Indiana Department of Education
Indiana K-12 Educators’ Resource Toolkit
Imagine a tool that magically engages readers in the classroom. A handbook for Indiana educators doesn't guarantee success, but it does offer a variety of strategies for teachers to try. The handbook opens with research-based theory...
Curated OER
Impacting Indiana
Fourth graders explore Indiana. In this Indiana history lesson, 4th graders discuss how Indiana has developed through the years. Students discuss Indiana agriculture and follow a recipe using ingredients from Indiana crops. Students view...
Curated OER
Playing Vocabulary Basketball
Learners view a slide show featuring famous athletes and educational institutions that have played a part in the history of basketball. They participate in a game in which a basketball is tossed from person to person as facts and...
Curated OER
Primary and Secondary source Indiana event activity
Students research facts about Indiana's history. In this state history lesson, students use primary and secondary sources to research significant events from Indiana's history. They work in small groups to create a class presentation.
Curated OER
Poet James Whitcomb Riley: Famous in His Own Day
An engaging biography of "Hoosier" poet James Whitcomb Riley serves as a springboard for study of his unique dialect-based verse. Several activities illuminate differences between spoken vernacular and formal language. Learners record...
Curated OER
Hoosiers in the Civil War
Fourth graders research soldiers in the Civil War. In this Civil War lesson plan, 4th graders listen to the story Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco and identify the main events. They read facts about "Hoosiers in the Civil War" and...
Curated OER
Boilermaker Geography
Fifth graders investigate the geography of central Indiana with an emphasis upon finding the location of Purdue. They make a connection to literature with the reading of a newspaper article to create the context for the lesson while...
Curated OER
Poet for a Day
Fourth graders, while in the computer lab after reading the poem, "H is for Hoosier," create an acrostic poem about Indiana. They list words that are unique of Indiana and choose one of those words to create their acrostic poems to share...
Curated OER
Hoosier Biographies
Fourth graders engage in a lesson to find information about a famous Hoosiers. The teacher provides a list for them to choose from. The students conduct the research using the internet. They use the information to create an oral...
Curated OER
Multiple Viewpoints
First graders explore the concept of multiple viewpoints. In this perspective lesson, 1st graders discuss the differences and similarities found within different cultures. Students then write a narrative about how something they can do...
Curated OER
Sticky Note Reading Lesson
Fourth graders read about Indiana's history and use sticky notes to record important information. In this sticky notes instructional activity, 4th graders record cultural information about the people of Indiana.
Curated OER
Accountability System for Academics
Students explore, analyze and study the culture of Costa Rica and create a travel brochure, by hand or utilizing a computer, about Costa Rica. They complete their brochures and present them to their classmates and then turn them in for...
Curated OER
Who's a Hoosier?
Fourth graders examine the history of Hoosiers and define what a Hoosier is. In small groups they discuss any stories they know about the word Hoosier, then brainstorm and write a story about the word Hoosier. Each group shares their...
Curated OER
American Folktales
Fourth graders read and interpret an American Folktale. Students create their own folktale about Indiana. Students use digital cameras and clipart from the computer to create a photo story. Students present their animated folktales to...
Curated OER
Integrated Social Studies and Storytelling Lesson
Fourth graders study the Civil War. They examine online photos that are connected to Indiana's role in the Civil War. They choose one of these photos and in a story circle, tell a story about it. They tell who is in the picture, what...
Curated OER
ISTEP + Grade 6 Item Sampler
In this cross-curricular sampler of worksheets, students determine the meaning of specialized vocabulary and to understand the precise meaning of grade-level-appropriate words, describe and connect the essential ideas, arguments, and...
Curated OER
Figurative and literal language through the study of Shakespeare
Sixth graders explore figurative and literal language. They study literary devices through short pieces of Shakespeare's work. Then investigate Shakespeare's works and life.
Curated OER
Penguin Writing
After discussing the main events in Mr. Popper’s Penguins, young writers describe in sequence what they would do if they had 12 penguins living in their house. The narratives are then glued onto a penguin cut-out, mounted on construction...
Curated OER
Draw Me a Mammal!
Fifth graders illustrate at least three art elements in a drawing of a mammal they've read about with 100% accuracy. As a review, Bloom's Taxonomy questions are asked as they prepare to sketch something they pictured in the story they read.
Curated OER
Subtracting from Ten: Using Math with Music
Students explore basic math functions by singing with their classmates. In this addition and subtraction lesson, students sing the song "5 Green and Speckled Frogs"and complete a list of subtraction problems. Students complete a...
Curated OER
My Summer Vacation: Traveling
A classic lesson idea, kindergarteners share stories about their summer vacations on their first day of school! First, your young learners will listen to you talk about your summer vacation, making sure to use plenty of visual aids. Then...
Curated OER
Insects
It's a fact: kids love bugs! With this lesson, young learners explore reading informational texts and conducting research while learning about their favorite insects. Spark learners' interest by reading a book about one kind of bug and...
Curated OER
Duck for President
Second graders listen carefully to the story, "Duck for President" and then write and illustrate a new ending to the story; focusing on spelling sight words correctly and use complete sentences. They also work on forming letters...
Curated OER
New Endings
Second graders listen to the story of The Three Little Pigs in an urban setting. They then divide into small groups and using one story per group, read the story in 15 minutes and come up with a new ending and practice for an additional...