Exploring the idea of working to achieve the American Dream, the class reads an excerpt from How the Garcia Girls Lost their Accents by Julia Alvarez. Following, the class analyzes the excerpt and discusses the theme of the reading using...

What do families around the world have in common? Explore this theme through the popular animated film My Neighbor Totoro by Hayao Miyazaki. Over the course of two days, pupils view the film, pausing to discuss their own families and the...

Students read about a boy's first day in a new school. In this self-esteem lesson plan, students discuss the problems Chico has in his new school and how he faces them with courage and bravery. Students discuss people who migrate from...

Kids create a clown out of shapes. They work to show emotions while practicing their drawing skills. Pupils use circles, triangles, squares, oil pastels, and their imagination to draw, color, and decorate a sad or happy clown. Tip: Have...

Students examine the trait of compassion. In this character education lesson, students read Owen and Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship by Isabella Hatkoff. Students discuss the theme of the story as well as what it means to...

Ready for an educational movie day? Use a resource based on the movie Whale Rider to learn more about the Maori culture. Class members answer a variety of questions and listen to music from the soundtrack to further analyze and...

Students enjoy winter activities. In this field trip opportunities lesson plan, students may visit Winter Wonderland, the Tanya Axford Christmas Installation, the Lander Operation Control Centre for the Beagle 2 Mission, the Avon Valley...

Students read a work of fiction and investigate literary values and structure of the work. They demonstrate understanding of the family values, cultural and historical context of the novel;

Young scholars conduct research and create an eponym dictionary. They use their imaginations to create their own monster. They have a Monster Mash day to show off their creations.

Young scholars consider various perspectives in writing and write a short story. They view a painting and discuss its theme and the idea of personification as perspective. Choosing three different viewpoints, they write a story about the...

Everyone is familiar with the beginning of Hamlet's soliloquy, "To be or not to be..." While reading Hamlet, help your middle schoolers analyze the lines that follow, but how do you help them make personal connections to the text? Use...

The Star Festival or Tanbata, is a holiday celebrated in Japan every year. People make tanzakus out of paper and hang them on the trees. Pupils will learn about this culturally significant holiday while creating tanzakus of...

Foreshadowing, flashbacks, and imaginary places are the three topics of focus in this two-lesson plan packet written especially for the book, Bridge to Terabithia. Each lesson plan also comes with worksheets and activities to support...

Do leaders need to be more moral than followers? Does power corrupt? Can anyone be a leader? Begin a study of leadership with a reading of excerpts from the Epic of Gilgamesh. After examining the ancient Mesopotamian hero, class members...

Students identify and compare similar characters and situations in stories and dramas from and about various cultures, illustrate with classroom dramatizations, and discuss how theater reflects life.

Students create an awareness of how music creates a setting in a story or legend. They identify the instrumentation, dynamics and tempo used to create various settings for a musical story. They perform rhythmic patterns from listening...

Learners read about an immigrant family and participate in reading activities related to the book.  In this immigration book lesson, students answer question related to immigration and the book.

Students explore the main elements of the book Passage to Freedom. In this reading response lesson, students participate in pre-reading activities that focus on the idea of courage. Students conduct a book walk-through and are introduced...

Fourth graders investigate the style of diary writing as its own genre of literature. They read Harriet The Spy in order to have a text for this literature study. Students use the skill of prediction to preview the story, and then...

Students investigate the moral obligation of telling the truth and what the implications are for not doing so. They define what a lie is and how it deviates from the truth. The skill of mending a mistake is taught to encourage students...

Students engage in a lesson plan that focuses on the character trait of being grateful. Its connections to becoming a peaceful person are emphasized by reading a story that helps students to make cognitive connections to the subject.

Students stimulate thought about equipping ourselves to be ready for life's challenges. They recognize the needs and concerns of others and reconsider existing views. They evaluate consideration for others' religious teaching and...

Students complete a variety of activities surrounding science, music and art.  In this nature and animals lesson, students sing songs, color a picture of make a butterfly, listen and dance to music, make a butterfly, recite riddles...

Fourth graders use various pictures to identify the economic activities, food supply or religious beliefs of the Ohlone Indians. Students create a cooperative learning travel brochure.