Curated OER
Information Problem Solving
Students present information about an author of young adult literature using a HyperStudio stack.
Curated OER
Locating Information Quickly in a Variety of Resources
Here is a instructional activity which may be best suited for a library science teacher, or one that can be done by a regular teacher when in the library. In it, learners explore the best ways to use print and electronic resources to...
Curated OER
My Secret War: Lesson 5
Fifth graders determine how freedom comes with rights and responsibilities through literature and poetry about World War II. In this World War II lesson, 5th graders use the letters in the word "infamy" to write an acrostic poem. They...
Newseum
Compare Coverage of Brown v. Board Ruling
Young journalists analyze how The Topeka State Journal, the Jackson Daily News, and The Providence Journal reported on the 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown v Board of Education. Scholars scrutinize the headlines, photographs,...
Curated OER
A Seashell Lesson: Writing for Detail and the Scientific Process
Practice descriptive language in this lesson, which prompts elementary and middle schoolers to write detailed descriptive sentences describing a seashell. They write a description of a shell, create an illustration, and other students...
Ford's Theatre
How Perspective Shapes Understanding of History
The Boston Massacre may be an iconic event in American history, but perhaps the British soldiers had another point of view. Using primary sources, including reports from Boston newspapers and secondary sources from the British...
Curated OER
Accordion-Book Summary
Introduce your young readers to the book review. Groups of writers practice the basic steps of writing a book report and complete an Accordion-Book Summary activity. The lesson plan includes book report basics and directions to make...
Curated OER
Author's Day
Have your learners choose an author to study. One resource link gives a list of approved authors. Scholars read at least three works produced by that author and produce three separate book reports as well as a two-page author report....
Curated OER
Perfect Pig Book Reports
Students research information about pigs and their habits. They read fictional books or poetry that include pigs as main characters. Students desgin and create a poster-sized pig on which to write and illustrate a detailed book report...
Curated OER
Flow of Information
Students examine how information follows a linear path. They identify types of sources they need to consult and where it falls in the information flow, simulate the role of historians, and generate a list of sources for a topic.
Curated OER
Book Report Alternative
Students create a video book report. For this literature lesson, students read a book independently and fill out a graphic organizer. Students use a digital camera to record their book review.
Curated OER
An Innovative Book Report Idea for "Island of the Blue Dolphins"
Students can create a board game to show their understanding of the book "Island of the Blue Dolphins" by Scott O'Dell.
Curated OER
A Valid Conclusion? Testing and Reporting on Hypotheses Using the Scientific Method
Students explore importance of accuracy in reporting, focusing particularly on articles documenting scientific discoveries, and practice scientific method by conducting experiments to test and report on scientific hypotheses.
Curated OER
K-W-L Chart
After choosing a topic of interest, young learners use the K-W-L thinking process to create an informational, illustrated, big book. K-W-L, a three-part thinking process, asks the learner to respond to three questions: What do we know...
Curated OER
George Winter Lesson Plan 3
Bring language arts and U.S. history together in this activity, which prompts middle and high schoolers to gather biographical information about Abraham Lincoln. They compare and contrast information written about his childhood and...
Curated OER
A Jewel of a Book
Pupils read a book, noting the characters, setting, plot, and events. They gather, synthesize, and then select the most important data from their book to prepare a book report by decorating a charm bracelet with pertinent information...
Boston Public Schools
What's in a Biography?
Reinforce research skills, close reading, teamwork, and biographical writing skills with one collaborative instructional activity. Groups create slide shows detailing the elements of a biography through a presentation on a famous...
Curated OER
Reporting Live from the Twentieth Century
Students create a news story on one of the top 100 news stories of the 20th century.choose one past news event. They write a news story about that event, and provide a continuation of the story based on their research.
Curated OER
Little Owl Press Report/Newspaper and Newscast Project
Discover journalistic techniques by having learners prepare and write their own class newspaper. They discuss the five W's of investigative journalism and conduct interviews with school figures. They utilize video technology, podcast...
Dream of a Nation
Big6 Research Project
Do research projects at your school look like a class of eighth graders staring at a blank screen? Use the Big 6 research method to guide middle schoolers through the process of finding a topic, searching for and evaluating sources,...
Southern Poverty Law Center
Analyzing How Words Communicate Bias
Words are powerful ... can your class choose them wisely? Scholars evaluate news articles to discover the concepts of tone, charge, and bias during a media literacy lesson. The resource focuses on recognizing implicit information and...
EngageNY
Researching Digital Sources, Part 2: Guided WebQuest
Go surfing for the facts. Scholars continue their work using their Digital Resources on DDT sheet to find information by searching websites. After collecting information, they mix and mingle to hear information discovered by classmates.
Complete College America
The Marshmallow Reading/Writing Project
Which option would most children choose: One marshmallow now, or two marshmallows in 10 minutes? Learners watch the social experiment on video and discuss their observations. They then read articles and work in small groups to analyze...
EngageNY
Individual Research
Seventh graders get the option of choosing their own text from a selection to read and gather more information as part of their research. Learners discuss the difference in reading for research and reading for pleasure. They also begin...