Browse lesson plans

Adding support and detail without getting arrested!

This lesson plan is designed to teach students the concept of using facts to support ideas and to interpret (elaborate on) those facts in order to create a synthesized paragraph.

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 English Language Arts and Information Skills)

By Bonnie Mcmurray and Julie Joslin.

Beginning biography research

Encyclopedia research skills will be taught using biographies of famous people. This is one lesson in a collaborative unit taught by both the classroom teacher and the library media coordinator.

Format: lesson plan (grade 2–3 English Language Arts and Information Skills)

By Joan Milliken.

Features of print

In this lesson, the teacher introduces the concept of gathering information from chapter headings, bold type and other organizational features of print (such as tables of contents) in non-fiction texts in print and online.

Format: lesson plan (grade 1–2 English Language Arts and Information Skills)

By Gail Goodling, Susan Lovett, and Sue Versenyi.

Literature biography project

Students will learn to develop the various processes used in researching and writing a biographical research paper, including brainstorming, note taking, outlining, creating a bibliography, and writing the final draft.

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–8 English Language Arts and Information Skills)

By Sandra Dail.

Reading guides

Groups will develop a Reading Guide for each non-fiction resource book for units in science, social studies, and other curriculum areas. Students will identify useful features each book and where the important information will be found. Reviewing non-fiction features of print resources will familiarize the class with material on reserve for the unit. Overviewing and identifying text features will help students determine how to approach the various formats of text relevant to the topic.

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–8 English Language Arts and Information Skills)

By Elizabeth Hubbe.

Resource recon

Teams of students will search for the answers to questions using various information resources. The questions will be in categories such as: biography, current events, historical events, geography, language. Besides competing for the fastest answer, the students will learn (1) how to use the resource effectively and (2) which resource is best for finding different types of information.

Format: lesson plan (grade 4–7 English Language Arts and Information Skills)

By Keith Dudley.

Scientific inquiry

In Intrigue of the Past, page 1.8

In their study of scientific inquiry, students will use an activity sheet to make inferences about what activities go on at different places in school (desk, locker, etc.) and form an hypothesis about how space is used. They will also simulate how archaeologists learn about past people by designing and conducting a research project.

Format: lesson plan (grade 8–9 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

Strategy lesson: KWL

This lesson activates students' prior knowledge about famous North Carolinians and helps them organize thoughts and questions before they read biographies.

Format: lesson plan (grade 4–5 English Language Arts and Information Skills)

By Alisa McAlister, Sherry French, and Harnetha Hudgins.

Who's Theodor Seuss Geisel?: Meet the real Dr. Seuss

Students will search internet resources, print and multimedia encyclopedias to research information on Dr. Seuss. Students will use a "Biography" template to document information, site resources, and write a simple biography report.

Format: lesson plan (grade 2 English Language Arts and Information Skills)

By Amy Rhyne, Paulette Keys, and Sarah Carson.

The wolf in children's books

Students will explore the ways wolves are represented in children's stories. They will decide if the wolf is a protagonist or an antagonist in the story. They will also attempt to determine if these representations are scientifically accurate. The first in a two-part lesson.

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–4 English Language Arts and Information Skills)

By Vanessa Olson.

Resources on the web

American Memory Project Learning Page

Use the American Memory web site to teach about United States history and culture with these tips and tricks, frameworks, activities, and lessons that provide context for their use. (Learn more)

Format: website/lesson plan

Provided by: Library of Congress