Curated OER
A Picture’s Worth a Thousand Words
Students examine historical photographs and discuss what the photograph reveals and how they can contribute to writing. In this response to literature students choose a photograph and develop a paragraph around it.
Curated OER
Literature Circles
Students respond aesthetically to a piece of text. They give book talks about a picture book their small group read and rate it. Each student has a different job in the literature cirlce during the discussions. Finally, the students...
Curated OER
Literature Circles
Students complete the reading of an age appropriate piece of literature. They think critically about their reading and discuss it with a group of peers. Students make connections among their reading, their own lives, and the discussions...
Curated OER
Greek Mythology
Sixth graders investigate the concept of Greek Mythology and conduct research using a variety of resources. They read literature pieces and then write responses to the readings. Students also view a video in order to create the context...
Curated OER
Exploring American Tall Tales
Pupils explore elements of American folktales and tall tales. In this literature lesson, students read examples of American folktales and tall tales and prepare a monologue or news report to present to the class based on their readings.
Orange County Department of Education
Trapped by the Ice
Third graders read the story "Trapped by the Ice" which is about the Antarctic adventures of Sir Ernest Shackleton. They identify, write and share examples of respect and responsibility demonstrated by the stories' characters. Students...
Orange County Department of Education
Pepita Talks Twice
Third graders read Pepita Talks Twice and define the character traits of respect and responsibility. They write their examples of the characters traits on a character trait doll. Students recognize the character traits of respect and...
Curated OER
Post- Modernism
High schoolers participate in a lesson that investigates post-modernism in American literature. They conduct the lesson with the help of reading "America" by Ginsberg to create context. Then students define the genre and the culture that...
Curated OER
Heart of Darkness
Students interpret the resolution of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. In this literature lesson, students discuss the ending of the novella and Conrad's intentions in ending it the way he did. Students then write alternative endings...
Orange County Department of Education
The True Story of Abbie Burgess
First graders read a story about Abbie Burgess. They identify at least three specific actions exhibiting traits of courage and responsibility. Students explore ways children and adults become heroes by helping others out in a time of...
Curated OER
A Swiftly Tilting Planet
Students familiarize themselves with science fiction/fantasy literature. They create an awareness of the different types of literature, develop an appreciation for them and be able to tell them apart. Students realize that science...
Curated OER
The Essential Brick
Learners examine their position within their school and discuss qualities they need to be productive citizens outside of school. they culminate the unit by writing an autobiography that includes the concepts of responsibility, choice,...
Curated OER
Career Skills
Seventh graders work together to focus upon the skills needed for career development. They work together to find the kind of responsibilities that are needed in the contexts of home, work, and school. They create a poster based upon the...
Curated OER
The Little Red Hen
Students analyze a classic children's story by discussing it with their peers. In this reading comprehension lesson, students read The Little Red Hen, and discuss ways the hen takes care of his responsibilities. Students...
Curated OER
Sherlock Holmes Database Investigation
Students conduct a character study using the literature of Sherlock Holmes. They use a database with different cases that need to be solved. Students use the computer software to work through a list of suspects and match them with the...
Curated OER
Kid Lit Crit
Students explore different types of student literature; they then write their own fiction pieces, in either fantasy/adventure or memoir/realism style.
Curated OER
Analyzing Elements of a Memoir
Students analyze and identify elements of memoirs. In this literature lesson students explore qualities to listen for while the teacher reads a memoir; they then break into groups and analyze a memoir independently.
Curated OER
Hermeneutics: Teaching Students Author's Purpose
Your developing literary critics discuss 'perspective' and discuss how the same occurence can be interpreted by two different people in two different ways. They read Ryszard Kapuscinski's untitled poem, infer meaning of the poem, and...
Curated OER
Introducing Communication Talent with "Casey at the Bat"
Analyze the poem "Casey at the Bat." Your team of analysts will read the poem and complete a variety of activities, including describing how Casey looks and acts, describing how he feels before and after he strikes out, and sharing...
Curated OER
Storytelling Traditions
Young scholars demonstrate an evaluation of how the culture of a time period influences storytelling narratives by comparing Adeline's story to the plot summary of Cinderella and Anne Sexton's poem Cinderella. They write a poem which...
Curated OER
Michelle Kwan: Heart of a Champion
Who is a champion to your class? Elementary and middle schoolers think of a role-model from their lives. Then, in their journals, they write evidence of that person's perseverance. They identify the character trait of perseverance with...
Curated OER
Creating Context Mural
students examine the historical, political, religious and culture aspects of the Renaissance. Using this information, they read "Galileo" by Bertolt Brecht. They use the internet to research a specific event of the time period and come...
Curated OER
Goldilocks Revisited
Second graders investigate the story of "The Three Bears" while focusing on the character of Goldilocks. They answer key questions that are focused upon the development of positive feelings and reactions. Students discuss the possible...
Curated OER
Narratives
Add to the narrative writing experience. Elementary or middle school writers listen to the teacher read a descriptive passage, then reread the same passage silently. They highlight sensory details and figurative language, then orally...