Curated OER
Persuasion in Print
Advertisers target teenagers. Groups select three magazine advertisements for similar products, analyze the appeals used in each, create a poster that features the persuasive techniques used, and present their findings to the class. The...
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Introducing Literary Elements in Fiction
Identify literary elements in fiction. In this reading comprehension lesson plan, learners read the book Pigsty and record literary elements onto a graphic organizer. They specifically discuss the main characters and events in the text.
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Focus on Figurative Language
Using the poems "First Snow" by Ted Kooser and "Eating Alone" by Yi-Young Lee (or other suggested poems by Robert Frost or Sara Teasdale), middle schoolers search for examples of figurative language. Guide your learners by discussing...
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Comparing Themes Across Texts
Read various texts to compare the themes across each text. Learners write a journal entry describing the most beautiful scenery they've seen and use a map of the United States to locate the Sequoia National Park and Muir Woods. They then...
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Curricular Correlations
An interesting lesson on different types of soils is here for you. In it, learners discuss what soil is, and consider three piles of soil - clay, sand, and loam. During the rest of the lesson, third graders discover all sorts of...
Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association
A Research Project: A Discussion of the Recreating and Populating of a Colonial Village
Primary source research, secondary source readings, and discussion provide the understanding necessary for students to create a colonial persona, and simulate a situation appropriate for this person, time, and place. While the lesson...
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Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart: Teaching Through the Novel
Students are introduced to Chinua Achebe's first novel and to his views on the role of the writer in his or her society. It can be used alone or in conjunction with the related lesson Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart.
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Desert Views: First Impressions
Students are introduced to primary source material and the ways in which early travelers viewed aspects of the desert environment. The lesson addresses the geography themes of location, region, and human/environment interaction.
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BEETLES: The Coming Out
Young scholars design an experiment to test the variables involved in the hatching of the Bruchid beetle.
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Schoolyard Bird Project
Students observe and count bird sightings around their schoolyard throughout the school year.
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Ozone Hole Expert Groups
Research topics associated with the hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica. Researchers write five facts about their topic and one question for each of those facts. They present what they learned to the rest of the class. Six topics are...
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Trembling, Spewing Earth: Impacts on Human Activity
Seventh graders study to identify patterns in earthquake activity and impacts on human behavior. They also develop plans to cope with such natural disasters.
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Bubble-ology
Learners observe the visible spectrum while observing light hitting the surface of bubbles. They blow large bubbles and observe how the colors change.
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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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Reading the Coyote School News: Lives of Ranchers in Southern Arizona
Fourth graders examine the effects of Mexican-American ranching on life today.
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Science in baseball
Sixth graders examine how science is used in everyday activities, such as baseball.
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How Long is a Hot Dog? Weight, Weight! Don't tell me!
Primary learners participate in activities that help them explain how different things are measured. They create their own access number chart.
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Class of Gold
How can you see a number in nature? Here, learners discover both Fibonacci numbers and the golden ratio by exploring a number of different resources. Note: Some of the resources are older and may be missing some of the links, but the...
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How Does Your (Coral) Garden Grow?
Analyze and graph oxygen isotope ratios in coral samples in relation to the distance from the outer skeleton edge. Compare the data to the mean monthly water temperatures. Uncover whether or not there is any correlation. In addition to...
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Leaf Weight-Loss Plan
Learners measure the weight of a container of leaves daily to discover how quickly it grows lighter as the foliage dries.
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Hammurabi's Code: What Does It Tell Us About Old Babylonia?
Students examine Hammurabi's Code. They take on the role of his council of advisors and report their "advice" to the king. They write an essay discussing an aspect of daily life that the Code exemplifies.
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Worth a Thousand Words: Depression-Era Photographs
Students view images of New Deal programs to see its successes. They work in groups to create captions for the images and suggest captions that might indicate different meanings.
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The Meaning Behind the Mask
Students explore the world of African masks and storytelling. They create masks that tell stories of their own.
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Unicorns, Dragons, and Other Magical Creatures
Students exoplore the world of imaginary creatures (dragons, unicorns, etc.) They discuss the creature's special attributes and read stories about them. They create their own magical creatures in the form of puppets.