MENSA Education & Research Foundation
It’s Greek to Me: Greek Mythology
It's no myth: this packet on Greek mythology is an excellent addition to your social studies curriculum. With writing activities, such as short answer responses and biopoems, and reading activities, which include creation stories and...
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Reference Skills
Students participate in an online scavenger hunt using the parts of a book to locate information. In this reference materials lesson, students locate the title, subtitle, table of contents and glossary. Students then create...
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Yum Yum: Making Vegetable Soup
Students investigate agriculture by reading a book. In this plant life instructional activity, students read the book Growing Vegetable Soup by Louis Ehlert, and examine the ingredients used in the book's soup. Students...
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WHALES: GIANTS OF THE DEEP
Students study humpback whale migrations, feeding, social organization, population, scientific investigations and compare humpback whales , research to explore a specific type of whale, and create their own replica of a whale.
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Our Neighborhood as a Community
Students understand that they are a part of a community with helpers that make a difference. In this community service lesson, students explore the diversity in a community and how its members make it a nice place to live. Students sing...
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Reading Partnership Book Project
Students choose a book and read it with a partner throughout the week. They discuss and evaluate the text with their partner as well as complete a question form. They desing and choose a way to present their book to their peers in the...
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Coast-to-Coast Book Design-Part 3: Brainstorming the Book
Middle schoolers examine the process of designing a book and identify the steps necessary to publish a book. In small groups they analyze ABC books, and discuss the similarities and differences between the books. Students then brainstorm...
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Fiber of Life
Students examine the importance of plants to individuals and society through a multi-discipline set of activities. They observe and draw different leaf structures and then create a book about trees and photosynthesis. They explore ways...
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Mystery Stars: Estimating Whole Numbers Using Fractions Shown on Sectors of a Circle
In this set of fraction worksheets, students cut out 6 pages of circles that show fractions with stars covering different sections of circles. They show one section of the circle in order to estimate the whole number of stars by looking...
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Peanut Inventions From A-Z
Learners create a PowerPoint presentation on peanut products. In this peanut lesson, students discuss the parts of a peanut and read the book The Life and Times of the Peanut by Charles Micucci. They create an ABC book on products...
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Parts of Speech: Verb
Young scholars define and identify different types of verbs, demonstrate correct usage of different verbs, including past and present tense verbs and helping verbs.
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Parts of a Story
Students read a short fiction book and demostrate comprehension by identifying the main characters, setting, conflict, theme, and summarizing the main points. They organize the information in Inspiration and create a powerpoint to show...
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The Magic School bus Inside A Hurricane
Students investigate the concept of a hurricane by using the cartoon series "The Magic Schoolbus" to simulate the fantasy of traveling through a hurricane. The lesson uses a KWL graphic organizer in order to guide student inquiry and as...
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Best Part of Me
Students determine a positive physical feature of themselves. They participate in an online writer's workshop and write descriptive poem about their favorite feature. They create a display of poetry and pictures.
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Tops and Bottoms
First graders classify vegetables by which parts are edible. In this plant biology lesson, 1st graders are read Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens, participate in a discussion of which plant parts are edible in the story, then sort...
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Worm Family Needs A New Home
Students examine different types of soil. In this soil lesson, students research different types of soil. Students create a podcast about a worm family looking for a new home using storyboarding or graphic organizers.
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Books on Trial
Sixth graders persuade classmates that their favorite book is the best book ever written. In this persuasive writing lesson, 6th graders create a written argument as to why their favorite book is the best. Students present their argument...
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Shakespeare Stealer: Design a Set
In groups, learners design sets for the play, "Shakespeare Stealer." They sketch a scale model of a set and present it to the teacher, who will choose which group gets to design the entire set.
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The Civil War Through a Child's Eyes
Learners focus upon the Civil War era using research methods of drawing information from primary sources. Literature and photographic images reflect, communicate, and influence human perspectives of historical events. The lesson helps...
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A Moon with a View
Third graders explore the rotation of Earth and the moon. In this solar system instructional activity, 3rd graders participate in an Earth and moon simulation in which part of the class "becomes" the sun, while other children represent...
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Eyes On Me
Students investigate the human eye. In this biology activity, students read the book Look At Your Eyes and locate the various parts of their eye. Students play the game "I Spy."
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Shared Reading and Writing with La Casa Adormecida
Write a book using Spanish vocabulary after listening to the book La Casa Adormecida. Learners identify known vocabulary, match vocabulary from the book with visuals, and unscramble syllables discover words. Students write a new version...
Novelinks
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe: Picture Book Strategy
Picture books aren't just for primary learners. Your scholars compare and contrast literary themes between the novel, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, and the children's book, The Dream Tree by Winfried...
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Library Lesson Plan
Explain the differences between fiction and non-fiction and the characteristics of a biography. Learners analyze three pieces of literature on the same topic to determine which is fiction and which is non-fiction. In the end, relate the...