Curated OER
Talking Heads
After processing notes from research or an interview, middle schoolers turn the information into a script or dialogue for narrative, persuasive, or expository text. Use this lesson in any writing unit to reinforce proper writing skills.
Curated OER
The Death Sentence Remains A Question
Examine the results of recent opinion polls on where people stand on the issue of the death penalty. In groups, middle schoolers examine various cases dealing with this issue and discuss the judgments. They write their own argument for...
Curated OER
The Writing Process Continues
Middle schoolers write a nonfiction animal book. They research an animal to write about and use the templates provided to gather all sorts of information on their animal. Consider making a model book so your class has an idea of what it...
Curated OER
The Direct Object
What exactly is a direct object? Use this resource to introduce direct objects to your middle and early high school classrooms. The section at the top explains the part of speech, and then there are 20 sentences below for learners to...
Gobal Oneness Project
Passionate Pursuits
Not all technology is digital. Teach learners about the low-tech maker movement with a photo essay about six artisans from California and two articles about the local creator movement. After tackling the photo essay in small groups,...
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Exploration of Utopias and Dystopias
If you are considering adding or expanding a unit on utopian and dystopian literature you simply must check out this fabulous resource. Packed with plans, activities, project-based and 21st century learning opportunities, the unit uses a...
PBS
Stories of Painkiller Addiction: Myth or Fact
Are opioids the most abused drug after marijuana? How hard is it for young people to obtain painkillers without a prescription? Middle and high schoolers explore the growing epidemic of opioid addiction with a lesson that prompts them to...
Baylor College
There's Something in the Air
Clever! In order to compare indoor and outdoor dispersal rates for the movement of gases and particles through air, collaborators will participate in a classroom experiment. Set up a circular grid and set students on lines that are...
Curated OER
Techno Author
Here is a great way to explore language arts by completing a computer activity with classmates. Youngsters read a fairy tale in class and analyze where the beginning, middle and end are. They create their own story using clip art and...
Curated OER
How to Write A+ Essays!
This lesson, which promises to improve the essays of your middle schoolers, contains a list of characteristics an essay should include. It breaks it down into the introduction, thesis statement, body, etc. There's also a list of things...
Curated OER
Family Portraits
Pupils discuss, analyze, and interpret "Portrait of a Dutch Family" by Fans Hals and then create subject specific projects for assessment. This cross-curricular lesson plan is well-suited for Language Arts or Visual Arts classrooms and...
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Web Designs: A Story Comes Alive
Students work cooperatively to choose a theme, write a story, and produce a web site to display this story in this middle-level instructional activity on the career of a web designer. This excellent instructional activity ends with an...
Curated OER
Who Am I?
Middle schoolers use a graphic organizer to brainstorm information about their lives. They utilize brainstorming techniques in a writing exercise, and create a graphic organizer describing their lives. They set personal goals for the...
Curated OER
Eliminate Weak Verb-Adverb Combinations
Encourage your writers to use sob instead of cry loudly to trade in adverbs for strong verbs. Improve your middle and high schoolers' writing with this humorously written instructional activity which demonstrates how to remove excessive...
Curated OER
Think of an Ending
Good endings are hard to find. And write. This, the final instructional activity in a six-part series devoted to study of the ingredients of a good story, focuses on crafting endings. Class members draft ideas about what should happen to...
Curated OER
Using a Thesaurus
Students discover how to use a thesaurus. In this language arts lesson, students explore thesauruses as they look up words and write sentences for the new words they encounter.
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Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement Made Easy
Middle and high schoolers check their writing for pronoun-antecedent agreement. After identifying the pronouns in their writing, they then complete a table with the pronouns and corresponding antecedents, making revisions as necessary.
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The Emancipation Proclamation
Middle schoolers read one of the most important documents in our nation's history: The Emancipation Proclamation of 1863. After everyone reads the proclamation, they set out to write a "You Were There" type of report on it. They pretend...
Curated OER
Common Denominators between Primitive Art, Fine Art, Folk Art, Children's Art
Students view and create art in several styles. They view African Masks, Picasso's portraits and self-portraits. They compare the two, then create a self portrait. In the second lesson, they view landscape paintings by folk artists....
Curated OER
Theatre Lesson Plan: Finding Your Way
Second graders identify story elements in familiar stories from their lives. For this story elements lesson, 2nd graders act out familiar activities by following directions. Students read a story and discuss the story elements. Students...
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Paragraph Lesson
Learners write paragraphs with topic sentences and supporting details. In this paragraph writing instructional activity, students fix sentences and paragraphs. Learners also write a paragraph that includes an introduction, supporting...
Curated OER
Theatre Lesson Plan, Performing a Story
Second graders read the story, The Bundle of Sticks, and discuss the story elements within the story; setting, plot, conflict resolution. In this readers theater lesson, 2nd graders reenact the story in small groups, then reflect on...
Curated OER
Fused Glass Landscape
Students research and recognize work of several glass artists such as Chihuly, Tiffany, and Wright, define landscape and other relevant vocabulary terms, and create full fused glass plate/bowl using landscape and/or nature as subject...
Curated OER
Recognizing and Combating Segregation in U.S. Schools Today
High schoolers explore the prevalence of racism and statistical segregation in America's schools. They design a project to investigate how the racial makeup of their school compares to other schools. In addition, they evaluate their...