University of Southern California
Discovering Plants
Students construct a small greenhouse and plant lima beans. They read books about plants, tend the lima bean seedlings, observe and record plant growth, taste a variety of plants and maintain plant journals.
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Friendship and Death
Fourth graders share their thoughts and feelings about friendship and death and connect them with those of the characters in the book, The Bridge to Teribithia. They complete a friendship picture book and write a letter as one of the...
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Home Living/Life Skills: Face Washing
Having good hygiene skills is a very important part of living an independent life. Learners with special needs follow sequencing cards to practice washing their faces. They follow each step in the process and discuss the importance of...
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All About Me: My Senses
Students describe the basic senses and then use their senses to describe what they learned.
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The Layers of the Rainforest
Fourth graders identify the different layers of the rainforest and distinguish between the plant and life forms that go along with each layer. They access websites imbedded in this plan and answer questions and draw pictures of plants...
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Giving Thanks to Mother Earth
Students create an art project to be made into a laminated placemat to use during a classroom Thanksgiving feast. The lesson involves choosing at least three cutouts of elements of nature to glue onto a background page, drawing one...
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The Hobbit
Students list W.H Auden's six characteristics of a quest story. They say what is meant by a "metaphorical quest." Pupils discuss some differences between symbolism and allegory. Students indicate how Bilbo Baggins's adventures changed...
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Heroes, Kindness and "To Kill A Mockingbird"
Students read To Kill a Mockingbird and relate the action sof the characters to behaviors in students lives. In this heroism, bullying, kindness and compassion lesson plan, students identify characters who are heroes in the story....
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Maniac Magee Lesson Ideas
Here are ideas and activities to include in a "Maniac Magee" novel study.
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Individual Responsibility And Resistance During the Holocaust
Students examine the various resistance movements during the Holocaust. They conduct research on a selected individual's role in the resistance movement, and in small groups develop and present a report.
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Let's Trade! The Prince and the Pauper
Students read and analyze the novel, The Prince and the Pauper. They examine character development, discuss opinions using text, and develop and present a slide show demonstrating the development of a character from the beginning to the...
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A Passport to WWII and the Holocaust
Students explore the Holocaust. In this interdisciplinary lesson, students research Hitler's rise to power, the terror of concentration camps, and World War II. Students read The Diary of Anne Frank , listen to a Holocaust survivor, and...
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Interactive Atlas
Second graders examine the different ways people move from place to place in a neighborhood. Using the interactive online atlas MapQuest, they identify the various ways people move around their own neighborhood by creating a map and...
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Introductory Module
Third graders examine the non-standard method of measurement and compare it to the metric system of measurement. In this introductory module instructional activity, 3rd graders discover the scientific observation. Students also develop...
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Seasoning the School Year
Students observe the changes a class tree goes through as the seasons change and record observations in journals. They investigate changes in the weather, changes in the length of the day, and how that affects people. They create...
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Introduction to "Anne Frank - The Diary of a Young Girl"
Reflecting on what life was like during the Holocaust, 8th graders will read excerpts from the book, The Diary of Anne Frank, then complete five classroom activities that reflect on the readings. The classroom will be set-up to portray...
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Different Tribes, Different Times
Second graders study the different types of Native American culture groups. They, in groups, visit four different work stations to examine various culture groups and complete a Corn Cycle worksheet.
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Patterns
Students create and extend patterns. In this pattern lesson, students learn to identify patterns using multiple senses. Students work at centers in small groups to explore and extend their understanding of patterns.
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The Environment and You
First graders examine the human environmental impact and discover ways to lessen effects. They create a pollution damage flow chart and write down what they think Mother Earth might say. They create inventions from recyclable materials.
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Exploring Pioneer America
Fourth graders research pioneers who had a strong influence on westward expansion. In this westward expansion lesson, 4th graders write an essay about four pioneers and an interview script about one. Students work in pairs to present...
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All About Aesop
First graders explore the genre of fables. In this fables lesson, 1st graders use various reading strategies to raise comprehension skills. Students make prediction and complete a prediction journal. Students understand that fables have...
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Sound Waves
Students explore sound. In this "sound" science lesson, students define sound and explain how sound travels. Students experiment with paper cups and string to conclude how sound travels. Students research a chosen aspect of sound with a...
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Ecosystem In A Bottle
Ecosystem activities show how everyone and everything is interconnected. The smallest change can make a big impact.
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Learning About Maps
Students take a "field trip" with the teacher through the school then draw a diagram of what they saw. They bring the maps to the computer lab where they create electronic maps using the software program Neighborhood Map Machine.