Curated OER
Zoo Animal Experts
As part of an exploration of zoo animals, kindergarteners conduct research on their favorite animal and compile their information. Learners write about their animal in a journal and create a trading card. The culminating activity is a...
Louisiana Department of Education
Fahrenheit 451
In his 2013 introduction to Fahrenheit 451, Neil Gaiman states, “Fiction is a lie that tells us true things, over and over.” In this extraordinary unit plan, readers "explore the power of written language to educate and...
Curated OER
Language Arts Written Drama Project: Creationism
High schoolers create and perform science fiction drams based upon their knowledge of the solar system. For this solar system lesson students work in cooperative groups to create a short play and will also score the play.
Curated OER
What's Special About Nonfiction?
Young scholars examine the difference between nonfiction and fictional writing. They identify the characteristics of nonfiction literature and examine how a nonfiction textbook organizes information.
Curated OER
Science Performance Assessment
You can use performance assessments to obtain a richer and more complete picture of what your students know.
Curated OER
Busting Myths Using Science in the Classroom
Use the Mythbuster method and other exciting activities to jazz up your scientific method lessons!
Curated OER
Lesson 1: Identifying Information in Nonfiction
If you are in need of a lesson on identifying information in a non-fiction text, look no further. The class learns how to use a KWL chart to identify explicit information in the book, Frogs by Gail Gibbons. They fill out the KWL...
Curated OER
After I Read Strategy Sheet
After readers finish the story Deep-Sea Monster, they utilize this two-page worksheet to write short-answer responses to questions about the story. The questions posed require critical thinking, not simply recalling details from the...
Curated OER
8th Grade Reading Comprehension Success
Augment your eighth grade language arts curriculum with a thorough set of reading comprehension activities and assessments. Focusing on a variety of skills, including vocabulary in context, text structure, main idea, and author's style,...
Curated OER
A Day in the Life of a Leprechaun
Students investigate creative writing by reading Leprechaun stories. In this Irish culture lesson, students listen as their teacher describes what a leprechaun is and where the idea for the creature came from. Students write a fictional...
Curated OER
We Like to Imagine - Animals
Young scholars describe a pretend animal. They read "The After School Monster." Students read other books and discuss whether or not the characters are real. Young scholars make a drawing of a pretend animal and of a real animal. They...
Curated OER
Take the Lead — Get the Lead Out
Students research about the physiological effects of prolonged lead exposure. In this chemistry activity, students investigate the lead content of different paint, soil and water samples. They analyze data trends and share their findings...
Curated OER
Alas, All Human
Students define a scientist. In this ethics and science instructional activity, students read Asimov's Alas, All Human and write responses and discuss the possibilities of imperfection within science by scientists. Students discuss what...
Curated OER
A Water Droplet's Experience in the Hydrologic Cycle
Students write a story from the perspective of a water droplet on a journey through the water cycle. They use the 6+1 Traits writing method to focus on voice in the writing as they create characters that their water droplet has...
Curated OER
Life Giving Rivers
Students examine the world's rivers in this six lessons unit which mingles science with social studies. The dynamic forces that create erosion in nature are also seen as habitats and ecosystems that are affected by environmental and man...
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We Garden: My Life as a Fruit or Vegetable
Students explore agriculture by participating in a role-play activity. For this farm to fork lesson, students ask and answer questions as though they were a specific plant about to be eaten. Students write responses to critical thinking...
Curated OER
Africanized Honey Bees And Society
Students investigate how information is disseminated about honey bees and other insects. They make a list of key words and phrases, or even write a brief summary of their impressions of insects and their relatives after viewing the movie.
Curated OER
Time for All Ages
Fourth graders discover time keeping by analyzing technological advances in history. In this time lesson, 4th graders create and complete a KWL chart based on their research of a famous timekeeping invention, such as a sundial....
Curated OER
Butterflies, Butterflies, Butterflies
Transform your class into a butterfly museum! Research different types of butterflies, their habitat, and life cycle. Interactive components such as PowerPoint presentations, Claymation movies, and webpages add pizzaz to the museum...
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
Space Travel Guide
Looking to take a trip? Why not go to space? Here, scholars take on the role as travel agent to create a guide to their favorite planet including travel tips and sightseeing recommendations.
University of Colorado
Space Travel Guide
Neptune takes 164.8 Earth years to travel around the sun. In the fifth of 22 lessons, young scientists create a travel guide to a planet in our solar system. They provide tips for others on what to bring, what they see, and their...
Science NetLinks
Green Roof Design
Green roofs aren't just eco-friendly — they are literally green with trees. Groups learn about the concept of green roofs in order to be able to design one. The groups design a 5,000-square-foot green roof for a fictional apartment row...
Curated OER
Discovering the Deep
Pupils explore the world's oceans. They research questions about the oceans and write a research report about an ocean animal. Students identify at least four different writing genres they experienced while reading about the ocean.
Curated OER
Listen! Listen! Learn All About It!
Fourth graders view non-fiction videos. They write questions that can be answered with information in the video. Every 10 minutes the video is stopped and the class discusses the questions.