Curated OER
Counting Crows
Students discuss the fable, The Crow and the Pitcher. In this literature lesson, students read the fable and create a crow sock puppet. Students use their puppets to dramatize the fable.
Creative Educator
Amazing Animal Alliterations
Creatures can cause creativity! Alliteration can make writing more enjoyable and entertaining. Help your pupils grasp this concept by using animals as inspiration for alliterative sentences. Prepare your class for the activities by first...
Curated OER
Tsunami! Examining Earth's Most Destructive Waves
Students investigate just what a tsunami is, what causes it, how fast it travels, what it looks like, and its devastating effects upon landfall.  They read the experience of a former Peace Corps Volunteer who went to Sri Lanka after it...
Curated OER
Theme: The Search for Meaning
Students explore themes. In this literary elements lesson, students view a PowerPoint presentation defining and describing examples of common theme traits. Students read several short passages, then infer the theme of each story.
Media Smarts
Looking at Newspapers: Introduction
A scavenger hunt introduces class groups to the different sections of newspapers and the different types of articles found in each section.
Curated OER
Narrative Writing
A basic lesson on personal narrative writing is here for you. In it, learners are asked to imagine they're going to share an experience of their own with someone who did not participate in that experience. They verbally tell the story to...
Curated OER
Prewriting 2 Getting Ideas
Fourth graders read a poem or short paragraph and have students picture it in their minds. They relate the topic to something in their experience and illustrate, 4th graders generate questions with a graphic organizer, use Prewriting2...
Curated OER
Four Folk Tales About HYO: The Confucian Tradition of Filial Piety
Pupils explore the nuances of Confucianism. In this Korean society lesson, students complete jigsaw reading assignments on the Hyo. Pupils compare their own reverence for parents to that described in the pieces about Korea.
Curated OER
Strategies for Organization and Elaboration of Personal Narrative
Personal narrative writing is usually a favorite form of writing for youngsters because they get to write about a personal experience. The lesson here asks pupils to take a piece of narrative writing and improve it by following...
Curated OER
Desert Views: First Impressions
Learners are introduced to primary source material and the ways in which early travelers viewed aspects of the desert environment. The lesson plan addresses the geography themes of location, region, and human/environment interaction.
Curated OER
Flat Stanley Visits....Your Imagination in Claymation!
For this literature lesson, learners read the Jeff Brown book Flat Stanley and collaborate to create claymation characters from the story. Students create a claymation video and discuss using word cards during hte movie.
Curated OER
Penguin Writing
After discussing the main events in Mr. Popper’s Penguins, young writers describe in sequence what they would do if they had 12 penguins living in their house. The narratives are then glued onto a penguin cut-out, mounted on construction...
Curated OER
Author's Purpose
Sixth graders brainstorm the reasons authors write, and they list their responses on the board. Students discuss each purpose they have listed.Students work independently to read the selection  "Tarantulas and Typhoid" by...
Curated OER
Writing Process- Narrative Writing
Graphic organizers are a wonderful tool for young writers to use to help them get their thoughts in order for a piece of writing. Here, learners are coached on what a piece of narrative writing is, and how they must have a distinct...
Curated OER
Being in the Noh: An Introduction to Japanese Noh Plays
Learners read a Japanese Noh play and discuss its structure and traditional characters. They choose a short myth and write a Noh play based on it.
Curated OER
'Song of the South' a racist tune?
Students read the information about the movie "Song of the South" and watch some of the clips. They write their reaction to the proposal to re-release the movie. Students consider whether it would matter if the studio adds an...
BBC
Words In The News: Japan Textbook Back In Spotlight
High-interest articles are a great way to get struggling readers to tackle difficult vocabulary. Here is a lesson that includes such an article. It is focused around a very interesting and controversial article about the teaching of...
Curated OER
Drama/Theatre
Learners discover how setting, props, and character-action communicate information about the characters and the story. Access to videos and a video camera are important to make this lesson a success.
Curated OER
My Summer Vacation: Traveling
A classic lesson idea, kindergarteners share stories about their summer vacations on their first day of school! First, your young learners will listen to you talk about your summer vacation, making sure to use plenty of visual aids. Then...
Curated OER
The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe: Literature and Theater
Students read and discuss the literary elements of "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" by C.S. Lewis. They explore the elements of dramatic performance and create a TV news program based on life in Narnia. They videotape their...
Curated OER
Letter Writing: An English Language Arts Lesson For Writing/Proofreading
Ninth graders write a letter to someone who is deserving of thanks. Peer and self-editing takes place. After the writing process is completed and a copy is made for the portfolio, envelopes are distributed, addressed, sealed, and mailed.
Curated OER
Animaters and Lego Mania!
Learners use various technology elements to storyboard and create an animal animation story based on a nonfiction story they've read. In this animation story lesson, students work in groups and read nonfiction animal stories. Learners...
Curated OER
Encounter with a Skull (Tae dokuro, 1890)
Young scholars read and analyze a short story by Koda Rohan. They conduct research, read and discuss a biography of the author, identify examples of Japanese and Buddhist symbolism in the story, and write an original story.
Curated OER
Locating Words
Students locate various basic sight words in an article or a story.  They read the word list/worksheet, and independently locate and circle each word from the list on the article.