Curated OER
Nurture Poetry
Learners create a poetry book. In this poetry lesson, students write a cinquain poem, name poem, haiku, limerick, and preposition poem.
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Writing Myths I
Explain a natural phenomenon in an original myth. After researching the phenomenon they have chosen, young readers use factual information to include in their myth. They find synonyms and new phrases to create vivid images as they write...
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Arctic Writing
Fifth graders analyze photographs in order to write descriptively. In this descriptive writing lesson, 5th graders use the Internet to research and view photographs of the arctic. Students use descriptive language to write sentences...
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Color My World Grey and Blue
Can colors help to convey a mood in writing? Explore this question with your class using the songs "Grey Street" by the Dave Matthews Band and "Blu is a Mood" by Blu Cantrell. After analyzing the effect of the color words in these songs...
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Shizuko's Daughter: Concept of Definition Word Map
Help your class use critical thinking when it comes to unfamiliar words. With vocabulary from Kyoko Mori's Shizuko's Daughter, kids write the word in the center of a graphic organizer, and find its category, comparisons, examples, and...
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Know Your Polygons!
Students identify and categorize different polygons. In this polygons lesson plan, students research and identify properties of polygons, identify different polygon shapes, and categorize different triangles and quadrilaterals.
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Transition Words and Phrases: Road Signs for the Reader
Therefore! However! Furthermore! Explore the power of transition words and phrases. Signal your readers by suggesting the relationship between different thoughts or points. Help them demonstrate an understanding of word relationships.
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Remembering New Words
Four strategies learners can use to remember new words are detailed on a one-page worksheet. They are shown how to find synonyms, make a personal connection, think of antonyms, and how to make up a sentence that puts the words together....
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Writing: Narrative, Expository, Persuasive, and Descriptive
If you are interested in having a basic framework for teaching expository, narrative, persuasive, and descriptive writing, this resource may help; however, you will have to find information on the different forms of writing to share with...
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The Heart of the Matter
Upper elementary pupils learn about the blood transportation system and anatomy of the human heart. They fill in an outline of the human heart (not included) focusing on the flow of blood to and from the heart. Using stethoscopes, they...
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Growing Poems
Students write garden inspired poetry. In this poetry lesson plan, students go out into the garden and write poems about how they feel, what they see, and what is going on in the garden.
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Bird Banners
Students create banners for their classroom that contain the same information as field guides.
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Anne Frank and Louisiana - There is a Connection!
How is Louisiana connected to the Holocaust? After reading The Diary of Anne Frank, eighth graders complete a research report about a survivor of the Holocaust who currently resides in Louisiana. Though the idea is a good way to connect...
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Design a Soda Bottle Label
Students make a mind web to describe their favorite soda. They then make thumbnail sketches of their labels. Tehy create a unique font with which to write the mane of their soda.
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What is Your Story?
Learners listen to Picnic In October and Memory Coat to explore the concept of memoirs. They interview a family member and write a personal memoir that reflects their own family history.
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Synonym Scramble
Play a game with a deck of cards to reinforce synonyms and vocabulary. Young spellers look at the blue words on the cards they are holding and try to match it with the red word the teacher is holding. The game continues until the deck is...
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Making an Argument: Effective use of Transition Words
Work on using transition words in context by prompting elementary and middle schoolers to write their own persuasive essays using transition words. They explore new forms of transition words and examine how they are used in an editorial...
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Sorting Out Homophones in Roald Dahl's
Students explore the concept of homophones. In this homophone lesson, students use a selection from the book Matilda to review homophones. Students use a web to identify homophones.
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Reading Comprehension: Context Clues
Fifth graders use context clues to help them understand unknown words. In this context clues activity, 5th graders practice identifying context clues on a worksheet, then work with a peer to write their own story. Stories are peer edited...
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Vocabulary - Unfolding Meaning
Students write the "word for the day" onto a note card. They add a definition, discuss in class and file the card in their own metal box. At the end of the week students play a game with the words from that week.
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Adjective Games and Associated Worksheets
In this adjective games worksheet, students use adjective wheels, practice spelling adjectives, combine roots words to create an adjective, and explain how different objects using adjectives. Teachers are given detailed information on...
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Thanksgiving Writing Activities
The holiday season is an opportunity for students to create meaningful Thanksgiving writing activities.
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Family Search We All Came To America
Eighth graders participate in a computer based Family Search Unit. They use multimedia resources to research their country of origin, conduct interviews, and use software to produce narratives, databases, spreadsheets and graphs in this...
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Synonyms
Learners discover the defintion for synonyms and how they describe similar situations. They start with a common word such as "happy" and brainstorm different words that mean the same as happy. They draw pictures or write sentences to...