Curated OER
Japanese-American Relocation
Consider the causes and effects that led to the internment and relocation of Japanese Americans during WWII. Learners read the story "Baseball Saved Us" and selected chapters from Farewell to Manzanar. Then, they view a slide-show, and...
Curated OER
Exploring the Power of Puns
Read and analyze a variety of Shakespearean and contemporary puns using Visual Thesaurus computer software. Middle and high schoolers analyze a pun as a class; in small groups they analyze a Shakespearean pun using contextual clues and...
Missouri Department of Elementary
Put Yourself in Check
The final instructional activity in a four-part unit on conflict resolution offers middle schoolers strategies for how to keep themselves in check when involved in conflicts. A role-play activity and a reflective journal stress the...
Curated OER
Undercover-ed
Have your class engage in critical-thinking activities using this resource. Learners discuss a variety of topics they think get too much, or too little, attention from the press. They analyze why these topics are over or underrated....
Curated OER
Current Connections
Many of us read our history books and take each word as truth. Show learners that history can easily be altered depending on who writes it. Your class will watch a series of videos, read a first person testimony, and discuss the...
What So Proudly We Hail
The Meaning of America: Self-Command
Even for one of the most accomplished men in American history, there was room for improvement. Challenge high schoolers to use Benjamin Franklin's Project for Moral Perfection to analyze text, make inferences, connect to historical...
Curated OER
Introduce Vocabulary: Franklin Goes to School
Young readers analyze tier two vocabulary words with Franklin's help! Learners explore new vocabulary words discovered while reading Franklin Goes to School. They record their new vocabulary words using a word journal or discovery chart.
Curated OER
Before, During, and After Strategies For The Catcher in the Rye Chapters 21-23
Create a personal website for Phoebe. Play a song dealing with non-conformity. Have class members write an advice letter to Holden. Here's a teacher resource meant to accompany The Catcher in the Rye that is chock-full of strategies. It...
San Diego County District Attorney
Emotions/Feelings
Three lessons delve deep into the topic of feelings and the importance of expressing one's emotions. Through grand conversation, hands-on learning experiences, and reflective writing, scholars interpret the ups and downs of everyday...
Curated OER
Plot and Conflict in W.W. Jacob's "The Monkey's Paw"
Tenth graders analyze the use of literary elements in W.W. Jacob's "The Monkey's Paw." Literary analysis is accomplished by a review of the plot and order of events in the story. Learners work in pairs to match the events from the story...
Curated OER
The Journal of a Civil War Soldier
Fifth graders write a response in their journals about the fictional thoughts of a Civil War soldier. They use specific web sites in order to research the life of a soldier during the Civil War.
Curated OER
Journaling
Young scholars explore journal writing. In this writing lesson plan, students are given writing prompts such as "how the choices I make affect our water quality?" and use critical writing skills to express their feelings in a journal....
Curated OER
Intergenerational Life Writing Lesson Plan
Students meet with an older adult to complete a writing assignment. Using a topic suggested by the teacher, they each write a story about their own lives and compare and contrast their perspectives. They share their viewpoints with the...
Curated OER
Journaling and Diaries
Students create a record of their own journal and demonstrate the use of a journal/diary. They explore the purposes and benefits of journaling for themselves personally as well as for us in today's world (emotionally and historically).
Curated OER
I Am . . .
Eighth graders read Eloise Greenfield's novella, 'Sister'. They write their personal responses quickly, foregoing concern about usage, spelling, and punctuation at this point. They write about their day, or may write about any...
Curated OER
Book Talk
Students create journal reflecting upon a Holocaust themed book, and discuss Holocaust themed book and personal response to it with others using e-mail.
Curated OER
A Bearrific Home Adventure
Students and their families participate in an at home journal activity. In this journal writing lesson, students read the book If You Take a Mouse to School. Students take home a suitcase with a bear and writing elements. Students return...
Curated OER
Geo Jammin' - Day 1, Lesson 3: Math Moments on My Mind
Second graders write a Math Moments journal.
Curated OER
The Individual and His Role in Society
Tenth graders discover how various writers approach the themes of : alienation and solitude, living life "deliberately" and "phonies." Through reading, journaling, class discussion, and writing assignments they realize the power of the...
Curated OER
All About Me
Young scholars examine their own personality traits and preferences. They use this information to write an autobiography.
Curated OER
Habits
Learners explore and analyze personal positive and negative habits. They read aloud the handout, "Who am I," and discuss what the term habit means and how to relate it to their personal lives. Each student responds on the term in their...
Curated OER
Soldiers' Stories
Students share opinions about the conditions under which they might risk their lives for a cause. They write letters from the perspective of soldiers and family members during a tour of duty.
Curated OER
My Pet Rock
Students learn about and create a pet rock. In this creative expression lesson, students pick a rock to make into their "pet". Students use various art materials to create their pets and write a personal profile which...
Curated OER
Basic Government for Primary Students
First graders participate in a T chart to answer if they would like to run for office or not and then write a journal entry about if they would or not. In this government lesson plan, 1st graders learn new government vocabulary by...