Bantam Books
The Tempest: Think-Aloud Annotation
It can be difficult to refer back to a text when analyzing it, so annotation is a great tool for kids to track what they are reading. A thorough and well-organized instructional activity guides learners through the process of annotating...
PBS
Broadcast News
Just because a story is on the news doesn't mean it's being presented fairly. Analyze news broadcasts with a lesson focused on evaluating television journalism. At home, kids watch a news show and note the stories presented, including...
Art Educators of New Jersey
Exploring Eric Carle’s Painted Collage
Where does inspiration come from? Where do writers get their ideas? What about visual artists? A PowerPoint and a video introduce middle schoolers to children's author and illustrator Eric Carle and how he found inspiration in the work...
Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk, University of Texas at Austin
Lesson 9 - Contractions
Is it do'nt or don't? How about doesn't or does'nt? A lesson on contractions helps learners identify, form, and use contractions. Components within the plan include direct instruction on decoding and encoding contractions, as well as...
Curated OER
Writing Task
Eighth graders consider parallel relationships in Much Ado About Nothing and the structure of the play within an extended piece of writing.  In this point of view lesson, 8th graders examine relationships and write a discursive...
Curated OER
Playing with Language: Tall Tales and Codes
Learners interpret and identify the elements of folktales, with an emphasis on tall tales, in this lesson.  Students utilize brainstorming techniques to list ways people communicate.  Learners also read and create a time line and present...
Curated OER
Step-by-Step to the Final Destination
Learners write their own radio plays. In this writing process lesson, students script their own scary radio plays based on the radio plays they read in class in previous lessons. Learners also perform the plays for their classmates.
Curated OER
Thornton Wilder's Our Town: The Reader as Writer
Students read a play and create their own play using Thornton Wilder's Our Townas a resource. For this play lesson, students analyze how theatrical elements contribute to a play's meanings and effects. Students recognize differences...
Curated OER
BioPoem Multicultural Activity For A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
Students write a biopoem. In this literature and poetry writing lesson, students write a biopoem about the characters in A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry following a specific given format. Examples and format are included.
Curated OER
Reader's Theater, Get Ready
Students recognize what features make a play. In this reader's theater lesson, students read the play Master Man: A Tall Tale of Nigeria told by Aaron Shepard and determine what features make this a play and what the author's purpose was.
Curated OER
Decorating Objects....And Re-Decorating
Students decorate cups or bowls with thematic designs that represent Chinese culture. In this decorating lesson plan, students will decorate their cups or bowls and then “sell” these works of art to partners role-playing as French...
Curated OER
Guess that Scene: A Review of A Midsummer Night's Dream Through Performance
Learners rewrite and perform various scenes from the play, A Midsummer Night's Dream. In groups, they include the main quotes and ideas from their scene, perform it for the class, and identify which scene each group is performing.
Curated OER
Romeo and Juliet Newspaper
Students design a newspaper after reading the play "Romeo and Juliet." They include an appropriate title, wedding announcement, an advice column, an obituary and classified advertisements.
Curated OER
Playing to Learn
Students brainstorm about video games that are designed to teach. They create and perform in small groups a live action "video game" that teaches a concept covered in class this school year.
Curated OER
Shakespeare Lesson Plan
Students discuss Shakespeare's background and their initial opinions and perceptions of him.  In groups, they are assigned a topic to research and to relate one of Shakespeare's plays to the topic.  They present a summary of the scenes...
Curated OER
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.
Curated OER
Anansi Goes to Lunch
Students read the story Anansi Goes to Lunch and complete many language arts-based activities to go with the book. In this language arts lesson plan, students complete activities including phonics, writing, coloring, counting, role...
Curated OER
Anansi Goes to Lunch
Second graders read the story Anansi Goes to Lunch and complete language arts activities connected to the story. In this language arts lesson plan, 2nd graders complete activities including discussion, reading, writing, drawing, and role...
Curated OER
The Ogre Bully
Second graders read the story The Ogre Bully and complete language arts activities connected to the story. In this language arts lesson plan, 2nd graders complete activities including discussion, reading, writing, sequencing, analyzing,...
Curated OER
School Day
Learners participate in a lesson that involves writing a persuasive essay. They use the prompt of "extending the school day". The paper should contain correct elements of sentence structure with clear purpose that is supported with...
Curated OER
Making Polite Conversation
High schoolers become familiar with the polite forms of conversation that are used in this country.  They role play making requests using polite forms.  Students write an appropriate thank you not to a host or hostess.  This lesson is...
Curated OER
Hello, How Do You Do?
Students role play proper greetings and etiquette in formal and informal work and social situations.  Students compare and contrast introductions and conversational conventions in their native country and in the United States by writing...
Curated OER
The 32-Second Macbeth
High schoolers read a very short script synopsis of Macbeth. They read the script, in small groups, trying to break the 32-second record, then write their own 32-second versions of one act from Macbeth.
Curated OER
Our Special Keepsake
Third graders observe the procedure for writing a single paragraph. They listen to a story and write a single paragraph response including a topic sentence, with supporting sentences.