The rich language of O. Henry's "The Gift of the Magi" is only appreciable if you understand the words. A short lesson reviews 13 words from the story and prompts class members to apply each word and its definition to other situations.

O. Henry's "The Gift of the Magi" is the classic example of irony in literature. Teach young writers about the ways irony can engage their readers with an activity in which they write scripts using dramatic irony, situational irony, and...

In this writing worksheet, learners read the prompt and write a story about having a new penguin for a pet, which was a surprise gift. Students complete 3 pages of writing.

A reading of “Gatsby’s Green Light Beckons a New Set of Strivers,” a New York Times article by Sara Rimer, triggers a discussion of the American Dream and what it means to strive for something. Following the discussion, class members...

Students listen to and discuss a poem about a gifted student. They discuss what being gifted means to them and their families, and participate in a game that helps students to bond with each other.

Students explore the concept of philanthropy. In this stewardship lesson, students consider human capacity for generosity as they read folktales from different cultures that feature characters giving of themselves.

The materials in this 48-page packet are designed to supplement a unit study of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Included are vocabulary lists and activities, discussion questions and quizzes, book report ideas, a bibliography of...

Learners create a memoir or poem about their favorite person or pet. In this favorite person or pet lesson plan, students also scan in pictures to PowerPoint and create a presentation about this person or pet as well.

A good gift is hard to find. A “worn truth,” perhaps, as Billy Collins says in his poem, “The Lanyard,” but true nonetheless. After a study of Collins’ tribute to a mother’s love, young poets select an object that sends them “into the...

Planning on using Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol this year? Then give yourself a gift and download this colorful guide thats packed with goodies. Kids, as well as the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future are sure to...

Learning about literature can be so much fun; it can also be made more accessible through projects and dramatic play. As they explore theme, character, and setting, the class gets creative and makes a dramatic recreation of a classic...

Got a rainy day and need a few fabulous activities to foster creative thinking skills? The class works to understand the three types of human power; direct, indirect, and stored. They do this by first creating a parade float like the...

What are the three types of irony? High schoolers engage in a lesson about the use of irony while reading O.Henry's short story "Gift of the Magi." They'll discuss rising action, climax, and resolution in the text before highlighting the...

In this writing prompt worksheet, students examine Valentine's Day picture and then use the space provided to write a story regarding the picture. Teachers may add details the word list box before they provide copies of the worksheets to...

This lesson plan is hilarious! To understand how to investigate a topic, collect data, and evaluate the results, learners research the effects of laughter on health. Each group is assigned a research task, which they will turn into...

Students design and promote technological devices for Father's Day gifts that reflect evolving social trends. They consider the new image of dads cast by today's media and advertisements and its influence.

In this Halloween worksheet, students write or draw to respond to three different prompts. Students write/draw about their Halloween costume, what it would look like and their Halloween gift. This is a great worksheet since you can make...

Students participate in a holiday giving activity to learn about community involvement. In this community outreach lesson, students discuss giving and receiving as well as the gift of time. Students prepare songs and holiday cards to...

For this writing prompt worksheet, students reflect on Christmas Day as they describe the best gift they have given to someone else.

In this Christmas word search worksheet, students use the clues in the word bank to fill in the blanks and finish spelling the names of the toys. Students write 9 answers.

Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree is a great way to cover multiple concepts in an elementary school classroom. Throughout this lesson, they learn about economic principles such as scarcity and goods, science principles like renewable...

Is Father's Day just around the corner? Have your kids write up a few sentences about their dads on this page, which provides a title and lines to write on.

As brave as a scarecrow, as silly as a book? What will your youngsters compare themselves to? Here is a creative and fun way to explore the world of similes that your class members will definitely enjoy!

A tea party in Wonderland? An East Egg brunch with Gatsby, Daisy, Tom, and Nick? Breakfast with Miss Havisham, Lady Macbeth, and Abigail Williams? Or dinner with Andre, Hamlet, and Randle Patrick McMurphy? Class members select a favorite...