This school year might be winding down, but there are still plenty of opportunities for engaging and meaningful learning! May’s celebrations and observance – from Mother’s Day to Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Month to Memorial Day – offer rich moments for educational experiences.
We’ve created a list of innovative and educational lesson plans created by BetterLesson Master Teachers that will engage students at every grade-level throughout this month’s observances. And if your students are getting antsy for summer break, we’ve also put together a list of instructional strategies and activities to foster student engagement.
Mother’s Day (May 12th)*
Lesson Plan: Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother Too?
Grade Level: Elementary
Big Idea: In this lesson, students participate in an informative writing activity after listening to a story called Does a Kangaroo have a Mother Too?
Lesson Plan: Are You My Mother?
Grade Level: Elementary
Big Idea: In this lesson, students will discuss the funny events of the book Are You My Mother? and write explanatory sentences about the story.
Lesson Plan: Mother Figures: Fern and Charlotte
Grade Level: Elementary
Big Idea: In this lesson, analyze the development of characters in Charlotte’s Web and explore the theme of the power of a mother’s love.
Lesson Plan: Write in the Style of “Mother to Son”
Grade Level: Middle
Big Idea: In this lesson, students will read the poem “Mother to Son” and write an original poem that models the original poem’s style and techniques.
Lesson Plan: Narrative: Paying homage to our mothers with a gift of words
Grade Level: Middle & High School
Big Idea: In this lesson, students will write a narrative focusing on well-chosen details to convey a vivid picture of memories by creating a gift of words for someone special.
Lesson Plan: What is Perspective?: Analysis of Persona in “Mother to Son”
Grade Level: High School
Big Idea: In this lesson, students will identify the theme of perspective in common experiences and explain how Langston Hughes uses the theme structurally to develop his message in “Mother to Son.”
Lesson Plan: Analyzing Mother-Son Relationship Through Close Reading and Discussion
Grade Level: High School
Big Idea: In this lesson, students will analyze the mother-son relationship in A Raisin in the Sun by citing textual evidence.
*Consideration: Some students might not have a mother, have lost a mother, or have a complicated relationship to/with their mother. Use appropriate discretion/modifications when engaging in these lessons.
Memorial Day (May 27th)
Lesson Plan: Memorial Day at The Wall
Grade Level: Elementary
Big Idea: In this lesson, students will describe and write about familiar events related to Memorial Day.
Lesson Plan: Memorial Day Memories
Grade Level: Middle
Big Idea: In this lesson, students will solve four Memorial Day-related real-world problems with fractions and mixed numbers.
Lesson Plan: Vietnam War Memorial-Understanding the Power of Public Art
Grade Level: High School
Big Idea: In this lesson, students will read about and discuss the controversy of the Vietnam War Memorial design.
Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (all month)
Lesson Plan: The Central Message in a Chinese and Japanese Folktale
Grade Level: Elementary
Big Idea: In this lesson, students will read and identify the central message in a Chinese and Japanese folktale.
Lesson Plan: The Korean Cinderella
Grade Level: Elementary
Big Idea: In this lesson, students will discuss differences in perspective and point-of-view in a Korean-version of Cinderella.
Lesson Plan: Researching Our Class Culture: Indonesia
Grade Level: Elementary
Big Idea: In this lesson, students will engage in a research project on Indonesia.
Lesson Plan: Building Understanding of the “Tale of Oki Islands”
Grade Level: Middle
Big Idea: In this lesson, students will explain and support inferences made about the story “The Tale of Oki Island.”
Lesson Plan: Building Background Knowledge: Asia & The Middle East Jigsaw
Grade Level: Middle
Big Idea: In this lesson, students will research a region in the Middle East or Asia, and then jigsaw their responses in a different group.
Lesson Plan: Reading “Malala the Powerful”
Grade Level: Middle
Big Idea: In this lesson, students will read and discuss the article “Malala the Powerful.”
Lesson Plan: Tasting Vinegar: Introductions to Asian Philosophy and Literary Style
Grade Level: High School
Big Idea: In this lesson, students will analyze particular points of view reflected in world literature from outside the U.S. by participating in class discussion of Chinese philosophy and literary style.
Lesson Plan: Unit Introduction: Monkey King & American Born Chinese
Grade Level: High School
Big Idea: In this unit, students will practice identifying and explaining point of view in the graphic novel, American Born Chinese.
Lesson Plan: Analyzing the Complex in the Simple: A Study of Haiku
Grade Level: High School
Big Idea: In this lesson, students will show their ability to write for a range of purposes and audiences by participating in a mini-writing workshop on writing haiku, a Japanese poetic form.
Engaging Instructional Strategies
In addition to the instructional strategies below, you can also review this list of reflection-based projects geared toward the end of the school year.
Instructional Strategy: Marshmallow Challenge: Team-Building Activity
Grade Level: All
Big Idea: The Marshmallow Challenge supports students to work on team building in a fun, low-stakes, engaging activity.
Instructional Strategy: Brain Breaks
Grade Level: All
Big Idea: Use Brain Breaks as a quick, effective way to refocus and re-energize students’ physical and mental states during a lesson.
Instructional Strategy: Fishbowl Discussion
Grade Level: All
Big Idea: With a fishbowl discussion, students learn to be both contributors and listeners in a group conversation.
Instructional Strategy: Simulations in the Classroom
Grade Level: All
Big Idea: Simulations provide students with opportunities to engage in contextual, authentic learning by modeling and understanding specific behaviors.
Instructional Strategy: Letters That Let Readers Take Charge
Grade Level: All
Big Idea: This letter-writing activity provides a reader-response framework that encourages student voice, choice, and reflection.
