Curated OER
Rhythm and Improv, Jazz and Poetry
Connect the ideas of jazz improvisation and art to writing poetry. Learners collaborate and write different lines of poetry, imitating the jazz styles of improvisation and freewriting. Take a close look at the poems "Tenebrae" by Yusef...
Curated OER
The Ethics of Outsourcing to China
After viewing clips from a documentary on factory work in China and US outsourcing, learners have a fishbowl discussion. They work in groups to build both personal points of view and strong arguments on the effects of outsourcing in...
Alabama Department of Archives and History
"Scottsboro Boys": A Trial Which Defined an Age
Here's a must-have resource. Whether your focus is racism, the Great Depression, the "Scottsboro Boys" trial, or part of a reading of To Kill A Mockingbird, the information contained in the seven-page packet will save hours of research...
Crafting Freedom
Harriet Jabocs and Elizabeth Keckly: The Material and Emotional Realities of Childhood in Slavery
Learning how to make accurate inferences by putting together facts found in multiple sources is one of those skills all learners must develop, but one that can be a challenge to teach. This resource is a must-have for your curriculum...
IBM
What Path Will You Follow?
"What do you want to be when you grow up?" is a question every kid has to answer quite often. Here is a instructional activity that will allow them to do some thinking about that very topic, and to learn about some professions they might...
Discovery Education
Mood Music!
Grouchy? Sad? Here's a great resource that shows kids how music can be used to lift their spirits. Kids collect and chart data on the effects of music on emotions. After analyzing the results of their experiment, they develop their own...
Curated OER
A Colony is Born : Lesson 6 -To Leave or Not to Leave
Fifth graders connect reasons for coming to the New World with identity. The create identities and place them in one of three settled regions. They refer to prior study notes in their Colonial Notebooks to establish their identities.
Curated OER
Philanthropy And Children Who Are Homeless Lesson 1: Traveling on the Orphan Train
Students research how the Orphan Train was an example of philanthropy that was aimed at aiding homeless children. They determine how this philanthropic effort continues now by researching contemporary relief agencies. They participate in...
Curated OER
Philanthropic Literature Lesson 1: The Lonely Fish
Students investigate the concepts of sharing and good citizenship, and how they contribute to a peaceful society. They work on problem solving and critical thinking skills after listening to Marcus Pfister's, The Rainbow Fish.
Curated OER
Our Constitutional Connection Lesson 3: To Vote Or Not To Vote? That is the Question!
Students design colorful posters to "get out and vote" after studying the three amendments to the US Constitution that extend voting rights. They analyze the importance of voting to a healthy democracy.
Curated OER
Sorting
Students explore how books are sorted in a library. In this sorting lesson, students play a game where they have to fill the shelves with books that share a common theme. Students compare this game to a real library. Students discuss how...
Curated OER
Coastal Ecology of the Bahamas
Sixth graders investigate the Bahamas through presentations and charts. In this ecology lesson, 6th graders utilize their library and Internet to research the life forms and species that inhabit the Bahamas. Students observe a...
Museum of Tolerance
Immigration Journeys
Through the journey of four stories of immigration, scholars complete graphic organizers and apply knowledge to create a visual representation of their findings on a large poster. Third and fourth readers write a letter to their family...
Curated OER
The Japanese Empire: The Beginning
Ninth graders explore empires by researching Japan's history. For this Japanese research lesson, 9th graders discuss the history of Japan and the elements of World War II that caused Japan to become an enemy of the United States....
NET Foundation for Television
1850-1874 Notable Nebraskan: J. Sterling Morton
What are the characteristics of an outstanding citizen? Nebraskan J. Sterling Morton contributed to the formation of societal and family values in his state. Learners gather information on Morton's life accomplishments from primary...
Edible Schoolyard
Pan de los Muertos
Accompany instruction and the celebration of El Dia de los Muertos with a loaf of Pan de los Muertos. Here, scholars measure ingredients precisely to create tasty bread, write a remembrance for someone who has passed away, and take part...
Alabama Department of Archives and History
Yellow Journalism
What role did yellow journalism play in bringing the United States into war with Spain? As part of their study of the Spanish-American War, class groups examine newspapers of the times and other texts and then produce their own...
ReadWriteThink
Exploring Plagiarism, Copyright, and Paraphrasing
Plagiarism, copyright, and fair use are the focus of a three-part instructional activity designed to inform scholars of how to properly cite others' work. First, pupils use a KWL chart to begin thinking and discussing plagiarism. They...
Digital Writing and Research Lab's – Lesson Plans
Teaching Close Reading through Short Composition/Revision
This activity may have writers evaluate short compositions, but their subjects are quite tall: great Americans. Pupils read one another's compositions and closely examine how specific phrases and diction contribute to shaping American...
Curated OER
Acid Rain
Create a simulation of acid rain in your classroom with lemon juice and bean plants to help kids study the effects of pollution on plants. In addition, learners will listen to a story and write responses based on guiding questions.
Chicago Botanic Garden
Faces of Climate Change
Sometimes, the best solution to a problem can be found by walking in someone else's shoes. Here, scholars use character cards to take on the roles of people around the world. They determine how their character's life affects our...
Curated OER
Glossaries and Indexes
Fourth graders identify parts of a book including the glossary, index, and dedication. In this glossary and index activity, 4th graders complete a worksheet after studying the glossary and index from a Houghton Mifflin Social Studies...
Curated OER
Dictionary Work - Entry Words
Second graders examine the use of entry words in the dictionary. For this dictionary use lesson, learners look at guide words in a children's dictionary as the teacher/librarian describes the characteristics of each entry. They complete...
Curated OER
Lewis and Clark: Artful Recordings
Students examine the nature journals of Lewis and Clark. For this primary source analysis lesson, students research the journals that the members of the Corps of Discovery kept during the expedition and then conduct further research on...