Curated OER
Fractured Fairy Tales
Pupils use familiar characters, plots, and settings from traditional fairy tales to create "fractured" versions, while experimenting with satire, irony and parody. A fractured fairy tale is designed to be humorous by changing the story...
Curated OER
A Journey To Japan Through Poetry
Third graders gain an appreciation for writing, analyzing, reading and listening to poetry, viewing poems as a motivation for studying Japanese culture and tradition. They study and create their own haiku and tanka poems with illustrations.
Curated OER
Farewell to the Former Library Media Specialist
Young scholars write a letter to their former library media specialist incorporating brainstormed ideas of what they have liked about the library media center. In this way students let the teacher know about what has been done in the...
Curated OER
ESL Storyboards
In this ESL literacy activity, students examine each individual board and then use them to tell and write a story about the events.
Curated OER
CREATE A NEW RHYME
Third graders develop basic narratives. They retell a focused story and create a basic publication using available resources (e.g., pictures, colors, computer, copier). They experiment with different forms of creative writing (e.g.,...
Curated OER
Conflicting Views
Students complete a Venn diagram comparing the United States and Afghanistan. They research the history of the Taliban and how they relate to the United States and its foreign policy. They write a paper on possible solutions.
Curated OER
Focus on Food Chains
Third graders collect and analyze data about food chains. They conduct Internet research about the habitat of a selected organism, write a narrative, and create a computer slideshow using Kid Pix computer software that illustrates the...
Curated OER
Who Gets to Invent and How Do Inventors Change Our Lives?
Students examine the way various inventions have changed their lives. As a class, they create a timeline of the most important inventions during their lifetime and another timeline of how old they were when it was invented. ...
Museum of Tolerance
Oral History Activity
Oral history has brought a multitude of lessons, stories, and factoids to our current knowledge of the past. Let us continue to use oral history traditions through a lesson that encourages pupils to discover and appreciate where they...
Museum of Tolerance
Music Evokes Memories and Emotions
Dim the lights, take a deep breath, and press play to explore the emotions and memories that music elicits. Class members begin using relaxation techniques designed to create a positive listening experience. As music plays, learners...
Curated OER
YANG AND THE YOUNGEST AND HIS TERRIBLE EAR
Students perform a web scavenger hunt to find information about the author of the book, YANG THE YOUNGEST AND HIS TERRIBLE EAR. They develop an understanding of how writers use personal experience to add voice to their writing.
Curated OER
Poetry
Students write a poem. In this language arts lesson, students discuss what they hear and see in a garden. Students write a poem about the sights, sounds and smells of the garden.
Curated OER
Reader's Theater
Students act out and interpret the story for their peers. They study the simplest form of an organized reading to a more elaborate activity involving props, costumes, or a reinterpretation of the narrative into another art form.
Curated OER
Nature Walk Poem
Third graders read poetry inspired by nature. They talk a walk in nature or in their neighborhood with paper and pen and write down feelings and perceptions. They write a poem about their walk and share it with the class.
Curated OER
Ugly? Says Who?
Students explore biology by writing animal poetry in class. In this animal characteristics lesson, students research the Internet for facts about an "ugly" animal such as a bug or small critter. Students complete worksheets about animal...
Curated OER
Because of Winn-Dixie
Pupils make connections with the book Because of Winn-Dixie through writing. In this writing instructional activity, students pretend to be the main character and write a letter to her mother, using very descriptive language. Pupils...
Curated OER
Creating A Classroom Newspaper
Learners participate in a culminating project to create a classroom newspaper. They use the skills of prewriting, writing, revising, editing, drawing, and scanning. This is all done so that students can master all the facets of creation...
Curated OER
Health Grade 3
Third graders explore respect. In this lesson about respecting others and their property, 3rd graders learn hoe to be nice to other people. Students discuss different situations and whether or not it is being respectful. Students write a...
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
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
Ahimsa in Writers Workshop
Young scholars investigate nonviolent lifestyles by researching the life of Gandhi. In this journalism lesson, students define the word ahimsa and how important nonviolence is when solving conflicts. Young scholars create a timeline of...
Curated OER
Bark, Meow, Purr, Snort - Oh, What a Voice!
Students brainstorm differences between dogs and cats. They discuss the elements that make a story effective and write a story with a beginning, middle and end in the voice of a cat or dog.
Curated OER
Scrapbook
Students read a book and use the internet to find images to accompany it. After choosing one of the artifacts, they complete a full analysis worksheet and write a journal entry about how the artifact was used. To end the lesson, they...