Curated OER
Hamlet Anticipation Guide
Here's a short anticipation guide for Hamlet. Before reading the text, learners will mark the things they believe will happen in the text. Then, after they read, they will revisit the guide to see what actually happened.
Curated OER
Seashell Painting
Let nature inspire your budding artists. They paint seascapes on actual seashells. First, they observe the seaside, then they paint what they see (image or in person) on the inside of a white shell.
Curated OER
A Chicken's Life
Here is a set of comprehension questions that go with the story "A Chicken's Life." Learners answer each of nine questions by filling in the blank with the correct word then, they complete ten additional comprehension questions that...
Curated OER
Stomping and Romping with Shakespeare
Did you know that Green Eggs and Ham is written in iambic pentameter? Model the rhythm of language using Dr. Seuss’s tale. Direct class members to march about the room tapping their right foot on the first syllable and stomping their...
Curated OER
Simple or Progressive
Proper verb usage is reviewed in this instructional activity. Students fill in the blanks in 10 multiple choice questions relating to verbs.
Shmoop
ELA.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.2
There is nothing more frustrating than discussing theme in literature, and now the Common Core requires that your learners determine two or more, and discuss the development of it throughout the text. This is crazy, but manageable with...
Curated OER
Tissue Paper Butterfly
Creating butterfly art is as simple as 1-2-3. Kids cut coffee filters into butterfly shapes. Next, they wet and place squares of tissue paper onto the filters. Fifteen minutes later, they lift the tissue to reveal a colorful pattern...
Curated OER
Lyddie
Students investigate the character trait of perseverance and how it is used to help a girl gain independence in a fictional story. The story also has them think about the value of relationships and then write reflectively about...
Curated OER
Popcorn
What a great way to have your kids practice odd and even number recognition. They play the game called "Odd and Even Popcorn," to practice odd and even numbers.
Curated OER
Gift of the Magi Lesson Plan 3
Explore the literary concept of theme through the The Gift of the Magi. Starting with a class discussion, the concept of theme is explored through examples from famous stories and movies. Next, the class analyzes the possible themes of...
Curated OER
Dirt Cups
After a hard day examining and dissecting worms, why not put your feet up and snack on a few? Here is a really cute idea that can be used to celebrate Earth Day or to accent a thematic learning experience. Kids use clay pots, gummy...
Curated OER
Punctuation
Reinforce punctuation skills with this presentation. Learners view a series of sentences and discuss the correct punctuation that is needed. The resource focuses on quotation marks, exclamation marks, periods, question marks, and...
Curated OER
I Can Do Anything
Students investigate what boys and girls can do after participating in readings and class discussions. They examine how gender stereotypes and name-calling can influence what students think they can and cannot accomplish.
Curated OER
Think of an Ending
Good endings are hard to find. And write. This, the final lesson in a six-part series devoted to study of the ingredients of a good story, focuses on crafting endings. Class members draft ideas about what should happen to each of their...
Shmoop
ELA.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.4
New to teaching and the Common Core? Then you need to check out how the skill W.9-10.4 is broken down into easy-to-understand steps for your learners to dominate and conqueror. Included is a script to present to your class that details...
Curated OER
Learning About Prediction
The skill of prediction as a reading strategy is explored. Learners are shown how to use clues within a story, along with pictures, to make predictions as to what's going to happen in the story. A clever in-class game which uses objects...
Curated OER
Animation Pre-Production
Does your class love reading cartoons? Use their talents and interests to examine the process of writing a story they wish to tell through a cartoon. They develop the beginning, middle, and end of a story based on their original...
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English Exercises: Schoolhouse Rock
"Conjunction, junction, what's your function?" The lyrics to the classic Schoolhouse Rock episode "Conjunction Junction" accompany what was once a link to the video. Video has been "removed by the user," but it would be a snap to find...
Curated OER
Spring: Paul Laurence Dunbar
Explore the abundance of spring, no matter what season you are covering in your class! Using the poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar, GALE Biography Resource Center, and Litfinder, pupils work on researching the poet and analyzing the use of...
Shmoop
ELA.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.9-10.8
Your learners need to develop skills to argue effectively, and this comes by understanding the traditions that make claims valid, and what detracts from their effectiveness. Although this resource does not give advice on how to teach...
Curated OER
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet: A Novel
Jamie Ford’s historical novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, explores the relationship between a young Chinese American boy and a Japanese American girl set against the backdrop of Seattle during World War II. The teaching...
Curated OER
Preparing for Success
This lesson plan is more of a series of tips for you, the teacher, to implement when standardized testing comes around. The strongest component of this guide is that it invites the teacher to reflect on what worked the best, and what...
Curated OER
Crayon Etching (Scratch Art)
What to do at a time when we have a little extra time to fill and need an activity that won't take a lot of prep? This art project is simple and can be linked to various other subjects. Learners use crayons to color in their paper, then...
University of Minnesota
The Ladder of Torture
The awful practice of torture is the focus of this sociology instructional activity. High schoolers examine their own personal values regarding torture. They participate in a class discussion that considers the moral issues surrounding...