Curated OER
Heroes, Legends and Folktales
Fourth graders read classic stories including "The Magic Brocade" and "St. George and the Dragon". They complete a series of lessons in which they compare stories and produce original narrative legends.
Curated OER
Rewrite, Revise, Recycle
Students examine different pieces of literature that have a similiar theme. They read an article about reusing ideas for television shows. They work together to create their own program proposals. They also create backstories for one of...
Curated OER
Twisting Versions of Little Red Riding Hood
Students read orally two versions of Little Red Riding Hood (Classic and Cajun) They compare and contrast the two Little Red Riding Hood versions. Students create a concept map to demonstrate the comparisons/contrasts. They could also...
Curated OER
Tell It to the Judge - Persuasive Essay
Students compare and contrast a classic fairy tale with a fractured one and complete a graphic organizer. Then they write a persuasive essay following the steps of the writing process. Finally, students publish their completed essay and...
Curated OER
It's A Mystery To Me
Young scholars become both mystery readers and writers. They utilize the Internet to understand the elements of this classic genre; employ critical thinking skills when reading various stories in both print and electronic formats; form...
Curated OER
Music- Found-Object Orchestra
Learners construct simple musical instruments. In this music instructional activity, students read the text Max Found Two Sticks and construct their own instruments from classroom materials.
Curated OER
Exporing Our Community
Students explore attributes of the community in which they live. They compare rural, urban and suburban communities and attempt to classify their own community. Each group illustrates their assigned area by drawing buildings, trees,...
Curated OER
Hero Traits
Eighth graders explore the concept of serving the common good. In this service learning lesson plan, 8th graders brainstorm a list of real-life heroes and create charts displaying how the actions of the heroes affected others.
Curated OER
Nureyev: After Petipa
Students examine dance and choreography in Russian history. In this Russian history lesson plan, students discover details about Russian ballet and the work of Marius Petipa as they conduct independent research and present their findings...
Curated OER
NOT WASTING
Young scholars brainstorm and analyze creative ways to not waste materials and recycle more as an individual. The theory and importance of conservation is also stressed within this activity. In addition, silent sitting is exercised,...
Curated OER
A Journey To Japan Through Poetry
Third graders gain an appreciation for writing, analyzing, reading and listening to poetry, viewing poems as a motivation for studying Japanese culture and tradition. They study and create their own haiku and tanka poems with illustrations.
Curated OER
Launching a Writer's Workshop
Learners interview each other and their parents to examine why and when writers write and where published authors get their ideas. They complete a class T-chart, fill-out an interview worksheet, and read and discuss a variety of book...
Curated OER
"Ivan the Fool" Lesson 1
Students in an ESL class read "Ivan the Fool", a folktale from Russia. In groups, they work with their partner to read the material and discuss what they have read. They write down any vocabulary they are unfamiliar with and write a...
Curated OER
Tales from Arabia
Students read about Scheherazade and Aladdin and the Enchanted Lamp. In this literature/writing lesson, students understand the excitement of foreign places as the setting for a story. Students rewrite their own version of Scheherazade.
Curated OER
Life Along the Trail
Learners explore the significance of the Louisiana Purchase and the journey of Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery. They read to explain a new topic and write to inform readers of the historic events they explored.
Curated OER
Laurence Yep's Dragonwings
Middle schoolers read independently the novel, "Dragonwings," by Laurence Yep and make connections between a text and the world. They summarize, paraphrase, analyze and evaluate skimming and scanning techniques when reading a novel. Each...
Curated OER
Once Upon a Genre
Students examine fractured fairy tales before responding by writing in many different genres including a persuasive essay, a personal narrative, a letter, an advertisement, and a resume'. They create a pop-up book with their written...
Curated OER
Spanish Influence on United States Currency: The Origins of the "Dollar"
Sixth graders research the Spanish influence on early colonial America and the process of establishing the present U.S. currency. They read and discuss an informational handout in small groups, and take a short quiz. Students then...
Curated OER
Winter Through the Arts
Students read the book The Snowy Day and discover various winter themes. In this winter lesson, students develop movements to express the feeling of a snowstorm. Students also construct winter-themed art pieces.
Curated OER
The Cleverest Thief
Students practice their reading comprehension while listening to a classic folktale from India. In this cultural storytelling activity, students read the book The Cleverest Thief and complete word identification worksheets based on the...
Curated OER
Early Industrialization
Eighth graders analyze primary source documents emphasizing young people in factory labor (mill workers during 1840-1860). They study hours of labor, ages of laborers, reasons for working, and working conditions. They write a poem or song.
Curated OER
I'm Special
Students explore their five senses and what makes them special and unique. They listen to books about their senses and participate in a taste and smell experiment. Students also create a senses journal, and create an "I'm Special" book...
National First Ladies' Library
Finding Treasure Island; An Exciting Escape
Students read Treasure Island. They have a choice of a number of activities associated with the novel, including writing a review of the book. Students also participate in a National Geographic High Seas Adventure, going on an Internet...
National First Ladies' Library
Writing (and Rewriting!) History
Middle schoolers differentiate between fiction and non-fiction, discuss historical fiction, which combines both genres, choose historical novel from list and read independently, and write original short stories that combine elements of...