Curated OER
One Grain at a Time
Students investigate deserts. In this geography lesson, students create a KWL chart about deserts and research information on deserts by using reference books. Students record the characteristics of deserts and the wildlife which lives...
Curated OER
Directionality
Second graders discuss the cardinal directions and intermediate directions and then look at the spooky map to locate different points on the map. They answer questions about where things are located in reference to another object and...
Curated OER
Wildlife Fact File
Students research a specific animal. In this animal science lesson, students use a "Wildlife Fact Sheet" to take notes on their specific animal. Students use the Internet and reference books to gather information.
Curated OER
Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program
Here’s the overview for a series of lessons about the Japanese American internment introduced by the resource entitled “A Fence Away From Freedom.” Included are the link to the Smithsonian website on which the lessons are based, a list...
University of Chicago
Ancient Egyptians and Death
What archaeological evidence remains of ancient Egyptian burial and mortuary practices, and what can this information tell us about ancient Egyptian society?
Curated OER
Digging for Dinosaur Information
Students explore how to locate dinosaur information. They read the book, Catch Me If You Can! and discuss the popularity of dinosaurs among children, identify various kinds of dinosaurs and select a dinosaur to research. TAs they...
Curated OER
How to Choose Articles
In this language arts worksheet, students read detailed information that helps students choose correct articles in their writing. Students learn about nouns that refer to one unique thing, countable nouns, uncountable nouns, proper nouns...
Curated OER
Writing an Explanation
Bananas are an important part of a healthy diet - but where do they come from? Third graders write an explanatory text about the origins of bananas. The bottom part of the paper includes necessary information about bananas, as well as a...
Curated OER
Battle of New Orleans
Students use the Internet, encyclopedias, and other library resources to discover basic facts about the Battle of New Orleans and the 1768 revolt by French colonists in Spanish Louisiana. They examine two websites that give information...
Curated OER
Japanese Influence on Southeast Asia
Students examine the countries occupied by Japan and the influence it had on them. They conduct library research on assigned countries and draw maps of the territory Japan occupied. they give class presentations using Japanese vocabulary.
Curated OER
The Five Steps for Foreign Born Students in Writing Reports
Students chose a special topic of interest. They check the card catalog to see how many books are available in the school library on the chosen topic and lists them alphabetically. They take the list to the library and check the card...
Curated OER
Community Brochures
Second graders research facets of their community in order to create an informational brochure. After brainstorming ideas of what could be included in the brochure, student groups get information from the internet, the library or a...
McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center
Global Warming in a Jar
This well-organized lab activity introduces earth science pupils to the greenhouse effect. They will set up two experiments to monitor temperatures in an open jar, a closed jar, and a closed jar containing water. Ideally, you would have...
Curated OER
Frederick Douglass
Fifth graders are introduced to the novel "Frederick Douglass" and conduct research about his life. The lesson integrates technology while using a library database. It is used as a source of information with access to a reference...
Curated OER
Story Time
Learners incorporate available resources from the library and art room to produce visual art illustration through story reading.
Curated OER
Language Arts: A Hoe-Down Wedding Invitation
Students write wedding invitations for the fairy tale, Bubba, the Cowboy Prince. Once they assess the components of the original Cinderella story, they compare and contrast it with the fractured fairy tale. Students decorate their...
Library of Congress
George Washington: First in War, First in Peace, and First in the Hearts of His Countrymen
Does the lens of history portray George Washington as a good leader? A three-lesson unit looks at Washington's early military career as the commander of the Virginia Regiment, his role in the fight for independence...
University of Pennsylvania
Decoding Propaganda: J’Accuse…! vs. J’Accuse…!
Reading snail mail is a great way to go back into history and to understand others' points of view. The resource, the second in a five-part unit, covers the Dreyfus Affair. Scholars, working in two different groups, read one letter and...
Facing History and Ourselves
Us and Them: Confronting Labels and Lies
Stereotyping and discrimination based on religion catalyze many atrocities in the world. Explain the awful treatment of Jews and the lies Nazis spread by using an informative yet sensitive resource. Learners participate in a warm-up and...
California Polytechnic State University
Australian Geography Unit
At the heart of this resource is a beautifully detailed PowerPoint presentation (provided in PDF form) on the overall physical geography of Australia, basic facts about the country, Aboriginal history, and Australia culture and lifestyle.
Curated OER
Following Instructions
Get scholars thinking about the scientific process with this fun experiment they can do at home. Learners practice reading directions as they underline each instruction in a procedural paragraph. They create a flow chart and record...
Curated OER
Ask a Librarian
Discuss how asking questions is a vital part of not only the research process, but the lifelong process of information literacy. Middle schoolers work in small groups and practice the skill of asking questions. Afterward, they complete...
Curated OER
What's The Story?
Teams of learners integrate reading, writing, math, social studies, and science in this simple, yet effective instructional activity. They work in groups in order to solve a ten-step problem which requires internet research, the use of a...
Curated OER
Catch-22
During or after reading Catch-22, have your high school scholars complete this research project. First they'll brainstorm a list of people they might like to research, then they'll dive into your library's resources! There are...