Smithsonian Institution
Us vs. Them: The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882
Immigration issues are nothing new. An interesting lesson focuses on the racially motivated Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and its impact on the Chinese American community. Scholars read articles, analyze political cartoons, and...
Curated OER
Passage to Freedom Teacher's Guide
Students explore the main elements of the book Passage to Freedom. In this reading response lesson, students participate in pre-reading activities that focus on the idea of courage. Students conduct a book walk-through and are introduced...
Curated OER
Baseball Saved Us Teacher’s Guide
Learners read the book "Baseball Saved Us" and respond to the story through writing activities. For this reading lesson, students create a chart of events which they predict will take place in the story. Learners then use their chart as...
Curated OER
Twisted Tales
Experience how a story can drastically change when the point of view is altered. Young scholars first read a review of Disney's film Tarzan, focusing on how the point of view in the classic story is important. They then select another...
Curated OER
Loose Lips
Have your middle and high schoolers analyze instances of celebrities using racial slurs or making prejudiced comments in public. After reading an article, they consider the roots and effects of prejudice and bias. As a class, they...
Curated OER
Cultivate Active Reading Skills
Have class members try out these strategies to improve comprehension and engagement.
Odell Education
Building Evidence-Based Arguments: "Cuplae poena par esto: Let the punishment fit the crime."
Should a criminal's punishment match the crime? An argumentative writing plan explores this question as class members investigate a variety of mixed-medium sources by experts in the field, form evidence-based claims, and support them...
Curated OER
Writing a Short Story
Students complete a short story writing activity using the text of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Hound of Baskervilles. In this short story activity, students write a short story from the perspective of the assistant from the text....
Curated OER
Email Writing
Students review rules of writing emails for letters, informal to a friend and formal. In this writing lesson, students sort email strips into these categories and then review examples of good and bad semi-formal emails. Students work in...
Curated OER
4-H Clothing and Textiles Activity Page
This activity provides a unique review of clothing and textiles, focusing on sewing. It includes a handy diagram of a sewing machine, which could be useful in a home economics class, and 10 questions.
Orlando Shakes
Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some!): Study Guide
What do Ebenezer Scrooge, the Grinch, and Frosty the Snowman have in common? They're all characters from beloved holiday movies that viewers revisit in the play Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some!). Scholars conduct research...
Curated OER
Writing Organization Lessons
By using writing organization worksheets and activities students can learn to put their thoughts on paper in an orderly manner.
Curated OER
Reduce Reuse Recycle
Students discover methods that can save the planet by recycling. For this sustainable planet lesson, students read The Berenstein Bears Don't Pollute Anymore, and practice memorizing the 3 R's. Students write commitment letters...
Curated OER
Order, Order
Third graders practice creative writing by making a book. In this book publishing lesson, 3rd graders investigate the steps needed to publish anything by researching the Internet. Students collaborate on a list of 5 steps to creating a...
Curated OER
4-H Veterinary Science Activity Page- Life Skill
In this veterinary science activity page worksheet, learners focus on the life skills associated with ethical decision making. They describe their favorite pet animal, how to care for their pet based on its needs, complete 14 true or...
Curated OER
4-h Veterinary Science Activity Page
The 4-H teaches students about agriculture, health, and animal care - the last of which is the focus of this activity. From dogs and cats to pigs and hedgehogs, this worksheet provides helpful tips for caring for animals, as well as...
Curated OER
Reliving History Through Writing
Students read a first hand account of John F. Kennedy's assassination. They write an essay describing how a world or national event affected them.
Curated OER
Adventurous Magic
Students investigate storytelling by creating their own dialogue. In this writing development lesson, students read the story Jeremy Thatch, Dragon Hatcher in class and discuss their own magical object they wish to write a story about....
Curated OER
A New Twist on Father's Day Activities
Father's Day activities can give students a way to find out about their ancestry and learn more about special people in their lives.
Curated OER
Personal Narrative
Students explore personal stories by investigating narrative writing. For this nonfiction writing lesson, students participate in a workshop in which they write three events from their own life. Students write first drafts of these...
Curated OER
Passive Voice and Grammar Checkers
This handout gives an overview of the passive and active voices as well as pointing out that the grammar checkers in word processing programs mark sentences written in the passive voice as incorrect. While this is not an interactive...
Texas Instruments
Properties of Parabolas
Explore the properties of parabolas in this lesson. Construct a parabola given a focus and a directrix on the Ti-Nspire. Write equations of parabolas in vertex form and determine the a value of a parabola given a focus and directrix.
Curated OER
Myths, Folktales, & Fairy Tales for Grades K-3
Have your class explore the art of storytelling through this instructional activity on fairy tales and folktales. Learners interact with a variety of fairy tales and folktales. They practice telling stories out loud as well as writing...
Curated OER
The Newspaper Article
Have your class participate in an interview activity using an informational text about the Amazon. After reading a Cultural Connections story about a person from the Amazon, middle schoolers write interview questions based on the text....