Students brainstorm synonyms for security. In this Computer Skills lesson, students compare the home security to password security. Students read an article and review strategies for creating strong passwords. Students apply their...

First and second graders construct a contract for classroom rules. They define a contract and then choose rules for classroom behavior. Each learner writes these rules down on a class rules contract worksheet (included).

Have a class discussion on diversity. With your class, explore the ideas of prejudice, fear, suspicion and individual rights. Discuss the benefits of uniqueness and how diversity contributes to strength and unity.

As a way to understand Memorial Day, build citizenship, practice vocabulary, and discuss current international conflicts, learners create their own Memorial Day. They design their own memorial after learning about the various types of...

Readers' theater is a fun way to get kids reading with expression and improve their fluency! There is a full script here for The Three Bears with five characters to assign.

If you'd like your class to write in varied sentence patterns, use a worksheet focused on adverb clauses to enhance their writing. After reading a short explanation and example of adverb clauses, young grammarians underline the part of...

Taking on the roles of a fiery Boston patriot, a Philadelphia merchant's wife, and a prominent abolitionist, your young historians will consider the reactions of these early Americans to the creation of the Declaration of...

Students study paintings and use their knowledge of story elements to analyze the art. In this art analysis lesson, students review a novel for its elements. Students study the image At the Moulin Rouge: The Dance and discuss the story...

Students write rules for good manners. In this character building lesson, students discuss and record showing respect in the classroom, playground, and cafeteria. They role play these behaviors in front of the class. 

Students view the Masterpiece Theatre presentation of Oliver Twist. the lesson includes plot summaries of the three episodes as well as before and after viewing activities. In addition, there are discussion and activity suggestions to...

Students discuss famous examples of historical fiction as a genre and why it is used so often. They create an original piece of historical fiction by developing a character who is an immigrant to the United States. They are assessed...

In this literature and literacy instructional activity, students follow directions for writing a book report based on a biography. They fill in the title, author, illustrator, and publisher before listing the character traits of the...

Pupils practice differentiating between categories of art and entertainment. They also practice telling the difference between character themes and universal themes. They find a text to relate to themselves and write about it.

Tenth graders investigate the historical and cultural ties that influence the ethnic character of communities and the local economics throughout the state of Nebraska. They collect data on cities and towns that hold ethnic festivals and...

Third graders read "Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse" as a class. They brainstorm reasons for writing a letter to someone they know and discuss how the character in the story felt after writing the letter to her teacher. To end the lesson,...

Students explore the concepts of narrative writing. They identify the basic elements in narrative writing such as the setting description, characters, conflict, climax and resolution. Using five adjectives from a previous spelling unit,...

Second graders identify symptoms of illness and how they can get better. In this health lesson, 2nd graders use Venn diagrams to categorize what the character of a story did to get well, and different types of symptoms.

A passage from Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper provides readers with a chance to demonstrate their ability to select evidence that shows the contrasts between the setting of Tom's real life and that of his dream life.

Ask your students to name "caring acts" for their parents and make coupons for their parents to use. They will think of caring acts their parents would appreciate and create original coupons of those acts to present their parents on a...

Students participate in a recycling campaign. In this recycling lesson, students create an Earth Day display for a local store. Students design a mural as a reminder to people of ways to reduce, reuse and recycle.

Middle schoolers access prior knowledge about the branches of government to explore foreign policy.  For this conflict resolution lesson, students reflect on foreign policy decisions and participate in scenarios based on foreign...

Students discuss being a responsible student by helping to protect the rainforest. In this citizenship lesson, students brainstorm ideas to help global warming, warfare, human-rights abuses and acid rain. Students write an essay to send...

Young scholars explore the concept of respectful listening.  In this listening skills lesson, students discuss and demonstrate good and bad listening skills.  Young scholars work in groups to decide what is easy and hard about...

Students investigate safety issues at school. In this citizenship lesson, students discuss things they are fearful of at school. Students then conduct a school survey asking what others are fearful of.