Curated OER
Who Needs My Help?
Students think about helping others. In this citizenship lesson, students think of people in their lives who could use their help. Students illustrate the things they do to help others.
Curated OER
Stepping in: Good Samaritan or Fool?
Students write an opinion piece, including facts of this situation and any other statistics about helping others during a fight. Students offer suggestions about how to break up a fight, or when not to try (based on what national experts...
BW Walch
“Outsider” Poet Kay Ryan Goes from Poetry Club Reject to Poet Laureate
The cat might have got your tongue, but you can’t avoid the elephant in the room while you wait for the other shoe to drop. After all, the early bird gets the worm and the chickens are circling. After researching Poet Laureate Kay Ryan...
Curated OER
Reading Clinic: Use Predictions to Help Kids Think Deeply About Books
Students learn to use prediction to think more deeply about literature. In this reading comprehension lesson, students chart predictions in order to more fully understand text.
Curated OER
Let's Learn about Fish
Students explore fish. In this aquatic life science lesson plan, students complete a KWL chart about fish, listen to What's it Like to be a Fish?, and observe a classroom aquarium or take a trip to a local aquarium. Students complete an...
Curated OER
Exploring diversity: Finding ways to learn about our multi-cultural community
Students discuss ways to research our multicultural communities, set personal goals for learning about others, and outline a plan with specific goals to achieve their goals.
Curated OER
Unwind: Directed Reading Thinking Activity
To generate interest in reading Neal Shusterman's young adult science fiction novel Unwind, class members engage in a Directed Reading-Thinking Activity (DRTA) that asks them to examine the front and back covers, the blurbs, and "The...
Curated OER
Unwind: Anticipation Guide
After responding to a series of prompts on an anticipation guide, readers of Unwind craft five predictions about what will happen in Neal Shusterman's young adult science fiction novel.
Curated OER
Solar Sweet Tea
Students study the sun. In this heat energy lesson, students use the sun's warmth to make tea. They place a few jars with tea bags and water in the sun and discuss what the sun is doing to the water while they wait for the tea to brew....
Boys Town
Teaching Social Skills, Creating Successful Students “Following Instructions” and “Listening”
With the help from learning games and holiday-themed coloring pages, scholars learn the importance of listening carefully and following directions. Coloring pages celebrate Halloween and Thanksgiving. Learning games include Simon...
Curated OER
Bounce into Speedy Reading: Growing Fluency and Independence
Increased reading comprehension begins with decoding and automatically recognizing words, which is the focus of this instruction. Using their choice of six different Winnie the Pooh stories, partners practice a variety of strategies for...
Curated OER
Unwind: Discussion Strategy, Chalk Talk
Readers of Neal Shusterman's young adult science fiction novel, Unwind, engage in a silent discussion, posting their responses to a series of statements about characters in the story.
Curated OER
Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury
Create an online poster, or Glogster, with your class to promote Ray Bradbury's novel Dandelion Wine. This activity can be done at any time in the novel, although the directions suggest waiting until your readers near the end so they...
Curated OER
Contributions that Martin Luther King Jr. Made to Society
Second graders discover the positive effects Martin Luther King, Jr. had on society. In this U.S. history instructional activity, 2nd graders investigate racial tensions from sixty to seventy years ago and view a video about MLK, Jr....
Curated OER
Mankind's Fascination With Flight
Students read various novels and articles about the contributions of the Wright Brothers. Individually, they are tested on their comprehension of the material and discuss. In groups, they research the role of the people in their life...
Curated OER
Romeo & Juliet
Ninth graders, while in the library working in groups of three, find an article about a gang altercation and present them to their groups. They discuss the articles and then tie them back to the themes (rivalry between two warring...
Novelinks
The Hobbit: Directed Reading - Thinking Activity
An in-class reading of Shel Silverstein's The Missing Piece Meets the Big O introduces class members to the journey motif that forms the basis of The Hobbit.
Curated OER
At the Crossroads
Third graders explore where South Africa is and then research details about the country to fully assess the background to the book, "At the Crossroads." They receive a map of Africa and color in the country of South Africa and list five...
Curated OER
Coming On Home Soon
Students explore the role of women during World War II. Through a reading of the book "Coming On Home Soon" students gain insight into the ways women helped the war effort. Research and writing activities help support their point of...
Curated OER
Pee Wee Scouts
Students read books to discover the importance of friendship, teamwork, and community service. After reading the book, they discuss conflict resolution strategies. Students discuss healthy eating food pyramids. They write an essay...
Curated OER
Letters of Compliment and Complaint
Learners practice writing letters of compliments and complaints about products they use. They use standard business format for the letters and are expected to have them reviewed by a peer. They mail the letters in and wait for responses.
Curated OER
Put a Stop to "Choppy and Stoppy" Reading
Students use a crosscheck strategy to improve their oral reading rate and fluency. They are timed reading "Bud the Sub" orally three times, and work to improve their time and expression each time through. Students encourage each other...
Curated OER
Infectious Diseases
Eighth graders identify and explain how infectious diseases effect organ systems. Using an analogy with automobiles and body systems, they discover how one part influences the operation of the whole. Students write paragraphs about...
Curated OER
Do You See What I See?
Students participate in a reading skills lesson to improve reading comprehension. The skill of visualization is taught and practiced to help them better understand the plot of a story.