Curated OER
Mystery Words - Part Two - School Terms
Pupils increase their vocabularies with the mystery words activity. In this vocabulary instructional activity, students solve the mystery words using clues.
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Working Animals
Students discuss the role of animals and how they can work with people to better the community. In this working animals lesson plan, students discuss how animals and people work together to complete different tasks in the community.
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Found Poetry with Primary Sources: The Great Depression
Students read a sample found poem and create one together as a class. In this Great Depression lesson, students select a topic, such as miners, and read primary source documents related to the topic. Students select one narrative as the...
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Zen Gardens
Students study the design elements and symbolism of Japanese gardens through a hands-on instructional activity in Zen Garden design.
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The Euro: Money Changes Everything
Students begin the instructional activity by being introduced to the currency of the Euro. As a class, they must decide which is worth more, the euro or a United States dollar. Using the internet, they determine the current exchange...
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Learning About Animals' Bodies
Students research different animals (mammals, reptiles, amphibians, insects, birds, fish) and create books, murals, dioramas, puppets, and sculptures to illustrate the necessity of various body parts for overall survival. In this animal...
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The Debate Over North Shore Road
Students examine the impact of the North Shore Road Project in North Carolina. In this environmental science activity, students share their views regarding this environmental issue. They compare and contrast the map of the Great Smoky...
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Discover the Planets
Third graders research the planets. In this science lesson, 3rd graders create PowerPoint presentations over a planet. Students present their findings.
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Clouds
Students explore the characteristics of clouds, their formation, symbols used in their identification, and the relationship of clouds to weather. The instructional activity focuses on how they are formed and their classification.
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Christmas Wreath
Students create Christmas wreaths using Christmas material or fabric and coat hangers in this holiday lesson for the elementary classroom. Modifications would need to be made to accommodate older or more advanced students. Emphasis is...
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Who's Responsible?
Learners write short stories. In this defining words lesson plan, students look up the meanings of responsible and irresponsible and write their own definitions for the two words. Learners write two short stories about a responsible...
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A Course in Basic Skills
Tenth graders complete a course in basic skills in order to meet the standards for sophomore year. Using one of their classmates papers, they identify the main idea, topic sentence and theme. They also identify the transitional words...
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Fairytale Cake
Learners recreate characters from the story, "The Fairytale Cake." In this fairy tale characterization lesson, students first listen to fairy tales read aloud. They then use play dough and plastic bowls as pretend "cakes and icing", and...
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The Responsibility of Preservation
Upper elementary and middle schoolers study the case of the ivory-billed woodpecker, a bird that was once-thought to be extinct. Learners explore the responsibility of people to preserve habitats, and take care of the animals who live in...
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Determining Author's Point of View: The Sneeches
Determine the author's point of view in a text. Young readers read Dr. Seuss' The Sneeches and identify the author's purpose in the story. They identify persuasive techniques in writing, asking and answering questions to better...
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N is for Natural State
For any pupils who live in the state of Arkansas, this would be a fabulous educational experience to help them get to know their state better. Through the use of activities in literature, art, mathematics, science, social studies, and...
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Information Shuffle
Gather some information, print it onto sentence strips, and then have your class physically shuffle the cards to better understand the importance of organizational patterns in writing. Middle school learners examine information for a...
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"The Beaches of Agnes": Planning a Video Self Portrait
Agnes Varda’s autobiographical “The Beaches of Agnes,” models for young filmmakers the cinematic self-portrait. Far from “old and plump,” Varda is a giant of filmmaking and will inspire your pupils. After watching a clip of this famous...
PBS
Standing Up Against Injustice
“Sometimes things are lawful yet are actually wrong.” Researchers examine primary and secondary source materials as they study five legal cases involving civil rights attorney William Kunstler in which he attempted to use the legal...
UNICEF
Get Real on Climate
Climate change isn't just about a warming planet; it will affect humans' health, spread of disease, changes in heat waves and droughts, and changes in storms and wildfires. Participants explore global climate change through discussions...
Curated OER
Taming the Wild Wiki
Take a look at the credibility of online sources such as Wikipedia. Discussion points and handouts are included to facilitate a meaningful and informative dialogue. Tips are given on how to determine if a Wikipedia article is reliable...
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Figure of Speech
Examine the changing nature of language in the U.S. View and discuss excerpts from a PBS documentary with your class and then conduct Internet research, and complete a team project on the evolution of teen expressions.
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Goals and Perseverance
Define the word perseverance to have learners understand why it is important in reaching goals. Young scholars research how Martin Luther King needed perseverance to accomplish his goals. They write acrostic poems using the word...
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum
Analyzing the Inaugural Address
Get high school historians to step outside their own shoes by responding to JFK's inaugural address from the perspective of a civil rights activist, a soviet diplomat, or a Cuban exile. After a class discussion about the address,...