ESL Holiday Lessons
Kwanzaa
Teach English language learners about the week-long holiday of Kwanzaa that is celebrated around the world during December. It includes holiday-themed reading comprehension passages, phrase matching, fill-in-the-blanks, and journaling...
Pace University
Short Stories
A reading of Kevin Lamb's short story "Lost in the Woods" launches a study of how writers use elements such as foreshadowing, mood, character development, setting, and conflict to engage readers. Class members then demonstrate what they...
American Museum of Natural History
Make Your Own Horse Stationary
Write a letter on horse-themed stationery. Three pages to choose from showcase a variety of horses and the history of horseback riding.
Storytelling World
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Ring in the holiday season with The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson. A teacher's guide to each chapter, crossword puzzles, quote matching, and creative writing prompts are just a few of the language arts activities...
Curated OER
Easter Sunday
All questions in this Easter Sunday worksheet involve the religious significance of the holiday. Students complete twelve activities such as phrase matching, fill in the blanks, spelling, sequencing, scrambled sentences, writing...
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum
Ask Not What Your Country Can Do for You
Ask not what the lesson here can do for you, but what you can do with the lesson. The answer is quite a lot! Young scholars revisit JFK's famous inaugural address with a focus on his plea for civic engagement. There's a letter to JFK...
Curated OER
Women
A close study of two works of art provides the introduction to this cross-curricular writing assignment. After comparing the clothing, facial expressions, body language, setting, and color in the two 19th century paintings Tissout’s...
Curated OER
Middle Ages Writing Journal
Students create a Middle Ages writing journal with narrative, expository and persuasive prompts. In this creative writing lesson, students are given a list of Middle Ages topics and begin working in their journals. This is a long term...
Curated OER
Writing Prompt "Living With Fame"
Fourth graders practice their creative writing skills by describing fame. In this writing prompt lesson, 4th graders identify fame and how their life would be dramatically different if they were wildly famous. Students utilize a four...
Curated OER
Lesson: Michael Blum: National Identity at a Distance
Immigration, refugees, and cultural change due to the movement of people around the globe is discussed. Learners examine the work of Michael Blum to gain an understanding of how national and cultural identities shift due to immigration....
Curated OER
Effective Back-to-School Nights
Here is an engaging and creative project to do with your ESL learners in preparation for back to school night. A digital camera is used to photograph each pupil, and everyone completes a short writing assignment that goes along with...
Curated OER
Life in a Coal Patch
Young scholars study life in a coal patch town. In this American History instructional activity, students read material about life for coal miners and their families. They answer questions, create a poster, and complete a creative...
Curated OER
Vanished Occupations: Life on an Iron Plantation
Learners analyze photographs to understand life on a plantation. For this vanished occupations lesson, learners examine why iron plantations were created and what natural resources were needed to make iron. Learners compare the duties,...
Curated OER
Original Children's Books
Bring the fun and creativity of children's stories to your language arts class. Middle schoolers write, revise, and publish an original student book which incorporates the elements of a short story. They put their story in the form of a...
Curated OER
Monster: Guided Imagery
How would you feel if you were on trial for murder—and you were only 16 years old? Put yourself in Steve Harmon's shoes before reading Monster by Walter Dean Myers. Kids listen to music that fits the theme of the book before listening to...
Mascil Project
Container Logistics
Here's a creative lesson that lets pupils be creative as well! While considering many different factors, learners devise a plan to increase the efficiency of container shipments. The design of the activity encourages creative,...
Novelinks
Wildwood Dancing: Rewriting a Fairytale
After completing Juliet Marillier's young adult novel Wildwood Dancing, class members rewrite a traditional fairy tale, making three significant changes to illustrate a theme of their choosing.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Problem Solvers: Challenge Activities (Theme 4)
Creative activities help bring literature alive. The first of a set of lessons designed to accompany selections from Theme 4: Problem Solvers uses activities such as skits, responses to music, and social studies projects. These...
Peter Bunzl
Cogheart and Moonlocket
Peter Bunzi takes readers to the Victorian era with two stories, Coghaert and Moonlocket. Accompany the literary time warp with a companion packet that offers a plethora of exercises. Learning opportunities include activities for before,...
Curated OER
Trek Across America
Bring a time machine into your classroom with this writing lesson plan, in which young writers project themselves back in time and have a variety of choices from that point forward. They either write a conversation with a historical...
EngageNY
Read Expressions in Which Letters Stand for Numbers III
Those key operation words sure come in handy. Groups continue their work with converting between different notations for algebraic expressions. They work in stations to write the symbolic form for given verbal phrases. This is the 17th...
Curated OER
Ordinary People: Unsent Letter
Invite your learners to take on the voice of a character from Ordinary People as they write a letter. Pupils use what they know about the given character to compose their letter, which must relate to the plot of the novel.
East Side Union High School District
Biographical Narrative: Journal Prompts
The opportunities are endless with a worksheet containing 24 biographical narrative writing prompts. Although there are no directions or specifications for the writing process, the prompts promote the use of narrative writing techniques...
Carolina K-12
The Revolutionary Times
Be sure to grab a copy of the Revolutionary Times! Scholars take a step back in time to report on topics set in the revolutionary period. Events include the ride of Paul Revere, the Battle of Saratoga, and more.