Curated OER
What Did You Do?
English learners practice using the past tense by participating in a time description activity. They identify the differences between verbs when they are used to describe current events or past events. Students answer questions using...
Curated OER
Homophone Hunt
What is a homophone? Review the definition with your class before sending them off for this independent activity. As they read the story, they search for any homophones used incorrectly.
Curated OER
Sound Blending Lesson Plan
Mr. Snowman wants to help emerging readers understand compound words, so he segments some familiar words to help them see that they are made of two distinct words. Learners repeat the words, both segmented and blended, and observe them...
BBC
The Sound Monster - Words That Make Sounds
There are words in the English language that actually make sounds, such as vroom, and, buzz. Here is a clever lesson which introduces young readers to these sound-making words. They play an interactive game on the computer that has...
BBC
Floppy and The Puppies - Characteristics
Here is a wonderful online language arts activity for your emerging readers. Learners play an interactive game where they look at two characters who are engaging with each other. They must choose the word from a word bank that best...
Curated OER
Improving Descriptive Writing: Painting an Original Picture
Descriptive writing is rich in sensory appeals and paints pictures in the minds of readers. Show young writers how to use an on-line thesaurus and a cliché website to create fresh, descriptive writing. The presentation ends with an...
Curated OER
Discovering the Mathematics of Sound
Pupils study the basic skills of algebraic manipulations. They practice the application of basic mathematics in science and determine the nature of good acoustics. They develop proposals for providing good acoustics and identify types...
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Exploring Habitats
Third graders go on a mission to research three different habitats on the campus of Manchester College so that they can be part of a resuce effort. They work in groups and each group starts at a different habitat. Group one starts at...
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Slang Quiz: Mixed 1
In this slang worksheet, students select the meaning of the slang word used in each example sentence. There are 10 exercises.
Curated OER
The Houdini Box: Compare and Contrast
How did Houdini do it? After reading a short passage about magicians and their tricks, readers are asked to compare and contrast some of the illusions these prestidigitators create.
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Descriptive Prompt: Precise Language
Incorporate sensory details into a piece of descriptive writing. First, elementary and middle schoolers improve a piece of writing by using precise, vivid language, as well as appropriate word choice. They then listen to a variety of...
Curated OER
Exposure: A Poem by Wilfred Owen
Here’s a great way to engage your pupils in poetry analysis. Show your class this student-produced, PowerPoint analysis of Wilfred Owen’s “Exposure.” Have your class critique the strengths and weakness of the presentation. (They are sure...
Curated OER
"Aaaaaa!!!!" It's Okay, Baby!!
Your kindergarten or first grade class works on recognizing the /a/ sound in spoken words. Use the fun tongue twister to help remember the target sound, and practice writing the letter a. Then have them write words that use this target...
Curated OER
Reading Examples
Young writers read excerpts from Gary Paulsen's memoir to identify figurative and literal language that contain sensory details. They determine which selections are examples of sensory language and fi the language is used literally or...
Curated OER
Only Let Your Brain Hear You!
Students explore the benefits of silent reading and practice reading silently in this lesson plan. As they are silently reading, they use the cross checking strategy to monitor their comprehension. The teacher assesses their progress...
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Test Your Patience: Nonsense Quiz
In this testing patience worksheet, students read through the quiz that doesn't make sense. Students then try to answer the 20 questions to taste their patience.
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"First Day of School - Make a Puzzle"
Third graders create a puzzle piece to be included in a class puzzle. They are given one puzzle piece, and they decorate it using symbols/drawings which are personal to them such as hobbies, interests, or self-portrait. The pieces are...
Curated OER
Using Descriptive Language
Students explore the technique of descriptive writing. As a class, they observe a poster and describe it using adjectives. They discuss how descriptive words can be used literally and figuratively in the world of advertising. After...
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Performing Sonnets
Students use Shakespearean sonnets as part of a poetry analysis lesson. In this sonnet lesson, students perform a sonnet by Shakespeare but treat it as a script to be acted out. Students work in pairs to create motions for two lines from...
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Sound Vibrations
Students play their own straw kazoos and understand that vibrations are responsible for the sounds we hear. Additionally, they learn that sound vibrations can travel through different mediums. Students experience vibrations through...
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Abe Lincoln's Log Cabin
Students study Abe Lincoln and make a log cabin out of pretzel sticks and chocolate frosting.
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This is My Neighborhood
Pupils predict the things that they may see, smell, or hear in their neighborhood. They take part in a neighborhood walk, creating a rough map of their neighborhood as they go. Upon return to the classroom, students create a final map of...
Curated OER
Writing - Fiction
After listening to the opening description in Of Mice and Men, high schoolers try their hand at writing a short story that includes a mugging. The story should include all five senses. Each of the pupils reads their opening paragraph to...
Curated OER
Talking Duck
Learners study how animals communicate through their senses and signals. They investigate how animals survive using their communication skills and create a commercial based on the research.