Smekens Education Solutions, Inc.
Introducing the 6 Traits to Students
Put together an English language arts unit on the six traits of writing with this helpful collection of resources. From fun songs to differentiated writing exercises reinforcing each of the traits, great ideas are provided for developing...
Curated OER
Ornithology and Real World Science
Double click that mouse because you just found an amazing lesson! This cross-curricular Ornithology lesson incorporates literature, writing, reading informational text, data collection, scientific inquiry, Internet research, art, and...
Curated OER
Rainbow Spelling (Kinesthetic Approach To Encoding)
Second graders demonstrate their encoding skills by spelling words using color coded paper, match correct letters with the colored paper to spell the words in standard form, and self correct any errors made in the spelling with colored...
Curated OER
Internet ABC's for Elementary Schoolers
Students develop basic Internet skills. In this lesson introducing the basics of the Internet, students discover how to use toolbars, address bars, how to save a website to revisit later, and how to use the back and forward buttons. This...
Curated OER
A Holiday Newsletter In MS Word For Elementary School
Students produce a holiday newsletter using a software program. For this holiday newsletter lesson, students use a software template to write a newsletter. They fill in the template with appropriate information and pictures.
Curated OER
Uh Oh!
Help your elementary learners distinguish between short and long vowel /o/ sounds. They are introduced to the vowel-consonant-e pattern that changes short vowel sounds into long vowel sounds. Then they practice reading and spelling words...
Curated OER
Total English Elementary: The Best Thing is...
Given two nouns separated by an adjective, learners create eight sentences using the adjective in comparative form. Example: Jamaica/hot/UK, which becomes Jamaica is hotter than the UK. They then write the superlative form of eight...
Curated OER
We Flew With a Baboon
More vowels? Elementary schoolers recognize how vowel patterns change a short vowel sound into a long vowel sound. With an emphasis on the /oo/ that makes the long U sound, kids identify the phoneme and letter combination through...
Curated OER
Word Families: A Kindergarten Experience
Students study rhyming words. In this language arts lesson, students participate in several activities in which they practice rhyming words. Students match onsets and rhymes and practice spelling words.
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Word Wall Activity List
Second graders perform a variety of activities with a dynamic, ever-changing classroom word wall as outlined in these lessons. They become less dependent on the word wall as the school year progresses.
Curated OER
Rainbow Dice Spelling
Students participate in a spelling game to help them with their spelling words. They role a die and write the given word as many times as the die says too. They write the words in different colors to review them as well.
Missouri Department of Elementary
I’m Thumbody!
Positive and negative thinking is the focus of a lesson that boost self-awareness. Beginning with a whole-class discussion, scholars brainstorm what positive thinking looks and sounds like then compares and contrast the two types of...
Missouri Department of Elementary
I’m A Star!
A lesson encourages scholars to be star community members. Pupils take part in a class discussion that challenges them to brainstorm at least two ways to show responsibility within one's community. Small groups play a game in which...
Curated OER
100 Or Bust!
Elementary schoolers use their understanding of place value to develop a strategy for a number game. In this activity, pupils use place value to play "100 or Bust" and figure out a good winning strategy. These kinds of math games are...
Missouri Department of Elementary
Put Yourself in Check
The final lesson in a four-part unit on conflict resolution offers middle schoolers strategies for how to keep themselves in check when involved in conflicts. A role-play activity and a reflective journal stress the importance of...
Curated OER
Picture This
Elementary writers practice writing descriptive paragraphs by adding adjectives and sensory words to their writing. They use a picture of a monster for their descriptive paragraph. This 12-page lesson should increase your charges...
Curated OER
Hey - It's a Rainy Forest Out There!
Elementary schoolers take part in a very good lesson which has them watch video, conduct experiments, complete hands-on activities, and work in cooperative groups. The educationally-rich activities are clearly-explained, and the group...
Curated OER
Whitewater Canal State Historic Site
If you happen to live in Indiana, or a neighboring state, and are planning a field trip to the Whitewater Canal State Historic Site, then this lesson plan will suit your needs quite well. In it, suggestions for activities before, during,...
Curated OER
Social Studies - State Riddle Lesson Plan
Students make distinctions between the states, their cities, and capitals, and create riddles for classmates to solve.
Curated OER
Truly Amazing Mammals
Explore the world of amazing mammals with your kids with special needs. Each child identifies one mammal from a previous lesson and writes a short paragraph on that mammal. This lesson states that it is intended for all levels, but not...
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Learning About Homonyms
I don't know why but I love teaching homonym lessons. This one encourages learners to look up and write a definition for a set of 10 different homonyms. Tip: Put new knowledge to the test and have the class fix a story that contains...
Curated OER
Harvesting Energy from Food: How do Plants Help Humans?
Beginning botanists view slides of plant vascular tissue. They watch Magic School Bus Gets Planted, which you can find online, and then write a summary of what they have learned about plants. This lesson could be used with upper...
Curated OER
Antonyms, synonyms and homophones
Shed light on what antonyms, synonyms, and homophones are. For this lesson, upper elementary schoolers create pairs using an antonym, a homophone, and/or a synonym. Then they play an antonym matching game.
Curated OER
What Are the Issues?
Investigate and report on three issues related to a current election. Elementary aged learners research information about specific issues, develop an opinion, and write a persuasive essay using supporting details and evidence to support...