EngageNY
Characters Changing Over Time (Chapter 10: "Las Papas/Potatos")
Engage further in Esperanza Rising with a focus on close reading and metaphor. Class members zero in on the tenth chapter, examining characters and big ideas. Pupils discuss the text in small groups and as a whole class, and...
EngageNY
Gathering Evidence and Drafting a Two-Voice Poem (Chapter 13: "Los Duraznos/Peaches")
Begin class with a short comprehension quiz and review and then move into a new genre: two-voice poems. The activity provides information about this type of poetry as well as a video example made by eighth graders that you can show your...
EngageNY
Paragraph Writing, Part II
Come up with a list of requirements for this expository essay on Esperanza's character in Esperanza Rising as a class and use the list to guide class writing. Here, learners will complete the first paragraph, discuss their notes for the...
EngageNY
Applying Probability to Make Informed Decisions
Use simulations to determine the probabilities of events to make decisions. Class members are presented with several scenarios, some with known probabilities and others without. Groups run simulations to gather data that they then...
EngageNY
Using Sample Data to Compare the Means of Two or More Populations
Determine whether there is a difference between two grades. Teams generate random samples of two grade levels of individuals. Groups use the mean absolute deviation to determine whether there is a meaningful difference between the...
EngageNY
The Opposite of a Number's Opposite
It's said that opposites attract, but what about opposites of opposites? Individuals learn about the opposite of opposites using number lines. They complete a group activity in which members determine the opposite of opposites of...
EngageNY
Building Background Knowledge: Jigsaw to Build and Share Expertise about the 2010 Haiti Earthquake, Part 1
Using the Jigsaw protocol, scholars study chunks of text from a speech given by former US presidents following a devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti. As they read the speech in small groups, they build background knowledge and share...
EngageNY
Continued Close Reading of Waiting for the Biblioburro: Comparing and Contrasting the Children in Colombia, Appalachia, Chad, and Afghanistan
Focus on similarities and differences with a jigsaw activity that requires pupils to compare Waiting for the Biblioburro to other texts they have read. To prepare, class members first respond to text-dependent questions, moving on to...
EngageNY
Close Read, Part 1: “Hugo, the Lord’s Nephew”
Fourth time is a charm. Learners complete multiple reads of Hugo, the Lord’s Nephew. On the fourth read, they make notes about each page on sticky notes. They then complete a think-pair-share activity with a partner to determine the...
EngageNY
Researching about the Red Cross, Continued: How Did the Red Cross Aid Haiti After the 2010 Earthquake?
What a puzzle! Scholars participate in a Jigsaw discussion within their expert groups, determining the gist of an article about the 2010 Haiti earthquake. As they read and discuss the article, they record thoughts on their note...
Curated OER
Paper Maché Mancala Game Boards
Seventh graders create three dimensional works of art from two dimensional plans, develop skills in papier-mach?? technique, utilize elements and principles of design to create 3-D form, and develop math/strategy skills in playing the...
EngageNY
Methods for Selecting a Random Sample
Random sampling is as easy as choosing numbers. Teams use random numbers to create a sample of book lengths from a population of 150 books. The groups continue by developing a technique to create samples to compare from two populations...
EngageNY
Read Expressions in Which Letters Stand for Numbers III
Those key operation words sure come in handy. Groups continue their work with converting between different notations for algebraic expressions. They work in stations to write the symbolic form for given verbal phrases. This is the 17th...
Curated OER
Coil Vessels with Symbols
Eighth graders explore symbolism in Renaissance art, use ceramics vocabulary, and demonstrate craftsmanship in working with clay.
EngageNY
Understanding Equations
After examining expressions in the first six lessons of the series, learners are now ready to apply those concepts to create equations in the seventh installment of 28. Each exercise contains a conceptual situation that helps build an...
EngageNY
Making Inferences: The Fall of Saigon
Get hooked! Reel in and hook scholars to the unit with a slide show, text-based activity, and reading exercises. To increase curiosity, learners read only small pieces of Panic Rises in Saigon, but the Exits Are Few. Readers use the...
EngageNY
Building Background Knowledge and Making Inferences: What Is a Natural Disaster?
That's a disaster! Scholars complete a gallery walk to view images and make inferences about natural disasters. They fill out a note catcher about what they observe and infer any questions they may have. They then participate in a World...
August House
The Stolen Smell
Some smells are better than others! Explore your sense of smell with a series of activities based on the Peruvian folktale, The Stolen Smell. With exercises about phonics, counting, cooking, art, and drama, the lesson is a...
Anti-Defamation League
10 Ideas for Teaching Black History Month
Celebrate Black History Month with the help of 10 ideas that delve deep into the history, major events, contributions, famous African Americans, and sheds light on how scholars today can take a proactive stance on current civil rights...
Curated OER
Outside...North of the 49th Parallel
Learners explore and discuss images of Canadian landscape focusing on the work of the Group of Seven. The discuss different Canadian environments in a group of art works and complete a chart categorizing the depictions. They complete a...
Curated OER
Are You a Trend Setter?
Students are introduced to the periodic table of elements. They devise and perform and experiment in which they determine the density of specific elements. They use their results to predict the density of other elements in the same group.
Curated OER
Food Chain
Third graders explore why food chains are important. In this food chain lesson, 3rd graders break into small groups to represent parts of the food chain. Different amounts of food are given to each group and any spilled food will be...
Curated OER
Now Hear This!
Students create a model of the inner ear. In this hearing lesson, students follow a series of directions to build a working model of the inner ear, then observe how the parts react to a variety of sounds.
Curated OER
The "Heart" of the Problem
Learners create an exercise and nutrition program. In this interdisciplinary instructional activity, students use calculations of exercises plus their corresponding effects on the body and nutritional values of food to derive a health...