Curated OER
Storytelling in the Oral Tradition
Seventh graders research Greek mythological characters. They write about problems faced by middle school-aged children and how the character would handle them. Students also create story boards to accompany their oral narratives.
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Holidays: Ramadan and Eid
Young scholars study ways some holidays are celebrated in this country, and share their experiences, the activity focuses on Bangla students' celebration of Eid, an important holiday in Bangladesh for the Muslim People. Young scholars...
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A Visit to Aunt Louisa's
Fourth graders write a diary entry. In this journaling lesson students examine a 1880's primary source document. Students read about a young girl visiting her Aunt in rural Indiana. Students write about what they did in the last day.
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Conflicting Views
Students complete a Venn diagram comparing the United States and Afghanistan. They research the history of the Taliban and how they relate to the United States and its foreign policy. They write a paper on possible solutions.
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Poetry and Our National Anthem
Students express the meaning of the Star-Spangled Banner. In this American history lesson, students read through the national anthem and complete an activities from a list of choices. Some choices include: writing the anthem in your own...
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Reagan and Bush: The Conservative Years
Students investigate the conservative agenda of the Republican Presidents Ronald Reagan and George Bush. They conduct Internet research, evaluate an edition of the Wall Street Journal, and write and publish a special-edition newspaper...
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Mission Accomplished
Second graders describe the impact of certain figures in United States history, including Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. They describe experiences of early American explorers and compose narratives from the perspectives of others.
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Through Their Eyes: Perspectives on Slavery
Students write a personal account of slavery seen from the eyes of a slave trader, a slave plantation owner, a fugitive slave, or a working slave.
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"Theseus and the Minotaur"
Young scholars analyze the features of myths and legends. They read the myths "Theseus and the Minotaur" and "Orpheus and Eurydice," identify the myth story elements, evaluate each story for the overall theme, describe the characters,...
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Guidebook
Students create a guidebook page about a plant on the school grounds. In this life and plant science lesson, students identify plants around the school, then research the plant and write a narrative about it. Students publish the book...
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Depression
Fifth graders discuss feelings and depression and brainstorm ways to seek help. In this health instructional activity, the teacher leads a discussion about emotions focusing on when emotions are balanced and when they become unbalanced...
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Exercise and Water
Second graders discover the needs of their body by trying different types of aerobic exercise. In this physical education lesson, 2nd graders analyze The Busy Body Book by glancing at the pictures inside and predicting what the...
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Primary Source Adventures: Runaway Slaves Lesson Plan
Fourth graders examine social changes in Texas during last half of ninteenth century relating to the institution of slavery. They brainstorm methods that unhappy slaves may have used to avoid obeying their masters, and read and discuss...
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We Are One World
Students access prior knowledge to choose a country and research the living conditions in that country. In this living conditions activity, students recognize the differences and similarities of conditions of another country to ours....
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Impact of Indian Removal
Seventh graders consider how the majority sometimes enforces unjust laws upon the minority. In this Indian Removal instructional activity, 7th graders research Internet and print sources regarding the Indian Removal Act of 1830 and...
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Jewish Assimilation In Contemporary American Literature
Young scholars form groups to help each other read, analyze, and conduct research on important background information about Jews and their assimilation into modern American society. They write their own stories of assimilation.
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Richie's Rocket
Fourth graders, while working in centers read Richie's Rocket by Joan Anderson, and then create a puzzle using ideas, emotions, and experiences from the story. In addition, they write specific definitions for certain words, use those...
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Richie's Rocket
Fourth graders, after reading with intonation and expression the book, "Richie's Rocket," by Joan Anderson, circulate in centers to create a puzzle with emotions and experiences from the ideas in the story, write the definition of words...
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Transforming Fairy Tales
Students use the computer to write, draw, explore the Internet, and combine all of these elements. They write their own fairy tales, use computer software to create drawings of the characters for their tales and use the Internet to...
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Elements of Art iMovie
Students are introduced to how to use the iMovie software. Individually, they write down their personal beliefs and feelings to use in their movie. To end the lesson, they use the elements of design to develop and create their movie to...
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Funky Illuminated Fairy Tales
Students create their own fairy tale. In this book making lesson plan, students write a fairy tale and turn it into a book. They use decorated initials and borders to make it look like an illuminated manuscript.
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Tall Tales Today
Students explore the attributes of American tall tales. In this folklore activity, students read several tall tales, describe the elements of tall tales, and then use hyperbole to write their own tall tales.
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Relative History
Students explore theories about how the Olmec civilization influenced other Mesoamerican societies. They research the Olmecs to create a museum exhibit of their findings and reflect on how an Olmec person might have understood the...
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I Will Survive!
Students define and explore the term "survivor" through the study of real-life stories of survival. They interview a person whom he/she considers to be a survivor, and share their interviews with the class.