Cluster 1: Conventions of Standard EnglishArchived

After experiencing measuring objects to the nearest one-fourth inch, students are given diagrams of the results from using different colors of paper to cook marshmallows in a solar oven. Students measure diagrams' lengths to the nearest quarter inch and record the data on a line plot. Next students determine which color showed evidence of the melted marshmallows' lengths closest to the ideal 2inches and use this information to make a proposal to a fictional company for the best color to use in their solar ovens for s'more making.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, students will be required to rank musical instrument lesson packages based on the price, the number of minutes of practice each week, and the quality of the instructor.

Part of the task involves students figuring out the elapsed time of the lessons based on their start and stop times. They will also need to figure out the total weekly cost of the lessons based on the number of lessons offered per week and the cost of each lesson based on its length.

The twist will require students to determine whether or not to revise their ranking based on new information about the cost of instrument rentals per lesson and the class size of each package.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student-centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will think like chess club members to make two wish lists on how to spend $75 on chess related materials. Then they have to make two new wish lists on how to spend $750 on chess related materials.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought processes. MEAs follow a problem-based, student-centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEAs visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Type: Lesson Plan

This is a 3rd grade MEA that asks the students to determine elapsed time to find the ideal day for another student to stay in and do chores.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

Using a variety of colors, students will practice the art of "revision" in the writing process.

Type: Lesson Plan

Animal Habitat MEA is where the students will help a pet store choose which habitat they should buy to house their snake and lizard families. The students will solve an open-ended problem and give details on the process that they used to solve the problem.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Type: Lesson Plan

In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, a group of students has been chosen to help create the classroom time schedule for the school year. The students will have to use the parameters set forth by the teacher and principal, as well as their own expertise about how they learn best, to create a schedule for the school day that includes all subjects and works around time set aside for lunch and special areas. Then the students will have to adapt the schedules they created to accommodate additional considerations by the teacher and principal. This MEA will require students to use their math skills to measure time intervals and their ELA skills to write a letter justifying and explaining the schedule they created.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student-centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Type: Lesson Plan

Using information about the needs of different animals, students will help choose which pet would be best to purchase for a classroom.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Type: Lesson Plan

This lesson is designed to help students identify the central idea and relevant details of a text using the topic of inventions.

Type: Lesson Plan

Rocking through the Regions (of the United States) is a 27-day third grade research project on the five regions of the United States and the states that are located within the regions. Students will begin by writing letters to states" Departments of Tourism requesting information about their state. Then, students will work in groups to use the information received along with other print and digital resources they locate to gather information about their region. Once all information is gathered, students will begin writing an informative report and publish their report in an engaging presentation. By the end of this unit, students will be able to identify all five regions on a blank map of the United States and label all 50 states.

Type: Lesson Plan

Using the book Crickwing, students will demonstrate understanding of the connection a writer needs to make between the words they use and the meaning they would like the reader to secure.

Type: Lesson Plan

Wendell and Floyd are late to class once too often and their teacher gives them an ultimatum. They decide to take a secret shortcut to school which proves to be anything but a shortcut. In this lesson, students will use the picture book The Secret Shortcut by Mark Teague as a model to write narrative fiction focusing on the organization of the text using sequencing /transitional words and phrases.

Type: Lesson Plan

Learn all about action verbs, linking verbs, helping verbs, verb tenses, and multiple verbs in compound sentences with Scruff the dog in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Welcome! In this tutorial, you’ll be building your knowledge about dialogue. Much like a construction worker follows blueprints to build a building, dialogue in text is constructed in a specific way. By the end of this tutorial, you’ll be able to demonstrate the use of commas and quotation marks in dialogue. Let’s get started!

Type: Original Student Tutorial

In this activity, students will identify common abbreviations.

Type: Student Center Activity

In this activity, students will write corresponding spelling patterns for long vowels in multisyllabic words. As an extension activity, students will write the correct vowel for the schwa sound.

Type: Student Center Activity

In this activity, students will decode and spell words containing vowel diphthongs while playing a board game.

Type: Student Center Activity

In this activity, students will make new words by combining words with inflections.

Type: Student Center Activity

In this activity, students will produce compound words that begin with a specific letter. In an extension activity, students will read and segment multisyllabic compound words into two words.

Type: Student Center Activity

In this activity, students will produce words with different spelling patterns while playing a game.

Type: Student Center Activity

In this activity, students will make words using letter cards containing digraphs, silent letter combinations, vowel teams, and vowel diphthongs.

Type: Student Center Activity

In this activity, students will decode and spell words with r-controlled vowel patterns.

Type: Student Center Activity

This page has many worksheets designed to help teach young ESL students. Some work on general language skills; others reinforce particular elements of grammar.

Type: Worksheet