Curated OER
Thanksgiving Traditions
Everyone celebrates traditions in different ways. Young writers share the ways their families celebrate Thanksgiving with a journal writing prompt and discussion activity.
Curated OER
Autobiographical Talking Sticks
Young scholars begin the lesson by developing a map of their lives. Individually, they take this information and write a personal narrative. They create symbols to represent the various times in their lives and introduce them into...
Curated OER
Studying the Haitian Immigration: 18th and 19th centuries
Students read a narrative and conduct extensive research to determine how Haiti's population has had an influence on the social, political, and economic culture of present-day Louisiana. As a culminating activity, students write papers...
Curated OER
The Goat in the Rug
Pupils write a personal narrative about something they produce at home. (examples: make a sandwich, clean room, set table, do homework). Students should remember to mention different types of resources and intermediate goods used.
Curated OER
Drawing Into the Imagination
Sixth graders create a non linear story with multiple possibilities and endings. In this non linear story lesson plan, 6th graders research non linear stories, create their own, and illustrate it.
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Personalized Postcards
Students create and send postcards to friends and family members. Using actual photographs, they write a rough draft and final draft of a paragraph and print it out to glue onto a postcard template to mail to their friend or family member.
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Thanks for the Memories
Pupils explore the importance of the family holiday meal, read and discuss "Pass the Turkey, Tamales, Kugel and Criticism" and write their own renditions of a fictitious family's holiday evening.
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Chivalry
Eighth graders explore manners by writing short stories. In this chivalry code lesson plan, 8th graders identify the traits of chivalry and explore the history of chivalry in England. Students complete a chivalry worksheet and write a...
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Observation Skills
First graders observe a spider and write sentences about what they see the spider doing. For this writing lesson plan, 1st graders draw what they see, then make an edible spider out of marshmallows and twizzlers. A fun, delicious lesson...
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Story Pyramid And Comparison
Learners investigate the details of a chosen story of literature. They use a pyramid graphic organizer to record information. The information is used to write a summary of the story. Students use a rubric while writing the summary to...
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Civil Rights and the Michigan Supreme Court II
Young scholars view a PowerPoint presentation on the Michigan Supreme Court Historical Society's Civil Rights and/or the Native American Rights. They write a reaction paper and prepare for a class discussion. They work in groups and...
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Controlled Narrative Writing
Students examine a short story and add possible adjectives. They re-read the story and add adverbs. They also add other information to make the story interesting.
Curated OER
Writing in Math Class
Students brainstorm and discuss ways math is all around them, explain in writing how they solve math problems, describe mathematical ideas in writing, and create original story problems.
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Of Human Bondage
How does the particular point of view in a situation affect the way it is presented? Focusing on perspectives on slavery during the Civil War, middle schoolers use research to write narratives from the points of view of their historical...
Curated OER
Die Weisse Rose: German History
Learners conduct research on a German anti-Nazi group named "Die Weisse Rose", the White Rose, that eventually lost their lives for their resistance to Nazi rule. They view films, access the Internet, prepare responsive narratives to the...
Curated OER
Conservation of Energy
Fifth graders examine their use of energy over a certain time period. They come up with a plan to reduce their energy consumption and carbon footprint. Groups of learners complete a chart with three columns; energy-using events, the form...
Foreign Policy Research Institute
Comparing Regimes: Critical Reading of Memoirs and Experiences from Totalitarian Regimes
Can you imagine living in a totalitarian country? Learners will read several primary source memoirs to gain a deeper understanding of what life is like under a controlled government. They'll discuss each piece in pairs, research...
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Special Sunflowers
Students view a picture of Van Gogh's Sunflowers. In this caring and kindness instructional activity students read Camille and the Sunflower and explore the feelings of the characters. Students complete worksheets related to Camille's...
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Word Problems Dealing with Ratio and Proportion
Mindful middle-schoolers read and solve a number of word problems. Learners copy and discuss what they believe their strategies are in solving each problem. They also write their findings and share with the rest of the class.
National Park Service
Who Grows There?
More than 127 non-native species live in Glacier National Park in Montana and their infestations are growing! Pupils read about and gather samples of exotic plants. Participants create a master book of pressed plants and complete a...
Curated OER
Tell Me a Whopper!
Sixth graders investigate tall tales as a literary genre. They listen to a number of tall tales to discover how exaggeration is used as a story element. They write and publish a tall tale using word processing software. They illustrate...
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Creative Writing Inspired by Paintings
Third graders view a PowerPoint presentation of the images by Maxfield Parrish. They wirte a short story based on one image and create drawings of an imagined character.
Curated OER
Just Write It!
Students use a planning sheet to complete a story focusing on details, good word choice, and transition words. They share their stories with the class.
Curated OER
Interpreting a Story from a News Article
Students read and retell a story form out of the newspaper. They write to communicate ideas, stories, letters, simple explanations, and short reports. They edit and perfect their projects for homework, and they share their work with the...