Lesson 1: Summarizing
As students are finding resources for their research project, they will need to summarize the information they are finding and only taking notes on what is important. Show the video below from the ELA research site about taking notes.
After the video, hand out this article (or project- you could do this as a class activity). Students are going to read and highlight to find key points.
Have students select crayons, markers, or highlighters they are going to use to take notes.
Tell them they need to find these topics and themes: (they should have a color for each to underline or highlight)
Amelia's Family Life
Important Airplane Flights in Amelia's Life
Turning Points in Amelia's Life
Important People in Amelia's Life
Once they have the article taken apart discuss how they could use these 4 topics in their writing. If time allows- show them Pebble Go Next Biographies and allow them to research other famous people.
*This lesson has been updated for the 2025-2026 school year due to Into the Book no longer existing.
Lesson 2: Hour of Code
Remind students that December is when 'Hour of Code' takes place and students will get to practice their coding skills using the 'Hour of Code' website. Show video of actual computer programmer at NASA. After video, show the Nasa's Space Jam coding site that allows them to create their own solar system and add music. You may want to model a few of the puzzles so that students get the hang of it. You can then link the activity in google classroom or show them how to get there from the hour of code website. There are instructional videos throughout the activity. You can choose to do the steps together or let the students work on their own.
Lesson 3: Hour of Code - continued
Show an additional video of an actual computer programmer and what they do. Connect computer programming to art with a Coding Poetry activity. Model the puzzle and then let students work on their own. You can then link the activity in google classroom or show them how to get there from the hour of code website.
Standards for the Month:
I can gather information ethically and legally through technology and media. AASL 6.a.
Students use digital and non-digital tools to plan and manage a design process. ISTE 4b
I can respect intellectual property rights. ITL DC2.b
I can select a topic and use print and online resources to research. KUSD R.I. 5.1