Curated OER
Author's Purpose
Sixth graders brainstorm the reasons authors write, and they list their responses on the board. Students discuss each purpose they have listed.Students work independently to read the selection "Tarantulas and Typhoid" by Stephanie Moss....
Maryland Department of Education
The Concept of Diversity in World Literature Lesson 10: Author's Purpose Seminar
Why did Chinua Achebe write "An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad's Heart of Darkness" in response to Conrad's novel? As part of a study of Things Fall Apart, class members conduct a socratic seminar focused on Achebe's purpose and...
Maryland Department of Education
The Concept of Diversity in World Literature Lesson 12: Author's Purpose - Yeats and Achebe
Is there such a thing as fate/luck? Can one fight destiny? As part of their study of Chinua Achebe's purpose in writing Things Fall Apart, class members answer these questions from Achebe's point of view and then from William Butler...
Curated OER
Lesson Plan 13: Going Deeper Mini-Lesson
November is NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month! If your class is participating (or simply doing a narrative writing unit), this peer review lesson is part of a larger unit which can be easily found online. Once your writers have...
Curated OER
Dominant Impression: Writer's Workshop Mini Lesson Based on the book: The Empty Pot by Demi
Students investigate folk and fairy tales. In this reading comprehension instructional activity, students review the concept of author's purpose after listening to "The Empty Pot" by Demi. Students also explore descriptive words and...
Curated OER
Author's Purpose
Students discuss and define what folk and fairy tales are. In this literature lesson, students construct their own working definitions for folk and fairy tales. Students choose to work as a class or in cooperative groups. Then students...
Curated OER
Fiction vs. Nonfiction
Students explore fiction and nonfiction writing. They identify the elements of fiction in a short story and identify the criteria necessary in a nonfiction piece. Students distinguish the author's purpose in an expository text,...
Maine Content Literacy Project
Exploring Text with the iMovie Application
Get your class going on one of the final assessments for a unit on short stories by introducing iMovie and its main features. In this tenth lesson in a series of fourteen, pupils take some time to explore iMovie before conducting an...
Curated OER
Dominant Impression
Learners explore author's purpose, are introduced to dominant impression, make a list of descriptive words or phrases and write from personal experience.
Baylor College
Pre-Assessment Activity: What Do You Know About Microbes?
In an introductory instructional activity, youngsters take a pre-assessment quiz, get a grasp of a gram of mass, and then estimate the mass of microorganisms that live within a human body. Using Glo Germ™, a material that allows you to...
Curated OER
Active and Passive Voice: Finding Examples Online
Incorporate technological fluency with a search for examples of active and passive voice in online resources. Discuss how use of active or passive voice influences mood or tone and contributes to author's purpose. List of...
Baylor College
The Variety and Roles of Microbes
Mini microbiologists play a card game in which they group microorganisms by groups: virus, fungus, protist, or bacteria. Then they identify the roles different microbes play in the natural world and explore how humans effectively use...
Walters Art Museum
The Symbolism of Allegorical Art
Introduce learners to allegorical art with four bronze sculptures by Francesco Bertos. After modeling how to recognize bias and allegory in Bertos' Africa, class groups examine the other three sculptures in the series before creating...
Curated OER
Dinosaur Eggs Discovered! Unscrambling the Clues
Just a heads up: this lesson is based on a book, Dinosaur Eggs Discovered! Unscrambling the Clues. If you do not have or do not want to purchase the book, you may still find the other activities and worksheets useful in your earth...
Pyro Innovations
Beach Exploration
Little ones will absolutely love this lesson. It's all about the beach and what they can find while sifting through the sand. A large bucket of sand filled with hidden items is brought into the classroom. Learners will discuss what kinds...
Virginia Department of Education
Writing Counterarguments
This activity is better utilized as a peer-editing exercise and not as an activity on how to write counterarguments. Writers take their argumentative rough drafts, peer edit in groups of four, and review the author on common essay...
Curated OER
Words to Warm the Winter: Characters Count!
Fifth graders take part in a mini-lesson on characterization, discuss roles for Literary Circles and meet for the first true session of their Literary Circles.
Curated OER
Pets and People
Students discuss the pros and cons of having household pets. In this health lesson, students identify different types of diseases they can get from pets. They evaluate their pet interactions and suggest ways to modify health habits after...
Curated OER
Bill of Rights Day
Fifth graders examine and identify the values and purposes of the Bill of Rights. They complete a class KWL chart, participate in a class jigsaw activity, write and illustrate a book about the first ten amendments, participate in a mock...
Curated OER
The Bouncing Ball
Students use the scientific method to conduct an experiment to test how a ball bounces. In this inquiry-based physical science and scientific method instructional activity, students drop a ball from specified heights and record the...
Curated OER
Chrysanthemum - Read Aloud
First graders participate in active read aloud of Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes. In this read aloud lesson set, 1st graders practice the "turn and talk" technique as they listen to Chrysanthemum. They listen to the story chapter by...
Curated OER
What's In A Name
Second graders write a paragraph about their findings on what their name represents. In this writing lesson plan, 2nd graders will research their name and why they were named that. They will draw a picture that represents them along with...
Curated OER
Respecting Diversity
Students explore the concept of philanthropy. In this service learning lesson, students read and respond to The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss. Students discuss self-respect and respect.
Curated OER
A Scientific Approach to Teaching about Evolution
Middle schoolers examine fossils and analyzing their significance in relation to theories of evolution. Hand-outs are provided. This lesson could be supplementary to a broader unit on evolution or geology.