Curated OER
My Secret War - The WWII Diary of Madeline Beck: Lesson 2
Fifth graders explore world history by reading historical fiction. In this World War II lesson, 5th graders read the story My Secret War and identify the importance of fiction when analyzing history. Students answer study questions about...
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Tell Me a Train Story
Second graders write a short story based on train track safety and make a train-shaped class book.
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Graphic Novel Writing Workshop
Khaled Hosseini’s video “Using Real People and Events” motivates learners to reflect on their own experiences and to use those experiences as the basis of a graphic novel that expresses a universal truth. The richly detailed plan...
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Animal Fact or Fiction?
Read and discuss the article "Welcome to Cicadaville (Enter at Your Own Risk)" to gain a better understanding around the confusion regarding cicadas and locust swarms. In groups your young analysts research statements about animals to...
Curated OER
The Tell-Tale Hearts of Writers
Knock, knock, knock...Creep out your class with a critical thinking lesson focused on word relationships in Edgar Allen Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart." They investigate the relationship between word choice, mood, and interpretation of a...
The New York Times
Writing Fiction Based on Real Science - NYTimes.com
Refuse to alienate your scientific-minded young scholars during your creative writing unit. Learners explore how literary writing can reflect observable fact, and be based in actual science. The links include examples of fiction and...
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The Cutting Edge
Young writers examine the writings of Raymond Carver to investigate editing skills. They will develop original sentences. Then read the work of Raymond Carver to edit and analyze the ending. They revise and ending of their original...
Harvard University
The Nouns of Geometry
Socratic questioning to teach Euclidean geometry? "The Nouns of Geometry," followed by "The Verbs of Geometry," and the misfit, "A Beginner's Story - The Equilateral Triangle" are designed to encourage learners to explore various topics...
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"A Gift for Mama," by Esther Hautzig
Students read a story about a girl named Sara. Sara decides to buy a gift for Mother's Day. They create booklets to illustrate Sara's short-term savings goal and their own short-term savings goal.
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Understanding Realistic Fiction
Students write a story. In this genres lesson, students learn the meaning of realistic fiction and write a short story in that genre.
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Outline and Shine
Seventh graders read and discuss a short story. They complete an outline of the story. They pair and share to evaluate each other's outlines.
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Probably Passage
Students apply reading strategies to improve understanding and fluency. They use their imagination and create their own short stories. They identify words as various parts of the story - including setting, character, problem, solution...
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The Red Convertible
Students read and discuss the short story "The Red Convertible". They participate in extension activities related to each of the three parts of the story, planning a road trip, researching the Vietnam War, and writing a paper on their...
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The Joke is on You
Students discuss catacombs, casks, and Amontillado. The class reads the first two pages of the short story, The Cask of Amontillado, and discuss the situation of the story and the mental state of the narrator. Then they predict what...
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"The Fall of the House of Usher" by Edgar Allan Poe
Learners read and analyze the short story "The Fall of the House of Usher" by Edgar Allan Poe. They take notes while reading the story, select an element to analyze, and write an essay about the characters, theme, or the setting.
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Learning About Honesty
Students read a short story about honesty, a character skill. They then answer comprehension questions and discuss the story with their classmates as well as study about the consequences of not telling the truth.
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The Little Prince (Chapters 1-4) by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Students read Antoine de Saint-Exupery's The Little Prince and complete reading and vocabulary activities. In this reading and vocabulary lesson, students review vocabulary for the story and identify story elements for the text.
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"Thank You Ma'am" by Langston Hughes
Students use Langston Hughes' "Thank You Ma'am" as a reading and vocabulary improvement activity. In this reading and vocabulary lesson, students review the related vocabulary and read the poem. Students discuss the story elements in the...
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"The Fog Horn" by Ray Bradbury
Students read Ray Bradbury's "The Fog Horn" and complete reading and vocabulary activities. In this reading and vocabulary lesson, students review the vocabulary for the story and take turns reading the story. Students discuss the story...
Curated OER
Intermediate Guided Reading Lesson Plan
Students read Knots on a Counting Rope, by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault. In this guided reading lesson, students evaluate the characteristics of a realistic fiction piece. They are asked comprehension questions during and after...
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Because We Can, Should We?
Students identify a position on an issue of geographic importance and support it They read the story "By the Waters of Babylon," and write a paragraph explaining what they think the relationship between Babylon and the Biblical referene...
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Short and Sweet
Students summarize nonfiction text. After reviewing the process for reading in order to summarize, students independently read a nonfiction article. They write a summary paragraph using the checklist outlined by the instructor during...
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Cinderella: A Story Found in Many Cultures
First graders explore, discuss and examine fairy-tale and make-believe stories. They assess two different types of Cinderella stories to surface a broader look at cultural diversity. Students construct a Venn Diagram or a chart of the...
Curated OER
Sparky's Engineer: A Story Book Introduction to Engineering
Students investigate what an engineer does. In this engineering instructional activity, students read the book "Sparky's Engineer" and analyze the different types of engineers that are referenced in the book. The students identify tools...