Curated OER
Main Idea- Fiction
Eighth graders investigate the concept of main idea and supporting details, and how they are used in the genre of fiction. In this literacy lesson, 8th graders listen to a fictional passage and take notes on the characters, setting,...
Curated OER
Service Project Letter to the Principal
Students talk about being a good citizen and what it means to them. In this citizenship lesson, students read, Arthur Meets the President and discuss the aspects of the book as they go along. Students brainstorm a list of ideas on how...
Curated OER
Picture the Process
Learners read Chasing Vermeer and relate the book to the author . In this writing process instructional activity, students view Blue's Photo Album and see how the author writes and revises her work. Learners discuss the process that all...
Curated OER
Texas in the Mirror
Middle schoolers research their own and others' perceptions about Texas and become familiar with various symbols from other cultures. In this Texas in the Mirror lesson plan, students write a web page with a picture of a Texan symbol....
Curated OER
Using Literature to Teach Bullying
Students explore signs and types of bullying. In this "building character" lesson, students listen to several read alouds based on a bully theme. Four groups are formed to discuss "gossip", "exclusion", "physical bullying", and "verbal...
Curated OER
What Makes a Hero?
Learners identify the characteristics of a hero. In this character development and writing lesson, students listen to music with a hero theme and discuss the common traits of heroes. Learners explore individuals and charitable...
Curated OER
Whale Song Acrostic
What do whales sing about? Invite your class to imagine the thoughts of whales before writing acrostic poems on the topic. The plan blends together a bit of life science with plenty of opportunities for creativity and writing.
Curated OER
Challenging Stereotypes: A New Look at Old Age
Combine a lesson on the elderly with grammar instruction. Before viewing a series of provided video clips, class members brainstorm a list of words related to senior citizens and organize these words into categories that correspond with...
Curated OER
Moral Development in Camus' The Stranger
“In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.” Readers of The Stranger rate Mersault’s moral development (or lack thereof) using Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development scale. Using specific...
Curated OER
Write a Number Story
Students view number stories at a website and write their own. They insert a drawing and the text of their number story using a software such as PowerPoint to create a presentation for the class and parents.
Trinity University
Who Am I? Using Personal Narrative to Reflect on Identity
Who am I? Pupils work to answer this question through a unit that explores personal narratives and identity. Exit tickets for activities that examine different poems, short stories, and autobiographical writing serve as prewriting for...
Alabama Department of Archives and History
Settlement of Frontier Alabama
What comes to mind when the class imagines settlers traveling out West? The lesson teaches pupils about the western frontier of Alabama and what life was like for people traveling West—in wagons with few possessions. Scholars write,...
PBS
Around the Block
Arthur and his friends help children explore the concepts of family, community, and diversity in a fun series of activities. From performing peer interviews to mapping out the different places students have lived or visited, this...
ThoughtCo
When My Work is Finished
The most chaotic time in the classroom can be when some people are finished with their work, but others aren't. A checklist and reflection worksheet reminds learners what their options are after finishing their work, including reading,...
Curated OER
Writing Places
Students brainstorm ideas after being read a poem and then are to write their own poem and read them out loud.
Curated OER
Fire Escape Plan
Students explore fire safety. In this fire prevention and safety lesson plan, students discuss and brainstorm ideas about what to do if there is a fire. Students practice stating information that should be given when calling 911....
Curated OER
Making Sense of Homographs
What is a homograph? Develop your students' vocabulary with a word association tool. Language arts classes discover what a homograph is and how it can be used as a visual thesaurus. They discover the other uses for homographs such as...
University of North Carolina
Application Essays
There's a lot riding on good writing! Often, an application essay is the difference between acceptance and rejection. As part of a series on specific writing assignments and contexts, a handout helps scholars craft the perfect personal...
Creative Competitions, Inc.
Odyssey of the Mind Curriculum Activity: Fantastic Fairy Tale
Learning about literature can be so much fun; it can also be made more accessible through projects and dramatic play. As they explore theme, character, and setting, the class gets creative and makes a dramatic recreation of a classic...
Curated OER
Brainstorming Techniques
Pupils practice brainstorming techniques. They use pictures to begin the discussion and write the ideas they brainstorm. They also review adjectives.
Curated OER
Quick Writes
High schoolers write on a variety of topics, maximize creative and expository writing skills, develop focused writing, organize ideas, incorporate detail in writing, and exhibit varied and precise word choice.
Curated OER
Writing Myths II
Students complete a final draft of a myth. In this writing myths lesson, students complete their rough drafts, have a one-on-one meeting with the teacher to enhance ideas, and peer edit. Students use the comments and critiques to...
Curated OER
Summing it all Up...In Your Own Words
Learners observe and demonstrate the steps to identifying the main ideas of a text. They listen to the teacher read a paragraph and model the steps of summarizing the main idea. Students then independently read a different paragraph...
Curated OER
Idea Wheel
In this graphic organizer worksheet, student label four sections of a circle. Students write or draw ideas in each section. This idea web can be used for primary grades because it includes illustrations.