Curated OER
Big Arky, A Real Arkansas Monster
Middle schoolers examine the world of the Arkansas alligator and topics that are related to wetland environments. They pay attention to the relationship between geography, climate, environment, and the animals who live there. A role-play...
Curated OER
Children Around the World
Students consider the impact of family differences. In this culture lesson, students choose from a variety of cultures to research how children grow up differently in each family. Students use a variety of resources to discover the...
Curated OER
When Johnny Went Marching Off...
Eighth graders explore Civil War campaigns. In this Civil War lesson, 8th graders collaborate and conduct research to create presentations that focus on specific Union or Confederate generals and battles. Students take on the roles of...
Curated OER
Women in Two Countries: Japan and America
Students explore the role of women in Japan and the United States during World War Two. They focus on women and the family and women and the workplace and the changes within each. Students create an informational brochure of women...
Curated OER
Creating A Family Tree
Fourth graders explore their ancestral background while they experience genealogy.
Curated OER
Dear America: Letters Home From Vietnam A Study of the Vietnam Era
Students examine letters that US service people wrote to their family and friends while they served in Vietnam. They examine the daily hardships and the role of medical personnel and helicopters. They write letters in response to those...
Curated OER
The Relative Location of Relatives
Students map the distribution of their family members within the town, state, country, or world using their own personal knowledge and information from interviews. They create a mental map of family members, and develop a sketch map...
Curated OER
My Heroes Picture Book
Students create picture books about family members and friends who are heroes.
Curated OER
Who? What? When? Where? Asking Questions
Sixth graders interview Veterans or role play to answer who, what, where, when questions. In this Veteran's Day questioning activity, 6th graders learn about the events in the military service of veterans. Students may simulate...
Curated OER
Making the Connection With Quilts
Fourth graders explore history of Underground Railroad in Indiana and discover how slaves were assisted on their journey using codes displayed in different quilt blocks. Students examine connection quilts have to ancestry and family...
Curated OER
Job Prompt Entries
Students explore the role of journal writing. In this written communication lesson plan, students discuss the purpose of journals as well as cohesive devices. Students then respond to 2 writing prompts that require them to write using...
Curated OER
Quilting - A Pioneer Craft
Fifth graders explore quilting in pioneer families. In this quilting instructional activity, 5th graders review the history of quilts, the role of women, and quilting patterns. They create their own pattern and quilt square.
Curated OER
Grandparents Day: Make a Grand Connection!
Help your class celebrate National Grandparents Day by engaging in these special family activities!
Critical Thinking Cooperative
Doing Our Share
Whether at home or in the classroom, each member of a community has certain responsibilities they must tend to. With the help of the children's story Piggybook by Anthony Browne, kids learn how to assign jobs in a fair and safe manner...
Curated OER
The Life of a Veteran
Middle schoolers interview a veteran or he/her family to gather information about the person's life. They produce an iMovie that describes the veteran's military experience.
Curated OER
Memoirs and Personal Essays
Young scholars can then pinpoint problems the characters experience and interview their parents to see if they too may have once faced a similar problem. Interviews with family members can be recorded by students in their home language.
Curated OER
Rock Write-In-Roll
Students participate in physical education and classroom activities with their parents and families. To engage parent's in their student's educational process, students and family members spend part of an evening roller skating and the...
Curated OER
The Grapes of Wrath: Problematic Situation
To prepare for a reading of John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, kids must prioritize a list of items to take with them on a journey to Texas.
Curated OER
Creating Interesting Characters
What makes a story interesting? Complex characters! As part of a series of worksheets that prepares middle schoolers to write their own novel, the exercises included explain the role of the protagonist, the antagonist, and the supporting...
Curated OER
Koala Lou: A Lesson on Love From Australia
Students will learn how family members can help and support each other as they listen to the story Koala Lou by Mem Fox. They will also learn about Australia as they study the animals illustrated in the book.
Curated OER
Tikki Tikki Tembo Activity Card
In this reading worksheet, students respond to the book Tikki Tikki Tembo, by Arlene Mosel, by completing an activity at home with a parent. Students think of names of friends, family members, and classmates. Students write their names...
Can Teach
Groundhog Day Songs and Poems
This Groundhog Day add a bit of rhythm and rhyme with 23 songs and poems that put a spotlight on the holiday's shining star, the groundhog.
Social Studies School Service
“Duck and Cover” (Civil Defense)
Bert the Turtle models for viewers the 1950s Civil Defense Duck and Cover strategy that was supposed to protect citizens from a nuclear blast. After viewing the video, watchers are asked to consider the motivations of the producers of...
Curated OER
Everybody Has a Story
Students read short stories and folk stories to explore oral history and story. They interview elderly family members and/or others in the community and record these stories and histories. They evaluate in a final essay what they have...