Curated OER
Out of the Dust: Visions of Dust Bowl History Lesson Overview
Students complete activities with the book Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse. In this literature lesson, students read this story and view the Dust Bowl history from the eyes of a child. They discover the Great Depression and life in the...
Curated OER
Teaching Descriptive Word Usage
Second graders practice their creative writing by using descriptive words. In this language arts lesson plan, 2nd graders utilize their best descriptive writing to elaborate on one of 20 different bean bag characters. Students listen...
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The Rise of Silas Lapham by William Dean Howells
In this literature worksheet, students respond to 46 short answer and essay questions about The Rise of Silas Lapham. Students may also link to an online interactive quiz on the selection at the bottom of the page.
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Reader's Theater Script- Green Eggs and Ham
For this reading worksheet, students perform a reader's theater based on the Dr. Seuss book Green Eggs and Ham. Students read the 2 character short script as a play.
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New Shoes for Sylvia
First graders explore reading comprehension by analyzing a story in class. In this story structure lesson, 1st graders read the book New Shoes for Sylvia and discuss the character and her dilemma in the story. Students answer study...
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Reader's Theater Script Henry and Mudge and the Starry Night
In this reading worksheet, students perform a short reader's theater script based on the book Henry and Mudge and the Starry Night. Students take a part in this 4 character play and read or perform it.
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Ugly Duckling?
First graders identify unique personal characteristics. In this character education activity, 1st graders listen to the story Ugly Duckling and discuss the changes the animal went through in the story. Students bring in baby photos and...
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15 Seconds of Fame
Students write an autobiographical essay. In this writing lesson students read a narrative, Panic in Paris, and review the elements of a narrative as a class discussion. Well-known stories are used as examples for writing their own...
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Happy Faces
Students demonstrate empathy. In this character education lesson plan, students read the book Alexander and the Horrible No Good Very Bad Day and discuss examples of bad days they have experienced. Students are given happy face cut-outs...
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Reading Comprehension: Jamaica Louise James
In this reading comprehension worksheet, students cut out 5 bookmarks. Each bookmark focuses on a story element in the book Jamaica Louise James by Amy Hest. Students answer the questions on the bookmarks. Included are: making...
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Self Acceptance
Students explore their own self concept. They draw a picture of themselves, read a story, and write a story that has a character like themselves. Afterward, they write and illustrate their stories in PowerPoint.
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Using Words to Work Things Out
Students explore classroom community building. In this character development and community building instructional activity, students listen to Hands Are Not for Hitting and generate a class list of positive ways to handle classroom...
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Anansi and The Tug O' War
Students complete activities with the story Anansi and the Tug O' War. In this literature lesson, students listen to a story, answer comprehension questions, and complete three worksheets. They discuss facial expressions and try to guess...
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Impacting Indiana
Fourth graders become familiar with the culture and history of Indiana. In this James Whitcomb Riley lesson plan, 4th graders read poetry which includes the dialect of Indiana. Students analyze the poem. Groups memorize and recite...
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The Chosen: Writing Strategy
Pondering Rembrandt’s portraits provide readers of The Chosen an opportunity to “listen to [the] silence and learn from it,” as they consider Reb Saunders from a different perspective. After examining several paintings, viewers write...
Curated OER
Positive Mistakes
Students discuss the role of mistakes and how they could turn it into a learned opportunity. In this mistakes lesson plan, students discuss perseverance on how to use a mistake as something valuable.
Orange County Department of Education
Dear Mr. Henshaw
Fifth graders read Dear Mr. Henshaw and identify the character trait of self-respect as exhibited by Leigh throughout the story. They evaluate the author's use of letters to tell the story and discuss how the story would be different if...
Orange County Department of Education
Dancing Rainbows: A Pueblo Boy's Story
Third graders identify the main ideas illustrated in the story "Dancing Rainbows." They identify details from the story that show respect toward self and others. Students write a paragraph to illustrate how the Tewa Indians show respect....
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Bully Busting
Students keep a respect journal. In this character counts lesson, students write in a journal what it means to be respectful. They answer sentence stems and share their thoughts with classmates.
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Rosie's Roses Lesson Idea: Practice Hearing the R
Students focus on the sound of the letter /r/ after listening to Rosie's Roses by Pamela Duncan Edwards. In this letter /r/ lesson, students identify animals in the book that contain the /r/ sound. They sort /r/ words into groups by the...
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Hooway for Wodney Wat
Students examine speech difficulties by reading a children's book in class. In this children's literature lesson, students read the story Hooway for Wodney the Wat, and analyze the characters, story and the bullying that takes place....
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Writing Application: The Canterbury Tales
Students read stories from The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer and create their own tale. In this writing applications lesson, students read the tales and analyze the specific details that Chaucer use. Students work in groups to...
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Mr. Peabody's Apples
Students read Mr. Peabody's Apples. In this reading instructional activity, students complete pre-and post-reading activities to improve comprehension skills. Students role play scenes from the story to analyze.
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Animal Farm Chapter Questions
In this Animal Farm comprehension questions instructional activity, students review chapter 1 of the Orwell novel as they respond to 15 short answer questions.