National First Ladies' Library
The Education of Abigail Adams
Learners read the biography of Abigail Smith Adams from the First Ladies Library web site. They work in small groups to write a description of her education. Students discuss their findings, and extend this to the education of girls in...
Curated OER
Sunlight and Warm Air
Students examine the different ways heat can be felt. In this radiation and conduction lesson, students recognize that the sun radiates heat. Students conduct three experiments to find how the sun warms the Earth and how that heat is...
National First Ladies' Library
Flopsy, Mopsy, Eleanor, and Beatrix
Young scholars read "The Tale of Peter Rabbit" and view the photos of the pets that inspired Beatrix Potter to write. They then select a different book to read from the University of Pennsylvania's website or from the public library that...
Curated OER
Put the NEW in NEWBERY
Students read Newbery award books. In this Newbery book lesson, students look online to find all the books that have received this award and look through online reviews to find one they would like to read. After finishing the book, they...
Curated OER
Deception in Twelfth Night
Learners examine deception in fiction. For this Shakespearean lesson, students discover mistaken identity and misrepresentation in the play Twelfth Night. Learners complete worksheets based on the play.
National First Ladies' Library
Rosie the Riveter
Learners identify and interpret the power of symbols. Then they research and identify what type of information that they can locate at the Library of Congress website and list what they learned from it in the time allotted. Students also...
Curated OER
Time, Talent, and Treasure
Students look at how time, talent, and treasure are parts of stewardship and philanthropy. In this stewardship and philanthropy lesson, students complete a Time/Talent/Treasure Survey before discussing the answers in a whole group...
Curated OER
The Amazing Maud Lewis
Students investigate cultural art from Canada by reading about Maud Lewis. In this Canadian history lesson, students identify the work of Lewis by visiting her magazine website. Students identify other heroes in Nova Scotia before...
Curated OER
Forest Ecosystem
Learners take a field trip and explore a temperate rainforest. In this rainforest lesson plan, students discuss many items they see on their journey and experiment with different tree leaves.
National First Ladies' Library
Opening the Olympic Games
Learners examine the history of the Olympic Games, including the opening ceremonies. In small groups, they create Olympic flags using symbols that represent their country and communities. In phase two of the instructional activity, young...
Curated OER
Let the Phone Get Them Talking! Using the Yellow Pages as a Teaching Resource
Learners categorize information in the Yellow Pages. In this Let the Phone Book Get Them Talking! instructional activity, students find pictures in the Yellow Pages and thus gain a better understanding of how the book is organized....
Curated OER
Marvelous Mysteries
Fifth graders explore mystery stories. In this reading and writing lesson, 5th graders complete a planning guide for an original mystery. Students use the writing process to create a mystery story.
Curated OER
What Begins With Bb?
First graders match letter sounds to pictures they represent. In this matching letter sound lesson plan, 1st graders use the computer program Kidspiration to match the letter sounds to the corresponding pictures. This can be used for 1...
Curated OER
For The Birds
Student make bird feeders and describe feeding behaviors. In this bird feeder lesson plan, students construct simple bird feeders. They then put them outside and observe the feeding behaviors of birds. Then they graph the number of birds...
Curated OER
Our community and New York City
Fourth graders research websites to gather information about New York City and the Ridgewood community. For this New York City and Community lesson, 4th graders make a semantic map. Students write short postcards to send to students...
Curated OER
Geometry is Fun and EverywhereGeometry, You Don’t Care? Geometry is Fun and Everywhere
Third graders investigate shapes in our world. In this geometry lesson plan, 3rd graders describe plane and solid shapes and identify angles, solid objects and lines of symmetry. Students use online resources, graphic organizers and...
Curated OER
Science in Focus: Force and Motion
Students explore force and motion through a series of experiments. In this physics lesson, students create and interpret speed graphs. They build an electromagnet and explain the factors affecting its strength.
Curated OER
Chameleons Are Cool!
Have your learners review what they know about camouflage using this lesson. Learners fill out a graphic organizer listing what they know or have questions about. This could be enhanced with the addition of a writing assignment in which...
Curated OER
On Market Street
Second graders study basic facts about consumers and consumer goods. The book "On Market Street" is used in this instructional activity.
Curated OER
Sorting and Graphing Animals
Students inquire about animals using SIRS Discoverer or eLibrary Elementary. In this organizing data lesson, students sort pictures of animals in various ways and develop graphs. Students locate a mammal, reptile, fish, insect or bird...
Curated OER
Native American Culture Region Collages
Young scholars research various Native American tribes. In this Native American history lesson, students follow the provided rubric to create collages on the cultures of selected Native American tribes.
Curated OER
Balanced Literacy: Presidents
Pupils participate in a unit (all lessons on the same page) to explore the Presidents of the United States. They choose one President to write a mini-book about, create a puppet and an original puppet show to perform about their chosen...
Curated OER
Egg-sceptional
Students design colored Easter eggs in this simple Art lesson for the elementary classroom. The dye is created using almost boiling water and should be done by the teacher. This lesson is ideal for the spring-time months and includes...
Curated OER
Create a Volunteer Spirit
Students evaluate how volunteering helps others. In this philanthropy lesson, students define what a volunteer is and brainstorm a group volunteer project to implement in the school. Students write an essay describing how volunteering...