Curated OER
Using Key Words to Unlock Math Word Problems
Students act as math coaches to solve word problems. In this math word problems lesson, students brainstorm key words in math operations, create flash cards to review relationships between words and operations, coach each other in the...
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A Water Droplet's Experience in the Hydrologic Cycle
Students write a story from the perspective of a water droplet on a journey through the water cycle. They use the 6+1 Traits writing method to focus on voice in the writing as they create characters that their water droplet has...
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Mind Your Pints and Quarts: Making Sense of Liquid Measurement
Students convert among liquid measurement units. In this measurement lesson, students use Visual Thesaurus to gather information about customary units for liquid measure such as cup, pint, and quart, then students practice converting...
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Sorting Out Homophones in Roald Dahl's
Young scholars explore the concept of homophones. In this homophone lesson, students use a selection from the book Matilda to review homophones. Young scholars use a web to identify homophones.
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Synonym Trees
Fifth graders create synonym trees by writing their main word on the tree trunk and gluing synonym words to represent the leaves. In this synonyms lesson plan, 5th graders play a class game where they must find a partner who has a...
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Vivid Adjectives
Students review adjectives and play a game where students compete to see who can write the most adjectives for a given noun. They write a story about one topic and try to use a variety of adjectives in sequence tto describe a noun.
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Writing a Legal Brief
Twelfth graders work together to write appeals for their side in a famous case. Using a format, they write a legal brief and incorporate the legal, scientific and environmental information needed to make a strong case. They share their...
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Dragonwings: Evaluate Chapters 10-12
As your class finishes the novel Dragonwings, use these culminating projects. A vocabulary list is given for chapters eleven and twelve and either an epitaph or letter activity concludes the book. The final project consists of creating a...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Using an Almanac
Young scholars work cooperatively in order to identify specific situations in which an almanac is the best choice for locating information. They answer specific questions, record the page on which the answer was found, and the key words...
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Being a Good Detective
Students examine a variety of reference resources when seeking information. They discuss atlases, almanacs, dictionaries, encyclopedias, thesauri, online search engines for the Internet, and online library card catalogs. They complete a...
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Improving Your Spelling with the Virtual Thesaurus
Pupils study spelling words. In this word study lesson, students use the Visual Thesaurus and play the Visual Thesaurus Spelling Bee.
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Different Audiences
Students examine levels of language difficulty for different audiences. They explore how to simplify texts to suit a younger audience. Students use a thesaurus to find synonyms. Students select a news article to rewrite. They create...
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Synonyms
Students complete online exercises for synonyms. For this synonyms lesson, students work in pairs to find pictures around the room and choose one as the music plays. Students write a word to describe the picture and discuss their...
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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...
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Number Types: Where Vocabulary Meets Numbers
Rational, irrational, real, natural. All these words can refer to numbers. Who knew? Learners use the Visual Thesaurus and a semantic feature analysis grid to examine the different attributes of numbers. Step-by-step instructions for...
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What's Your Genus? Scientific Classification and the VT
Students learn about binomial nomenclature, the scientific system of classification. In this scientific classification instructional activity, students work cooperatively to complete a binomial scavenger hunt using the internet and a...
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Journeys
Young scholars write a story using their journey to school as the setting. In groups, they discuss their experiences and browse through books to get ideas for their story. They practice using a thesaurus to find new verbs or adjectives...
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Writing Similes
Fifth graders identify and write similes. They define simile and discuss different examples, and with the help of a thesaurus, write original similes that compare the colors of crayons to objects or feelings. Students copy their rough...
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"All About Me" Paragraph
Fifth graders write a paragraph titled "All About Me" in the computer lab after they have drawn graphic organizers to fill in background information about themselves and used a "10-Point Writing Checklist" to do peer editing.
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Synonyms: Say It Again!
Students discuss and learn synonyms. In this synonyms lesson, students use a thesaurus to look up synonyms for the given list of words.
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Noisy Nora, Studious Students: Story Elements
Alliterative adjective nicknames generate stories inspired by Rosemary Wells' book Noisy Nora (also a thematic complement to any class with children who make a ruckus to get attention). Class members explore basic story elements --...
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Homophone Cartoons
A terrific activity on homophones awaits your youngsters. First, pupils access a website that contains lists of homophones. Then, it's time to get creative! Everyone gets a piece of poster board and they create a homophone cartoon -...
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Musical Change
Young learners record observations about different coin denominations and create a song about coins to the traditional song, "The Wheels on the Bus." This lesson is based on the Tennessee Quarter Reverse, and has all sorts of excellent...
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Writing with Vivid Verbs
Students find vivid verbs in literature and use them in their own writing. In this vivid verbs lesson, students use a 'Thinking Thesaurus' of major verbs to study common verbs. Students then practice rewriting sentences using vivid...