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Curated OER
The Physics of Toys
Students explore physics by experimenting with classic toys. In this physical science activity, students utilize gliders, energy balls, bouncing balls, marbles and other toys to explore how they work. Students explore each toy at a work...
Curated OER
Playing With Science
Young scientists investigate the scientific concepts and principles that help make common toys such as hula hoops, yo-yos, slinkies, and silly putty work. As a class, they read "Backyard Rocket Science, Served Wet" to get a look behind...
Curated OER
Play With a Purpose
Students consider toys as more than items for playing, compare and contrast inventors and toys they created, and discuss purpose of specific toys, including whether toy was created for education, financial success, or both.
Curated OER
Techno Toys for Trendy Tots
Young scholars reflect on their favorite childhood toys and assess their continued appeal. They work in pairs to redesign classic toys and create posters to represent their new models.
Do2Learn
Sharing Materials
If you've ever broken up an argument about a toy or classroom item, you know how difficult it is to convince class members to share. The concept is even more complex for those with autism spectrum disorder and for learners who have...
Curated OER
Rave Reviews
A fun instructional activity that utilizes toys and persuasion! After reading the article, which was written in 2005, pull some advertisements for toys currently being sold. These will be more relevant to your middle and high schoolers....
Curated OER
Some Spelling Rules
This presentation offers up some of the trickier rules of the English language when it comes to spelling. For example, one slide goes over the "i before e, except after c," rule. The rest of the slides present examples like this one and...
Curated OER
Zhu Zhu
Students read an article about the toy Zhu Zhu and answer comprehension questions about it. In this toy lesson plan, students also create an ad for a new toy that they invent in groups.
Curated OER
The Alphabet
Students discover the letters of the alphabet by participating in a game. In this phonics lesson, students create books about themselves using their favorite toys and pets. Students utilize a computer program called Mouse In...
Curated OER
Trucks on the Roadway
Students explore trucks. In this truck and road safety lesson, students identify different types of trucks and define traffic and truck vocabulary. Students manipulate toy trucks on a road floor mat.
Curated OER
The Magic Key
Students are able to recall details in a story such as characters, plot, and setting. They are able to create a verbal story about a toy of his/her choice. Students are able to work cooperatively with a partner to create a story.
Curated OER
Speech and Language Samples
Students tell a story, describe a picture, share about a favorite toy from home and are recorded using an iPod with a voice recorder. They create a playlist of their voice and reading samples to illustrate progression over time.
Curated OER
Animals Up!
Students design and build a pedestal or platform that holds a toy animal. In this building instructional activity, students use knowledge from a prior instructional activity as they build a platform or pedestal for a toy animal using on...
Curated OER
Something From Nothing
Students listen to story Joseph Had A Little Overcoat to explore people from another culture and how one item can be used to make other items; students use scraps of fabric and other knickknacks to create pictures or toys.
Curated OER
Games Children Play: Then and Now
Second graders examine primary documents to discover similarities and differences in life today and life before. In this toys then and now lesson, 2nd graders complete a graphic organizer to show how things have changed or stayed...
Curated OER
Under the Christmas Tree
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.
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
Pesky Plastics: The Problem with Plastic
What can happen to the environment if plastic continues to pollute it? Learners read about the implications of plastic on health, water, and nature in a two-page reading passage. After they finish reading, they work on six comprehension...
Curated OER
Finding the Friendship Dolls, A True Story: How Children Can Create World Peace
Students listen to the book Finding the Friendship Dolls, A True Story: How Children Can Help Create World Peace through Toys. In this world peace lesson, students choose events in the story to create a timeline of those events. Students...
Curated OER
Can You Do This?
Third graders write paragraphs describing activities for classmates to perform using toys such as balls, jump ropes or hula hoops. They take turns reading their paragraphs while other students follow the directions.
Curated OER
If Those Dolls Were Real People
Students explore shape perceptions. In this body image lesson, students take measurements of childrens' toys and use ratios to determine what the dolls would look like if they were real human people. Students discuss the implications of...
Curated OER
Seeing Is Believing!
Students imagine that they have been chosen to visit the North Pole and take a look at what Santa is bringing them for Christmas. They imagine the setting and all the toys for boys and girls around the world. They close their eyes and...
Curated OER
Driving Precaustions
Students explore the rules and regulations drivers must adhere to. As a class, they list safe driving procedures and identify the consequences of driving while impaired. Students write questions about safe driving practices. This...
Curated OER
Model Professionals
Students learn about one scientist's quest to make her field of canopy ecology accessible to a wider audience and to synthesize their knowledge by developing toy figures that could potentially educate children about different scientific...
PBS
Using Primary Sources: Nazi Spy Ring Busted
Spy games are not just for professionals anymore! Scholars use short video clips, primary documents, and photographs to investigate Nazi spies in America during World War II. The young detectives analyze the paranoia warfare can...