California Academy of Science
Poetic Reflections
Poetry is a wonderful way to explore language, express topical understanding, and incite creative thinking. After a trip to the local natural history museum (or zoo), learners write an acrostic or a cinquain poem describing one of their...
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Lesson Plan for Cricket's Supper
Interested in a special folktale to read with your class? Then this lesson might be for you. Readers will build an understanding of the food chain while creating a storyboard that includes the characters, setting, and plot of the story....
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Making Cents of Independence
Have your class explore the history of Texas using this comprehensive lesson! They read about Texas' march toward statehood, the Alamo, and more. There is a series of worksheets, graphic organizers, and a rubric which make this activity...
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Setting the Story: Techniques for Creating a Realistic Setting
“It was a dark and stormy night.” Thus begins the 1830's novel Paul Clifford and, of course, all of Snoopy’s novels! Encourage young writers to craft settings for their stories that go beyond Edward Bulwer-Lytton’s often-mocked phrase...
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How To Write a Social Studies Outline
One of the keys to success in school is organization. This resource leads learners through the process of creating an outline for a chapter from a social studies text. In addition, they review facts they have learned in their class...
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A Study of Alaska
Students explore Alaska. This lesson is gearing mostly for students who live in Alaska.
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Exploring and Oregon Commodity
A fun (and delicious!) instructional activity teaches measurement to your third graders. They work in small groups to first predict, then to measure the weight, circumference, and number of seeds found in a watermelon. Everyone gets to...
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Colvin Run Mill: A Peek into 19th Century Community and Technology
Fourth graders take a field trip to a mill, identify the parts of a mill, what was produced there, and what types of occupations were associated with a mill. They write an essay detailing the reasons they would or wouldn't like to have...
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Edgar Allan Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado"
After reading "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe, use the SMART board file to learn about Poe's background and use of irony. The lesson includes resource links to additional websites, as well as the SMART board file (you...
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Using 4 main directions in a classroom
Students use the four directions of a compass rose to locate classroom features. In this directions lesson plan, students locate the features by identifying directions.
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The Early Peoples
Learners, after studying The Early Peoples, explain and give examples of how Native Americans and Europeans adapted to living in certain environments. They give examples of early cultures and settlements that existed in North America...
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The Musher's Trail
Second graders follow the Iditarod race that begins in March. They research data and select a musher to trail in the race. Then they write daily in a journal about events that happen on the trail, including pictures from the Website.
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Geometry in the Real World
Eighth graders complete a unit of lessons on basic geometry concepts. They participate in a variety of activities, culminating in a project that involves publishing a booklet or a poster that presents the major geometry concepts from the...
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African Clay Masks
Students create a clay mask with African characteristics. They discuss what masks are used for. They draw a picture of their own African mask. They apply features to their masks by scoring and applying slip.
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Dream Houses
Students imagine and create their dream house. In this comprehension and interpretation lesson, students read The Big Orange Splot, answer comprehension questions about the story and complete a character traits web. ...
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Painted Dreams
Third graders explore the importance of art in Haitian culture by analyzing the cause and effect within the story, "Allie's Basketball Dream." They examine all the aspects of the story and characters including their goals, dreams,...
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Planning a Road Trip!
Students generate plans for a fictitious road trip. In this time management lesson, students investigate the most effective way to travel the country arriving at specific cities. Students create their plans based on time and...
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What's Special About Nonfiction?
Students examine the difference between nonfiction and fictional writing. They identify the characteristics of nonfiction literature and examine how a nonfiction textbook organizes information.
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Literature Study Guide - The Native Son
Explore Inez Haynes Gillmore's The Native Son with this thorough and engaging book report form. A reading schedule provides the opportunity to assign outside reading, and the other reading comprehension lessons could be...
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Literature Study Guide - Moby Dick
Complete with a reading schedule, literature question page, and supplementary list of literary activities, this book report form on Moby Dick would be an good resource for your junior high or high school class. The guide includes...
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Mangrove Ecosystem
Eager ecologists explore ecosystems through video and photographs of a Mangrove. They discuss the animals in this habitat and how they interact with each other after reading and discussing "The Sea, the Storm and the Mangrove Tangle."...
National History Day
Propaganda Posters of World War I: Analyzing the Methods Behind the Images
The power of a picture. During the events surrounding World War I, propaganda posters were widely distributed in American society to sway the emotions of its citizens. By analyzing World War I propaganda posters in the first installment...
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Tracing Our Own Family Pilgrimages
The Pilgrims may have arrived in North America by way of the Mayflower, but chances are, your class members' ancestors came to the United States in another way. Guide them through an exploration of their own heritage, countries of...
Civil War Trust
Civil War Soldier: Experiencing the Battle of Franklin
Fighting a war over home soil makes a living nightmare even more real. Class members describe the experience of a Civil War soldier during the Battle of Franklin, poised right at a major turning point of the war, after researching the...