Curated OER
Noisy Nora, Studious Students: Story Elements
Alliterative adjective nicknames generate stories inspired by Rosemary Wells' book Noisy Nora (also a thematic complement to any class with children who make a ruckus to get attention). Class members explore basic story elements --...
Curated OER
Is That a Fact?
Investigate popular scientific claims and gather evidence to defend or argue against an author's stance. Writers synthesize information and compose their own "Really?" columns modeled after those found in the weekly "Science Times"...
Curated OER
Persuasive Writing
Fourth and fifth graders try their hand at persuasive writing. They listen to well-written persuasive articles so they can get a sense of what good persuasive writing is. Then, they brainstorm topics they'd like to write about and are...
Poetry Out Loud
Poems Put to Use
Why do we have to study poetry? Here is a lesson that demonstrates some of poetry's more practical and real-world applications for reluctant learners. Start by leading a brainstorming session about where poems or pieces of poems might be...
EngageNY
Mid-Unit 2 Assessment: On-Demand Informational Writing
Lesson 7 focuses on building academic vocabulary and writing an explanatory letter with supported textual evidence. For the first five minutes of the instructional activity, the educator reminds the class of how to read and refer to the...
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...
Curated OER
Freckle Juice
Students complete activities with the book Freckle Juice by Judy Blume. In this literature lesson, students read chapter one and brainstorm adjectives for the four main characters. They make a page of vocabulary words and definitions.
Curated OER
Comprehension: Concept Web for Bravery
Students discuss the topic of bravery and create a concept web to brainstorm words and ideas that they associate with bravery. Students make discovery about if it is possible to be afraid and brave at the same time.
Curated OER
How to Score in the Word Series
Learners examine an object in the classroom and write a description of it employing exciting language. They brainstorm and outline ideas for an original article about an event they participated in or attended.
Curated OER
Recycling With Art
Students create works of art from recyclable materials. In this visual arts lesson, students investigate works of art created from recyclable materials. Students choose an emotion to convey and then create an art piece from materials...
Curated OER
Art and War
Students analyze the war art of Pablo Picasso. In this art analysis lesson, students define political art and explore Picasso's response to war in his art. Students complete image based discussion and two related activities.
Curated OER
Who Is the Best Person for the Job?
Fourth graders work in groups of four, they are the managers of a new company, needing to hire employees. They brainstorm what they believe is important information to know about a future employee and share their list with the class....
Curated OER
Putting Away Your Inner Editor
Personify your Inner Editor. After making a richly detailed paper doll of your Inner Editor, put him or her in your locker, under your bed or buried in a time capsule in your backyard, but not near where you like to write. Refuse to...
Curated OER
How to Write a Mystery
Was it the teacher with the ruler in the supply closet? Find out when you read mystery stories inspired by this presentation. Show the slide show to your pupils to give them ideas that will help them get started with writing their own...
Curated OER
Good vs. Evil
Make a study of good and evil by examining a short legend. After reading, learners compose their own stories and participate in a class discussion about the text, the characters, and the message of the reading.
Curated OER
Space Travel Stories
Young scholars engage in the writing of a story about space. They brainstorm in small groups to create ideas for original stories. Students use their imaginations to depict a scene that is part of the story. They could also use the...
Teach Engineering
Design a Flying Machine
Wrap up the unit in one final design. Pairs use their knowledge of aviation to design new flying machines and record how their designs take into consideration the forces that act upon airplanes. The pupils determine whether their designs...
Curated OER
The Important Thing About Reading
Third through fifth graders discover the importance of reading and plan a service project to provide books to children. First, they read the book The Important Book and then they brainstorm about the importance of reading. Afterward,...
Curated OER
Language Arts Exploration
While an interesting lesson idea involving the exploration of a story about an Asian American boy named Imduk, a teacher would need to have assess to the Scott Foresman reading program to make this work. If not, a teacher could use...
Curated OER
The Greatest Generation: Capturing Their Stories with Digital Images
Students interview a family member of a different generation. After brainstorming story topic ideas, they choose a topic about which to write focused interview questions. Using their notes from the interviews, students write and essay...
Curated OER
Let the Games Begin
Students analyze how the New York Times uses small feature stories to cover aspects of a major international event, such as the Olympics, before it actually occurs. They brainstorm their own ideas for short feature stories on the Olympics
Curated OER
Creative Autobiography
Learners brainstorm and outline ideas for their autobiography. They begin composition of it as well. Students create a timeline of important events to help them get started and discuss the elements of a what makes a good story.
Curated OER
Children's Literature Across the Curriculum Ideas: Chickens Aren't the Only Ones
Young scholars read Chickens Aren't the Only Ones by Ruth Heller. They complete a variety of cross-curricular activities surrounding the study of animals that come from eggs. Included are reading, art, math, science, writing, social...
Curated OER
Nonfiction Genre Mini-Unit: Persuasive Writing
Should primary graders have their own computers? Should animals be kept in captivity? Young writers learn how to develop and support a claim in this short unit on persuasive writing.