Curated OER
After Reading: "Plot the Plot" Activity in the Library Media Class
"Plot the plot" of "The Adventures of the Speckled Band" with your young readers. Take a few days to read Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's short story as a class or in pairs, having learners write down what they consider to be the most important...
Curated OER
Celebrating Women: Toni Morrison
How authors address issues of their societies is addressed in this very detailed lesson. After researching Toni Morrison and her work, groups create a dramatization based on a scene from one of Morrison’s novels and act it out. Class...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Chief Executives Compared: The Federalist Papers
Delve into the responsibilities of the president by looking at President Hamilton's opinion of the presidential office in his own words. The second in a three-part series, the resource also offers an interesting compare-and-contrast...
Polar Trec
What Is My Footprint?
How do one's habits and lifestyle choices affect the environment? Through a short online survey, learners will calculate their own carbon footprints then determine how to reduce their impact on the environment through simple steps, such...
Facing History and Ourselves
How Should We Remember?
We must remember the past in order to avoid its mistakes. Young historians analyze the importance of historical remembrance using primary and secondary documents, as well as video clips. They then study the creation of a World War...
Curated OER
The Function of Music
Explore concepts of audience, purpose and symbols in this lesson from Media Smarts that asks students to consider all the functions of music. Through a series of discussions and activities, your class will brainstorm possible functions...
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
Space Travel Guide
Looking to take a trip? Why not go to space? Here, scholars take on the role as travel agent to create a guide to their favorite planet including travel tips and sightseeing recommendations.
Curated OER
Jazz in America Lesson Plan 7
The student will explore free jazz, fusion, and contemporary jazz. They will listen to avant garde, fusion, and pop recordings. In addition, they participate in a class discussion regarding jazz's contribution to and reflection of...
Curated OER
Pic-A-Fic: Choosing Fiction for Every Taste
Sixth graders examine and categorize a selection of title representing fiction genres. In this fiction genres lesson, 6th graders analyze and identify a variety of titles in the fiction genre. Students then find these types of fiction...
Curated OER
Reader's Paradise
Students visit the school or local library (or bookstore) to create short film or radio documentary that records a specific habit or ritual associated with reading, book buying, or book borrowing.
Curated OER
Waste Not, Want Not
Young scholars consider the types of debris that litters beaches and conduct research on waste management. They then interview professionals in a particular field of waste management and write reports for a booklet about garbage and...
Curated OER
More Than Anything Else
Second graders investigate the life of Booker T. Washington by reading a biography. For this biographical lesson, 2nd graders read the story More Than Anything Else, and examine the geographical locations Washington once resided...
Curated OER
It's All Greek to Me!
While the ideas for Ancient Greek research are solid, there is little detail to help make your job easier. The focus here is familiarizing your class with online databases and print resources in their school library. After direct...
Curated OER
School Renovation - What's Your Idea?
Students discuss the upcoming renvoations to their school. As a class, they develop their own proposals for what they would like to have available to them. Using a digital camera, they take pictures of the new school and compare them...
Cornell University
Hydrophobic Surfaces—Deposition and Analysis
Couches, carpets, and even computer keyboards now advertise they are spill-resistant, but what does that mean? Scholars use physical and chemical methods to coat surfaces with thin films to test their hydrophobic properties. Then they...
Curated OER
Create Your School Lunch Menu
Students develop their own school menu with as many healthy choices as possible. They keep a journal of what they eat on one day and then research nutrition. They present their new menu to the judging committee.
National First Ladies' Library
Designing the Common School: The First Educational Reform
Middle schoolers perform preliminary research to explore education before public (common) education was in place. They design a public educational system of their own. Students construct a report outlining challenges and solutions for...
Curated OER
Size Small School
Students explore the concept of scale and ratio. In this scale and ratio lesson, students work in groups to measure a given space such as a hallway, office, or gym. Students measure their area using a meter stick. ...
Curated OER
Asking For Directions
Students draw a map of their surrounding area using appropriate landmarks and identifying characteristics. Students ask for and give directions to locations found on their maps to their partner. This lesson is intended for students...
Curated OER
Lesson 3: Where Does Money Come From?
Students listen to story Hundred Penny Box by Sharon Bell Mathis, explore history of money, and examine how money is produced in the United States. They discuss why money is used for exchange, and describe how money has changed over time.
Curated OER
Chemistry Lesson Outline
Young scholars identify the different types of chemical bonds. In this chemistry lesson, students research a procedure on growing crystals in the lab. They perform the experiment and share results with the class.
Curated OER
George and Sam Save for a Present
Third graders develop their algebraic thinking by recognizing a variety of patterns using concrete objects, numbers, tables, and pictures. In this George and Sam Save for a present lesson, 3rd graders communicate their mathematical...
Curated OER
Lesson Two: Discover a purpose for keywords
Second graders research a topic in nature. In this research lesson, 2nd graders pick a nature topic and discuss the keywords needed to find more information about that topic. They fill their information out on a organizer.
Curated OER
"Tear him for his bad verses:" Cinna the poet and Shakespeare's Sonnets
Poor Cinna, the poet. His dream of “things unlucky” certainly comes true as the mob tears him apart, at first because they mistake him for Cinna, the conspirator, and then continue to “tear him to pieces for his bad verses.” As part of...