Curated OER
Classes For The Masses
Students explore how class is represented in the media by developing ideas for television pilots that deal with class issues. They compile short lists of television characters from working, middle and upper classes.
Curated OER
Show Me the Story
Learners examine the elements of a story, read a review of Chris Rock's new sitcom, "Everybody Hates Chris" and create original sitcom episodes based on their own lives.
Curated OER
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Fourth graders read and take quizzes over the book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Curated OER
A Critical Role
Students read a New York Times review of the Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco. They discuss the roles and responsibilities of a cultural critic, and prepare for a visit to a local museum in order to write their own reviews.
Curated OER
Behind the Cover
Learners develop questions they would have liked to ask an author about their written works. They read an article about their forefathers and research a back story to a written work of their choice. They create posters to illustrate the...
Curated OER
Baseball Memories
Students act as historians by, first, reading and analyzing oral histories of professional baseball players to become familiar with baseball figures. Then, they proceed to interview family members, relatives, or neighbors who have...
Curated OER
Radical Reads
Students recreate an "American Idol" contest in which they present their favorite books to their classmates using arguments for and excerpts from the books. Following the presentation, students will be polled and the least popular books...
Curated OER
Continuing Gandhi's Legacy of Cross-Cultural Understanding: Central Asia and the Middle East
Students investigate the lifestyle of Gandhi by creating a Venn Diagram. In this biographical lesson, students compare the philosophies of Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi while discussing their teaching methods. Students...
Curated OER
Chinese Calligraphy
Young scholars explore Chinese calligraphy. In this art and social science lesson, students copy the Chinese character ideograms in order to create words or phrases.
Curated OER
Legends in Their Own Times
Students learn folk tales from many different cultures and retell them using the medium of their choice. They write about the cultural indications found in these tales.
Curated OER
The "Nobel"est People
Students study the history of the Nobel Prize, research Nobel laureates in all six categories of the award, and recognize the connecting thread of those who win the Nobel Prize--the contribution of outstanding work and the work's affect...
Curated OER
Reading Aloud
Students practice their reading aloud skills. They examine different careers that focus on public speaking. They also gather new tips to practice when speaking aloud.
Curated OER
Making Up is Hard to Do
Students examine the art of makeup. Students work in pairs to create a costume and make-up that will evoke a chosen literary character. They perform a short scene for the class, revealing the character's unique qualities.
Curated OER
Intergenerational Friendships
Students complete a variety of activities dealing with the book "Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge" by Mem Fox. They take a field trip to a senior citizen's home and conduct an interview, and complete journal entries having to do with...
Curated OER
Children of War
Students discuss children's rights during wartime and watch public service announcements. After reading excerpts from children's diaries of war, they work in groups to create a storyboard for their own PSA on children's rights during...
Curated OER
Power to the Little People
Students explore the classic story theme of good versus evil as relayed in folk tales.
Curated OER
"Retale" Value: Exploring Plot Similarities in Fiction and Nonfiction Stories
Students explore seven basic story lines and apply these story lines to news articles in the New York Times. They write reports comparing the plot of a news article to novels, plays and movies with which they are familiar.
Curated OER
Reading Paintings, Drawing Words
Learners consider an art exhibit comprised of words that tell stories and create their own original pieces of art.
Curated OER
What Do You Think?
Third graders listen to the story, "The pain and the Great One", which is written from two different points of view. They read statements made by the characters in the book and identify from which character's point of view the statement...
Curated OER
Writing a Children's Book -- Young Authors
Students practice their writing skills by creating a children's book. They integrate five elements of short stories into the narrative. They share their stories with their book buddies.
Curated OER
Digital Photography and Mythology
Students use digital photography to create an exhibition based on a myth that is presented in a piece of classical art. They interpret a print of the myth motif artwork, read a text-selection of the myth then design and photograph a...
Curated OER
Stretching It
Learners recognize the use of exaggeration and understand how it may enhance the story, painting, conversation or event. Students transfer their understanding of exaggeration as it is used in many places, ie., daily life, paintings,...
Curated OER
"Jessica" by Kevin Henkes
Young scholars listed to the story Jessica by Kevin Henkes. They make their own imaginary friend using craft supplies. They then participate in an individual story theater in which they retell the story. Finally, they dictate stories...
Curated OER
Decades of Drama
Students explore, examine and study August Wilson's 10-play series where each play focuses on a particular decade. They discuss each play in depth and then speculate on the possible plots for an eleventh play set in the 21st century.