Lesson Plan
Enhance a unit on historical fiction with an engaging writing lesson. Learners bring the Industrial Era to life as they compose their own historical fiction pieces based on primary source images of Pittsburgh steel workers.
Curated OER
Knowledge or Instinct? Jack London's "To Build a Fire"
Students closely read " To Build a Fire," to explore the use of narrative point of view and debate the distinction between knowledge and instinct. The elements of literary naturalism and how they relate to Jack London's work is examined...
Curated OER
What a Character!
Guide your readers to explore character traits. As a class, discuss and record the traits of a commonly-known fairy tale character. Then do the same with the main character in the class novel. Finally, have learners use magazines...
Curated OER
Jazz in America Lesson Plan 2
Students explore jazz's primary elements. They identify the basic definitions of terms associated with jazz. In addition, they listen to Song for My Father.
Curated OER
Painting a Color Wheel
You have to love the color wheel, it's just so colorful! Your kids will love it too, as they work through an introductory exercise which allows them the opportunity to draw and paint a color wheel of their own. This wheel focuses on...
Curated OER
Boogie Woogie with a B: Using Alliteration while Exploring Patriotic Tunes
Are you looking for a way to bring writing into your history lesson - or history into your writing lesson? This cross-curricular activity is helpful and fun, no matter what class you're teaching! Using "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" by the...
Curated OER
Secrets of Painting
Learners explore colors and shapes. In this art concepts instructional activity, students discuss shapes, lines, and color while creating a variety of abstract designs. The instructions for several art activities are provided. Basic art...
Curated OER
It's in the Elements - Lesson Four
Students compare and contrast story elements in two versions of Cinderella. In this literature elements lesson, students are read two different versions of Cinderella, they identify the characters, plot, and setting, then they...
Curated OER
Gift of the Magi Test
Young scholars explore literary elements, plot structure, and story elements. They read "The Gift of the Magi," and identify its theme and elements of the story. Afterward, students discuss the story and take a test over the material...
Northern Ireland Curriculum
Me Inc.
Build your learners' self-esteem with a series of lessons that focuses on their identity and observation of the world around them. Applicable to many different subjects and lessons, the resources guide kids through the process of...
Curated OER
Martin Luther King Jr.
After listening to a story about Martin Luther King Jr., first graders answer questions about the text. They discuss the importance of the illustrations, identify the beginning, middle, and end of the story, and complete a writing...
Curated OER
Robe Design
You can learn a lot from a robe, especially if that robe is from the Qing Dynasty. Examine the beauty and symbolism that covers a functional and piece of clothing entitled Winter Dragon Robe. The class will consider and analyze all...
Virginia Department of Education
Chemical Bonds
How are chemical bonds similar and how are they different? Provide your young chemists with the resources to more thoroughly understand the concepts of ionic and covalent bonds. Pupils research these topics, diagram examples of each...
Curated OER
The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper
In this literature worksheet, learners respond to 25 short answer and essay questions about James Fenimore Cooper's The Last of the Mohicans. Students may also link to an online interactive quiz on the novel at the bottom of the page.
Curated OER
Perceiving Place
Learners observe how color creates the mood of a place, and generate sketches and drawings that capture their observations.
Curated OER
Pablita Indian Legends
Scholars are introduced to the characteristics of a legend. They read and discuss Old Father Story Teller by Pablita Velarde. Then, in groups, they write and illustrate a poem based on one of the legends from the book. This lesson plan...
Bulgarian Creative Writing Competition
Creative Writing Workshop
Looking for suggestions on how to organize a creating writing workshop? For topic suggestions appropriate for various grade levels? Check out a resource packet, designed for English language arts instructors, that is packed with ideas...
Scholastic
Persuasive Communication (Grades 9–12)
Before your students reached your morning class to learn about persuasive writing, they probably saw dozens of examples of persuasive communication in the form of advertisements. A short, introductory lesson inspires class members to...
Curated OER
Nonfiction Genre Mini-Unit: Persuasive Writing
Should primary graders have their own computers? Should animals be kept in captivity? Young writers learn how to develop and support a claim in this short unit on persuasive writing.
Curated OER
Art Criticism for Elementary
Students view various pieces of art and identify their basic elements. Using the art, they present the elements to the class in a presentation. They answer questions and organize them into written form. They also write and reflect on...
Curated OER
Politics and Religion in 17th Century Dutch Art
Seventh graders examine different pieces of Dutch Art. They identify its social and political meanings by using cultural and historical information. They examine maps of the time period as well.
Curated OER
The Minerva Mosaic of the Library of Congress
Students analyze the Minerva mosaic. In this Library of Congress lesson, students conduct primary source analysis of the mosaic as they interpret the symbolism and mythology featured in the mosaic.
Curated OER
Fairy Tales as a Genre of Literature
Young scholars examine the literary elements of fairy tales. After reading the fairy tale "Rapunzel" and discussing the elements of fairy tales that occur as they read, they use a story web to help plan and create an original fairy...
Curated OER
Language Arts: Gathering the Appropriate Information
Students are able to use the library and/or computer lab to research reliable information sources supporting arguments being put forward in the position paper. They are able to find examples of mission statements from various...