Better Lesson
Better Lesson: Letter to the Lunch Ladies
This lesson really allows readers to express their opinion regarding an issue that affects them - the lunch menu! Students will be guided through the writing process and then will write a convincing opinion piece by stating their...
Better Lesson
Better Lesson: I Learned It Online
Preparing the new generations for college and career readiness absolutely requires us to ensure our children are competent and comfortable in the use of a variety of digital tools. Young scholars will be learning about a topic online and...
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Better Lesson: Getting to Know You Bags
It is very important to build a class community where all students feel valued and safe. This activity will do just that and you will address the Common Core speaking and listening standards. Students will get to know each by discussing...
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Better Lesson: Listen to and Follow Directions: Day 2
One important aspect of the common core is to prepare students to be able to participate in conversations and contribute accurate and relevant information. In this lesson, students listening skills will evolve as they translate verbal...
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Better Lesson: Speaking and Listening: Collaborative Conversations
Students will partner read The Kite, by Alma Flor Ada. Then work together in small collaborative groups to describe the character of the mother, the children, or the kitten. Included in this lesson are video demonstrations, printable...
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Better Lesson: Awe Inspiring, Extraordinary, Erudite Kids
Using complex language, including rich descriptors, is necessary for mastery of the CCSS Standards. This lesson is a great lesson in using adjectives to enrich speaking and writing. Included are a video demonstration and printable...
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Better Lesson: Singular or Plural
The Common Core Standard L.1.1.c states that the students will use singular and plural nouns in sentences with matching verbs. Students will do this in writing and speaking. This lesson allows students to write and tell the class...
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Better Lesson: Speaking, Listening and Writing Compound Contrasting Sentences
Young scholars will be answering text-dependent questions in which they will have to describe the differences between the different characters, settings, and major events in our stories using complex contrasting sentences. The students...
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Better Lesson: Location
Common Core standards specify the requirement for children to use frequently occurring prepositions. Mastering this standard will help students formulate compound sentences as they go up in grade levels. In this lesson, students will use...
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Better Lesson: Word Detective
In this lesson, students will become word detectives to find spelling patterns in a story, and then sort the words they find according to the patterns. This "word detective" will become a favorite independent activity throughout the...
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Better Lesson: Learning to Recognize and Use Strong Verbs
In this lesson, students will listen to stories and determine the meaning of the word by using sentence-level context clues. They will think about the verbs that are used and think about how that verb appeals to their senses, giving them...
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Better Lesson: Examining Point of View
Who is telling the story? Students analyze whose eyes the reader is looking through. Students will learn that there is more to point of view than knowing who is telling the story. This lesson will teach them about the nuances of the...
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Better Lesson: Survival of the Fittest
Fins, gills, claws, wings, each has a special purpose in helping an animal to survive. Students will look at how animals have different parts that help them to adapt to their habitat, and to avoid predators or capture prey. Included in...
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Better Lesson: Goody Goody Gumdrop! Building Structures Are Fun!
In this lesson, the children will be building a physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object, such as triangles, helps it function. At the end, the children will test their gumdrop structures and the class will collectively...
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Better Lesson: Toy Vehicle Design
In this instructional activity, students prepare their design plans for building their own toy vehicle from local manufacturers' discards. They start to conceptualize what may help the vehicle roll straight and far as they discuss ideas...
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Better Lesson: Where Is Water Found on Earth?
Water on Earth comes in many different forms. Students will collaborate as a team to locate forms of water on Earth. This in-depth lesson utilizes technology, specifically QR codes, to go on a hunt for where water is located on Earth...
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Better Lesson: Making a Landform Model
In the NGSS, one of the performance expectations is for the children to develop a model to represent the shapes and kinds of land and bodies of water in an area. In the science practices, the children also must develop and use models....
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Better Lesson: Preventing Wind Erosion
Students will use the engineering process to design a windbreak to save a house from wind erosion. Included in this instructional activity are detailed instructions, a video of the instructional activity in action, a list of materials,...
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Better Lesson: Quick or Slow? I've Got to Know!
Earth changes can happen quickly or slowly. The students will work in teams to stake a claim about these changes and then use texts to find evidence to prove their claims. Included in this lesson are video clips of the class, a list of...
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Better Lesson: Thousands of Tiny Pieces Can Create Something Big!
Simon Rodia built the Watts Towers by gathering fragments of "junk" he found in the neighborhood. He put all of these small pieces together to build a spectacular tower. Students will observe that something BIG can be created from lots...
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Better Lesson: "Let Go of My Lego"
Junior scientists use their imagination to create a Lego car. This investigation allows scientists to see that they can put items together to create some new product. Videos of the lesson in action and examples of student's journal...
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Better Lesson: Text Feature Diagrams
At the end of this instructional activity, students will be able to identify and create diagrams associated with informational text. Included is a link to an eSpark video on diagrams, rules for group work, multiple examples of diagrams,...
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Better Lesson: Comparing & Contrasting Inventors
What do inventors have that are alike? How are they different? Why do they invent? Learning about them may inspire you to invent new technology! In this instructional activity, students will compare and contrast key details in two texts...
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Better Lesson: Visual Representations in Informational Text
Students will look at examples of illustrations and diagrams in informational texts and discuss how each one helps enhance the text. Students gain the knowledge that sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words because a complex idea...