Curated OER
Castle Builder
Fifth graders discuss the importance of castles in medieval times. Using the internet, they research the parts of a castle and design their own using the components. They use everyday materials to build the castle to a specific scale.
Curated OER
A Movie in Your Mind: Persuasive Text
Students listen to a broadcast of War of the Worlds and illustrate what they hear. In this persuasive text instructional activity students prepare for making a movie poster intended to persuade a director to make a film based on a short...
Curated OER
Analyzing Elements of a Memoir
Students analyze and identify elements of memoirs. For this literature lesson students explore qualities to listen for while the teacher reads a memoir; they then break into groups and analyze a memoir independently.
Curated OER
Searching For The American Dream
Ninth graders explore the meaning of the American dream and how it has been explained in various forms. After reading various immigrant accounts, 9th graders use poetry and writing to explain how different cultures view the American...
Curated OER
???The Hell of Mirrors??? by Edogawa Rampo
Students read and analyze the story "The Hell of Mirrors," by Edogawa Rampo. They watch a video excerpt, answer discussion questions, construct a periscope, complete handouts, define key vocabulary terms, take a quiz, and write a book...
Curated OER
ESL Network: Exploring Racial Identity
Twelfth graders drill for the Regents Comprehensive Exam in English by answering questions about selected readings as preparation for writing essays. After answering the questions, they compose essays adhering to formal written Spanish...
Curated OER
Dialogue Tags/ Synonyms for Said
Sixth graders analyze dialogue tags. In this synonyms lesson students work in groups analyzing a personal narrative. They enter the words onto a classroom chart as well as their notes or journal. The students replace tags with more...
Curated OER
Going West: The Artist Who Painted the Way
Fifth graders study the artists and artwork of the Westward movement. In this Westward Movement lesson set, 5th graders examine the characteristics of the art of this era. They look at the lives of the artists and think about how the art...
Curated OER
Memior: The Stuff of Our Lives
Fourth graders reflect upon the significance of remembered events and to keep a "notebook" of their thoughts and feelings. They read books that exemplify memior writing. They write their memiors, taking it through the writing process.
Curated OER
Cause and Effect
Students identify cause and effect relationships in a short story. After reading a short story, they participate in a discussion of how one event in a story can lead to several others. Students are then paired for a matching task that...
Curated OER
Gandhi's Voice: Writing as Nonviolent Resistance
Ninth graders identify how Mahatma Gandhi used writing as a means of nonviolent communication. In this nonviolent resistance lesson plan, 9th graders watch a film about Gandhi as a writer and identify characteristics of nonviolent...
Curated OER
Step-by-Step to the Final Destination
Students write their own radio plays. In this writing process lesson, students script their own scary radio plays based on the radio plays they read in class in previous lessons. Students also perform the plays for their classmates.
Curated OER
Remember the Bridge: Poems of a People
Fifth graders explore poems of African Americans. They research a famous African American, write a report, create a timeline of events in African American history, create a map of the New World, and research Molly Walsh. After...
Curated OER
Lyddie
Seventh graders read the novel, Lyddie, while studying the reform movement. They complete assignments for each chapter and write essays about Lyddie's development through the novel.
Curated OER
Technology as Change: The Atlantic Canada Fishery
Ninth graders use the internet to research the history of the Atlantic Canada Fishery and how it was different from today. Using this information, they write a research paper and share it with their classmates. In groups, they...
Curated OER
Impact on Your Essence
Students are introduced to the use of symbolism and how it can change one's view of a piece of art. Using a piece of art, they view it as if they were the artist and create a symbol that accompanies it. They discuss the impact of two-...
Curated OER
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Students research the American Revolution through the story of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow. In this American Revolution lesson, students research folktale and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Students view illustrations for the story....
Curated OER
The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush: Native American Life
Students read," The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush" by Tomie dePaola and discuss the way legends are passed down orally. They then create their own legend and illustrate it on a simulated "Buffalo Skin" made from brown paper.
Curated OER
Jingle Bells
Second graders identify people of different ages, cultural backgrounds, traditions, and careers. They explain how they contribute to the community. Students sing a song to display the different Christmas traditions that are celebrated in...
Curated OER
Baltimore's Jazz Legacy
Explore Marylanders, Eubie Blake, Billie Holiday, Cab Calloway, and Chick Webb.
Curated OER
The Perfect Man: Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography
Eleventh graders study the characteristics of an autobiography. They read from the autobiography of Benjamin Franklin and discuss and write an essay regarding some of his quotes.
Curated OER
Mirror, Mirror
Learners examine portraits done by Robert Harris and discuss the technique he used to create them. With a partner, they paint a picture of each other using the techniques of Harris. They also make a drawing of themselves from a recent...
Curated OER
Poetry
Fifth graders explore poetry. They write a variety of poetry using the writing process. Students choose a topic related to Thanksgiving and write a Thanksgiving themed poem. They write a rough draft and peer edit their poems. Students...
Department of Defense
Do Dea: Story, Identity, Unity
Delve into the art of storytelling in this self-guided unit. Multiple topics are covered such as literary genres, the 7 elements of fiction, figurative language, theme, characterization, etc. At the end of the unit, write your own flash...