Curated OER
Surviving the Winter
Fifth graders investigate given cultures using the internet, personal interviews and other sources, They examine how the civilizations of six Native American tribes and six Australian Aboriginal tribes survived during their respective...
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Let's Create a Sculpture!
Learners engage in a lesson that is about creating a sculpture with the help of viewing sculptures in the Watts Towers in Los Angeles. They use modeling clay to create personal sculptures using the pictures as examples for personal artwork.
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Building Friendships
Students explore that sometimes we are surprised when we spend time with someone we previously thought we would not like and find this person to be very likeable and they may become a great friend. They explore how a friendship can...
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Seasonal Poetry Reflective Journal
Pull quotes from a text and craft responses to the quotes you chose. First, read a short excerpt from Mary Claire Wilfert's oral history. Then, read the contemporary poem "Robert's Cove," pulling quotes and writing responses as...
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Characterization of Mice and Men
Using a SMART board presentation (provided), your class discusses the characterization of Lenny, George, Curley, Curley's wife, and the farmhands in John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. The presentation includes a list of traits for...
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The Miracle of the First Poinsettia
Connecting to literature and learning how to infer are two great reading strategies everyone needs to know. Here, the class will read along with the story The Miracle of the First Poinsettia, review folktales as a genre, and make...
Bridge
Mercury - Mercury is Rising
Hold a discussion in your class about the increase in mercury being found in fish that are caught commercially as food for humans. Given a worksheet, learners then calculate how much fish a person can safely eat each month to remain...
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Types of Entrepreneurs
What does it take to be an entrepreneur? What traits does a person need? Find out as you and your class brainstorm along with this presentation. The traits of inventors, types of entrepreneurs, and their role in the economy are...
3C Skills Collaborative
Skill One: Motivate Yourself
As your class members begin to apply for colleges, scholarships, or jobs, it would be valuable for them to be given an introduction as to what they might encounter in an interview. While the title might lead you to believe this lesson is...
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How Does Who I Am Relate to Employability?
Sixth graders work in groups to discuss ethics and the role honesty, courage, responsibility, self-discipline, and self-respect may play in a future employment opportunity. Groups present their ideas to the remainder of the class as well...
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Branches of Government
After reading a short text on the branches of government in the United States, future voters answer 8 fill-in-the-blank questions, as well as 11 true or false questions. This activity would be a great homework assignment or silent...
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Mapping My Spot in History
Students create their own town's history. They place themselves on the map in a literal as well as figurative sense. Students produce portions of an updated version of an early twentieth century panoramic map. Students gather information...
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Against the Odds
What factors help people achieve goals? What factors prevent people from achieving goals? What are the elements that need to be in place to make a team function well? Using Damien Lewis’ Desert Claw and John Francome’s Winner Takes All,...
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Dogs: Reading Comprehension
This reading comprehension worksheet includes a 2-page selection about dogs, as well as ten short answer questions.
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Writing: Laying and Covering the Foundation
Your middle schoolers can become stronger writers with a lesson covering the basics. They compose effective thesis statements and introductions, discuss different ways to capture a reader's attention, and compare a poorly written...
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Elements of a Story - Plot, Characters, and Setting
Use this SMART board activity with any short story in your unit plan. The SMART board file contains a step-by-step guide to plot diagrams, including an interactive practice page and an assignment. This resource is beneficial for language...
Region of Peel
Colonial Tag
This exercise combines learning about colonialism with playing tag. Class members are asked whether a statement involves an economic, religious, political or social factor and then run to the location with the corresponding poster. The...
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Anticipation Guide for Death of a Salesman
"It is better to ignore something unpleasant than to face reality." Readers of Death of a Salesman complete an anticipation guide before tackling Arthur's Miller's tale of Willy Loman and his sons. After completing the play, class...
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Much Ado About Nothing: Guided Imagery Exercise
“Be glad that all things sort so well.” To make text-to-self connections to Shakespeare’s play, class members engage in a guided imagery exercise prior to reading Act IV, scene i of Much Ado About Nothing (the wedding of Claudio and...
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A Guide to Getting Along: Listening
Here is an effective way to have your charges practice and model important listening skills. After a short review of effective active listening concepts, such as using body language, summarizing what the other person said, and asking...
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Using Color as a Pre-Writing Tool
To better understand how to compose a clear and well-organized paper, learners read short passages, write summaries, and make colored graphic organizers. This is a fully developed three-day lesson plan with suggested assessments.
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Jazz In America
Students explore the Jazz Era in America not only by answering questions but listening to music as well.
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Rosie the Riveeter and Mary the Munitions Worker
Tenth graders study the role that places like the Joliet Arsenal played in how women were view in American society during and after World War II. They interview a person from the World War II era about the job they performed and how...
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Journey to Topaz, a Literature Based Approach
Students view a video clip of the experiences of Japanese-Americans during World War II. They read parts of a book in which a child tells her story about living in the internment camps. They participate in a simulation activity as well.