Curated OER
The Learning Network: Re-envisioning Classic Stories
Readers reflect on enjoyable stories they know, brainstorm criteria that make a story "good," analyze a New York Times article about innovative children's performances, re-envision classics on their own, and peer edit drafts. Use this as...
All-in-One High School
Elements of Plot
Cinderella wants to go to the ball and marry the prince. At the end of the story, she does! But how does the plot move from the exposition to the resolution? Teach language arts learners and fairy tale fans about the basics of plot...
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Super Hero High
Students define the characteristics of a hero by creating their own fictional superhero. In this film making lesson, students write the background of a superhero character and storyboard scenes from a movie they would like to make....
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The Dracula Game
Learners discuss ways in which the story "Dracula" can be viewed in terms of a board game. After discussion, groups create and illustrated game board, pieces, and written rules for their own version of The Dracula Game. Groups provide...
Curated OER
Animation Station
Students examine clay animation. In this technology lesson plan, students use the Internet to investigate the history of clay animation. Students use story boards and clay figures to create their own "animation."
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Elements of Art iMovie
Students are introduced to how to use the iMovie software. Individually, they write down their personal beliefs and feelings to use in their movie. To end the lesson, they use the elements of design to develop and create their movie to...
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Scriptwriting Skill Module
Students identify and analyze conflicts in plots. In this conflict instructional activity students recall stories, novels and movies they've read or seen and discuss the conflicts contained therein. They then complete some written...
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Cinderella - Digital Storytelling
Students analyze four versions of the Cinderella story. In this fairy tale analysis activity, students read four versions of Cinderella and work in groups to identify the plot for each. Students illustrate the stories and use Movie...
Council for Economic Education
Green Eggs and ...Economics?
Scholars use four different children's books by Dr. Seuss to analyze microeconomic concepts. Group presentations and research help them better understand simple economic concepts through simple stories.
Curated OER
Casting Doubt: "Color-blind" and Nontraditional Casting Decisions
In his article about color-blind casting entitled, "Willy Loman Is Lost, Still Looking for Stimulus Plan and Some Dignity," Charles Isherwood quotes August Wilson as saying, "To mount an all-black production of a 'Death of a...
Curated OER
Perfecting My Pal's Poe Paragraph
After analyzing the compelling first paragraph of Edgar Allen Poe's short story "The Masque of the Red Death," high schoolers draft original opening paragraphs using techniques identified Poe's writing. The relationship between suspense...
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The Magic in Writing
Students watch a portion of a familiar film and write responses to a series of questions. They apply their observations to short stories.
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Babar's Travels
Students read the story The Story of Babar and have a class discussion about his travels, discuss their families, design a map, pick music, and more. In this cross curricular musical lesson plan, students create a music map for each of...
Curated OER
Bringing Facts Into Science Fiction
Students develop a setting, plot and characters for a science fiction story based on current news themes, and then individually write drafts of the story.
Curated OER
Once Upon a Time
Students examine how music and sound affect their creation of artwork. They view art images online, create three hybrid collage creatures, develop a list of hero characteristics, and write an adventure story for a character they have...
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Accepting Responsibility
Second graders identify the responsibilities involved in owning a pet at home. They listen to the story and watch the movie "Arthur's Pet Business," discuss what they are responsible for at home with their pets, and in small groups...
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Language Arts: Native Americans and Onomatopoeias
Fifth graders read the Native American tale, "The Frog and the Crane," focusing on the use of onomatopoeia in it. In groups, they brainstorm list of words that are examples of the device. Finally, 5th graders write their own stories...
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Self-Portrait Shields
Students listen to the story, The Shield of Athena, and examine the original context of the sculptural fragment of a fallen warrior. They list important events and people in their lives, then create shields that depict their personal...
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Introduce Vocabulary: In the Small, Small Pond
Students explore language arts by reading a story in class. In this vocabulary word lesson plan, students read the book In the Small, Small Pond and discuss several vocabulary terms used in the story. Students participate in vocab...
Curated OER
And the Streets Are Paved With Gold
Students explore immigrant experience at Ellis Island, New York, at the turn of the century, and answer questions that challenge them to use thinking skills from various levels of Bloom's taxonomy.
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Making the Old New Again
How does a new version of a Shakespearean play change in the adaptation process? Use this New York Times' Learning Network lesson to consider texts that have been produced in different media. Middle schoolers examine the latest...
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Poetry Creations
Students produce iMovies to share their thoughts of friendship along with poetry creations in this technology-based lesson for the upper-elementary classroom. The lesson includes a link to a "create a poem" site and requires computers...
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The Magic Apple
First graders read The Magic Apple and complete interdisciplinary activities related to the book. In this folktale instructional activity, 1st graders answer comprehension questions, recognize and record short /i/ sound...
Curated OER
Love, American Style
Students examine the cultural diffusion of American popular culture around the world and create collages of visual representations of this phenomenon. Causes and effects of the cultural diffusion of American popular culture around the...