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Type

  • (-) Calendar Activity
    • Author & Text
    • Historical Figure & Event
    • Holiday & School Celebration

Grades

  • 1 (9)
  • 2 (9)
  • 4 (17)
  • 5 (19)
  • 6 (17)
  • 7 (14)
  • 8 (13)
  • 9 (8)
  • 10 (8)
  • 11 (8)
  • 12 (8)
  • K (5)
  • (-) 3 (16)

Learning Objectives

  • collaboration (4)
  • Comprehension (2)
  • critical thinking (12)
  • inquiry / research (12)
  • Media literacy (3)
  • metacognition (5)
  • multimodal literacy (6)
  • oral communication (2)
  • reading genres (2)
  • writing genres (5)
  • writing process (3)

Topics

  • (-) science
  • careers
  • community
  • drama
  • fiction
  • Mathematics
  • Mobile Learning
  • nonfiction
  • poetry
  • seasons / holidays
  • social action
  • social studies / history
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Author E.B. White was born on this day in 1899.
Grades
K - 5
|
Calendar Activity
|
Author & Text
Author E.B. White was born on this day in 1899.
Author E.B. White, most well-known for his famous children's book, Charlotte's Web, received high acclaim and awards for many of his works of fiction.
<em>Black Beauty</em> author Anna Sewell was born in 1820.
Grades
3 - 12
|
Calendar Activity
|
Author & Text
Black Beauty author Anna Sewell was born in 1820.
Through Sewell's novel, students explore the cruelty to animals and extend the discussion to current events, eventually presenting the information.
Today is Leap Day!
Grades
3 - 7
|
Calendar Activity
|
Holiday & School Celebration
Today is Leap Day!
Our solar year is 365.24219 days. Since our calendar does not deal in partial days, every four years, we add an additional day to February.
On this day in 1907, Rachel Carson was born.
Grades
3 - 12
|
Calendar Activity
|
Author & Text
On this day in 1907, Rachel Carson was born.
Students learn about Rachel Carson, explore different environmental websites, and write a Diamante Poem about a particular habitat.
On this day in 1910, animal rights activist Joy Adamson was born.
Grades
K - 6
|
Calendar Activity
|
Historical Figure & Event
On this day in 1910, animal rights activist Joy Adamson was born.
A KWL chart is used to organize information about lions. Persuasive letters are written lobbying for programs and resources to protect these animals.
Jane Yolen was born in 1939.
Grades
1 - 5
|
Calendar Activity
|
Author & Text
Jane Yolen was born in 1939.
Students read one of Jane Yolen's books, retell the story in the form of a puppet show, research animals in the book, and document their findings with the Animal Study interactive tool.
Celebrate Kate DiCamillo's birthday today.
Grades
3 - 6
|
Calendar Activity
|
Author & Text
Celebrate Kate DiCamillo's birthday today.
After examining the characters in one of DiCamillo's stories, students write original short stories featuring animals as central characters.
Science writer Seymour Simon was born in 1931.
Grades
3 - 8
|
Calendar Activity
|
Author & Text
Science writer Seymour Simon was born in 1931.
Students select and explore a scientific topic in detail using Simon's nonfiction science books and then use what they learn to write original poetry on the topic.
Henry David Thoreau was born in 1817.
Grades
1 - 12
|
Calendar Activity
|
Author & Text
Henry David Thoreau was born in 1817.
Students make mental "snapshots" of a natural setting, then capture the details of their setting by writing and then creating a class booklet of the nature walk.
The first U.S. zoo opened in Philadelphia in 1874.
Grades
1 - 6
|
Calendar Activity
|
Historical Figure & Event
The first U.S. zoo opened in Philadelphia in 1874.
Students consider how zoos have changed over the past century and design their own zoo of the future using drawings, posters, dioramas, or other displays.
Sally Ride, first American woman in space, was born in 1951.
Grades
3 - 8
|
Calendar Activity
|
Historical Figure & Event
Sally Ride, first American woman in space, was born in 1951.
After exploring information about Sally Ride on the StarKids Who's Who site, students write a letter using the Letter Generator to Dr. Ride's foundation, Sally Ride Science.
Dr. Christian Barnard performed the first human heart transplant.
Grades
K - 6
|
Calendar Activity
|
Historical Figure & Event
Dr. Christian Barnard performed the first human heart transplant.
Students talk about the causes of heart disease and the role that diet and exercise play. Then, students find healthy dessert recipes and vote on one dessert to make in class.
<em>Snowflake Bentley</em> illustrator Mary Azarian was born in 1940.
Grades
K - 4
|
Calendar Activity
|
Author & Text
Snowflake Bentley illustrator Mary Azarian was born in 1940.
Students catch snowflakes outdoors and sketch some of the structures, or grow their own snow crystals and examine them using magnifying glasses or microscopes.
The Smithsonian Institution was founded in 1846.
Grades
1 - 8
|
Calendar Activity
|
Historical Figure & Event
The Smithsonian Institution was founded in 1846.
After exploring an exhibit online, students use the information they learned to write "A Day in the Life" narratives that tell about a person, animal, or object they saw in the exhibit.
Monarch butterflies begin their migration in the fall.
Grades
K - 6
|
Calendar Activity
|
Holiday & School Celebration
Monarch butterflies begin their migration in the fall.
After exploring the ways that monarch butterflies react to seasons, students complete an inquiry study to examine how other things change because of the seasons and create a class anthology.
Grades
3 - 8
|
Calendar Activity
|
Historical Figure & Event
The prototype for the World Wide Web was created in 1990.
Students look at pictures from the past using the WayBack Machine and brainstorm a few websites to explore to think about how they have changed over the years.

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