Literacy

549 Activities

Literacy

Words carry power, so let’s use them to make an impact! Learners build voice and communication skills through reading, writing, poetry, journalism, and public speaking. They also explore self-expression and the stories of others.

Activities

Civil Rights in the United States

Literacy, History and Society

Civil Rights in the United States

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 8

45 Minutes

In this team building activity, students explore tolerance and learn about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the civil rights movement. Students will develop key skills, such as communication, diversity and multicultural awareness, and collaboration.

Discover Activity

Civil Rights in the United States

Literacy, History and Society

Enunciation and Physical Awareness

Literacy, Social and Emotional Awareness

Enunciation and Physical Awareness

Mizzen Education, Inc.

9 - 12

45 Minutes

Students assess the clarity of their speech and the messages they deliver with body language when they communicate verbally.

Discover Activity

Enunciation and Physical Awareness

Literacy, Social and Emotional Awareness

Pacific Northwest Memory Game

History and Society, Literacy

Pacific Northwest Memory Game

Mizzen Education, Inc.

3 - 5

45 Minutes

Students work in small groups to research the states in the Pacific Northwest and then create a memory game to play as a whole group.

Discover Activity

Pacific Northwest Memory Game

History and Society, Literacy

Slot Construction Sculptures

Arts, Literacy

Slot Construction Sculptures

Rediscover Center

K - 8

45 Minutes

In this activity, students will learn a cardboard construction technique called Slot Construction. This technique allows students to build almost instantly without any glue or adhesives so they can explore how to make fun sculptures without always using reinforcements.

This is part 1 of 2 in the Slot Construction Activities by reDiscover Center.

Discover Activity

Slot Construction Sculptures

Arts, Literacy

Definitely Different

Health and Wellness, Literacy, Social and Emotional Awareness

Definitely Different

kid-grit

3 - 5

15 Minutes

This is a closing activity to help students think about differences intentionally. These skills help them in school and real-life situations, like resolving conflicts with friends. Developing critical thinking early builds confidence, encourages curiosity, and prepares kids to face challenges more thoughtfully.

Discover Activity

Definitely Different

Health and Wellness, Literacy, Social and Emotional Awareness

Debate It!

Literacy, Social and Emotional Awareness

Debate It!

Mizzen Education, Inc.

3 - 5

45 Minutes

Debating is a great way for students to work on their speaking, listening, and team-building skills. In this activity, students debate a topic that they can relate to and work in teams to develop arguments that support their side of the debate.

Discover Activity

Debate It!

Literacy, Social and Emotional Awareness

No to Totalitarianism

History and Society, Literacy

No to Totalitarianism

Mizzen Education, Inc.

3 - 5

45 Minutes

For citizens of a free country, it can be difficult to understand what life is like under totalitarian rule. In this activity, students explore this form of government and meet some of its infamous practitioners. They create a poster to oppose totalitarian rule.

Discover Activity

No to Totalitarianism

History and Society, Literacy

Production (Student Reporting Labs)

Digital Media and Communications, Literacy

Production (Student Reporting Labs)

PBS

6 - 12

1 Hour

In this unique set of video tutorials produced by Gil Garcia of Austin High School, students learn about the different roles associated with video production, how to scout a location and set up, best practices for audio gathering, lighting basics, the importance of white-balancing, how to approach interview process, and how to gather different forms of b-roll.

This is activity 14 of 16 in the PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs Module. Visit the Module to learn more before getting started.

Discover Activity

Production (Student Reporting Labs)

Digital Media and Communications, Literacy

Socratic Seminar

Literacy, Social and Emotional Awareness

Socratic Seminar

Mizzen Education, Inc.

9 - 12

45 Minutes

Students will have the opportunity to read an article and discuss it with their peers in a Socratic Seminar. Then, they will evaluate the effectiveness of Socratic Seminars.

Discover Activity

Socratic Seminar

Literacy, Social and Emotional Awareness

The Power of Persuasion

Literacy, Social and Emotional Awareness

The Power of Persuasion

Mizzen Education, Inc.

3 - 5

45 Minutes

The ability to persuade someone to do or believe something is a powerful skill. Students will give a speech trying to persuade others about a topic of their choice.

Discover Activity

The Power of Persuasion

Literacy, Social and Emotional Awareness

Vacation On!

History and Society, Literacy

Vacation On!

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 8

45 Minutes

Who doesn’t like a vacation? Students brainstorm places in the United States to take their next vacation and create a visual representation of their responses in an affinity map.

Discover Activity

Vacation On!

History and Society, Literacy

Thinking in Opposites: Optimism and Pessimism

Social and Emotional Awareness, Literacy

Thinking in Opposites: Optimism and Pessimism

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 8

45 Minutes

Students will evaluate optimism and pessimism and also practice empathy to recognize and appreciate these different points of view.

Discover Activity

Thinking in Opposites: Optimism and Pessimism

Social and Emotional Awareness, Literacy

Collections

American History: Elevating Black Voices (3-5)

Leadership and Teamwork, Literacy, History and Society

13 Activities

American History: Elevating Black Voices (3-5)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

3 - 5

9 Hours 10 Minutes

This Collection is a weekly, hands-on playlist that helps learners explore how stories, creativity, problem-solving, and leadership shape communities and American history. Through engaging texts, Innovator Trading Cards, and theme-based activities in literacy, STEM, the arts, and collaboration, students discover lesser-known Black Americans whose voices and ideas have made a lasting impact. Each week introduces a new theme that strengthens reading comprehension, evidence-based thinking, creativity, and teamwork, while giving learners multiple opportunities to apply their understanding through discussion, design, and gameplay. Designed for flexible facilitation and active learning, this playlist shows that innovation happens in many ways—and that elevating diverse voices deepens our understanding of history.

For a consistent learning experience, it is recommended that this collection be completed in the sequence outlined below. This allows learners to apply the weekly themes from the Innovator Playing Cards through supplementary activities.

Week 1: Storytelling and Voice

Designing Innovator Trading Cards (3-5)

Word Detectives

What is that Tone

Rhythm and Language

Week 2: Inventing and Problem Solving

Designing Innovator Trading Cards (3-5)

S.INQ Mechanical Engineering Self Propelled Cars

Arm and Belt Accessories

Engineering an Upgrade (Grades 3-5)

Week 3: Creativity and Expression

Designing Innovator Trading Cards (3-5)

The Animal Spin

Create and Perform a Scene from a Book

Clay Pinch Pot

Week 4: Leadership and Change

Designing Innovator Trading Cards (3-5)

Playing Innovator Trading Cards (3-5)

More Tools Are Better Than One

Build Your Own Obstacle Course

Discover Collection

Innovator Trading Cards (K-2)

Leadership and Teamwork, Literacy, History and Society

2 Activities

Innovator Trading Cards (K-2)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

K - 2

1 Hour

Students will engage in a four-week learning experience focused on creating innovator trading cards. This project allows them to explore and highlight the varied contributions of Black Americans to their communities, developing key skills such as listening, drawing, speaking, and foundational categorization. In the final week, Week 4, students will use their completed trading cards to determine the most suitable type of community helper for various scenarios.

There are two activities in the Innovator Trading Card Collection:

Activity 1, Designing Innovator Trading Cards, focuses on the "theme of the week," learning about the innovators and their influence, and designing the innovator trading cards.
Activity 2, Playing Innovator Trading Cads, focuses on facilitating the associated game to reinforce learning.

Discover Collection

Building a NewsHour: Part 3

Literacy, Digital Media and Communications

5 Activities

Building a NewsHour: Part 3

PBS

3 - 5

1 Hour 30 Minutes

Welcome to PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs (SRL)’s Module, Building a NewsHour: Part 3

This Module from SRL takes youth through the all elements of building their own news hour. A follow-up to the From Concept to Screen Module, this six part Collection takes youth through the all the steps in creating a news hour to tell their stories.

This is Module 3 of 6 in the Building a NewsHour Collection series.

Discover Collection

The News and You: Journalism and Media Literacy for Grades 7-12

Literacy, Digital Media and Communications

6 Activities

The News and You: Journalism and Media Literacy for Grades 7-12

Pulitzer Center

6 - 12

How can good journalism empower people? This module begins by asking students to identify what they believe the purpose of journalism to be, and guides them to think critically and creatively about their relationship with news.

Students will move from reflecting on the power and purpose of journalism to examining how bias can affect the news, and the way in which we process information ourselves. Students will learn about news framing and editorial judgment, putting themselves in the shoes of editors and journalists who decide which stories get told and how they are presented to the public. Finally, students will move from analyzing news stories to responding to underreported stories that matter to them through creative and journalistic projects.

Throughout this module, facilitators have access to the option of requesting a free virtual visit with a Pulitzer Center journalist who can support students in digging deeper into any of these topics, getting their questions answered, and exploring careers in the journalism field.

Are you looking for media literacy activities for younger learners? Check out The News and You: Journalism and Media Literacy for Grades 2-6, also on Mizzen.

Discover Collection

Building a NewsHour: Part 4

Literacy, Digital Media and Communications

6 Activities

Building a NewsHour: Part 4

PBS

3 - 5

1 Hour 30 Minutes

Welcome to PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs (SRL)’s Module, Building a NewsHour: Part 4

This is Module 4 of 6 in the Building a NewsHour Collection series.

Discover Collection

Teens Curate Teens: Curating an Art Exhibition

Literacy, Arts

6 Activities

Teens Curate Teens: Curating an Art Exhibition

ArtsConnection

9 - 12

9 Hours

Teens Curate Teens offers a process for young people to take on the responsibility for creating all aspects of an exhibition. A curator is in charge of selecting artwork for an exhibition or presentation. Learn how a curator or curatorial team creates an art exhibit that gives voice to their peers’ concerns and interests to possibly initiate change. Students develop their collaborative skills to identify a common theme to create a dynamic art event for their community. Together the team chooses a location for the event, guidelines for the artists’ application, outreach, criteria for selection, marketing and PR, placement of the artwork in the space, and the opening & programing of the exhibit.

Discover Collection

Building a NewsHour: Part 1

Literacy, Digital Media and Communications

6 Activities

Building a NewsHour: Part 1

PBS

3 - 5

1 Hour 30 Minutes

Welcome to PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs (SRL)’s Module, Building a NewsHour: Part 1

This is Module 1 of 6 in the Building a NewsHour Collection series.

Discover Collection

Jazz, Blues, and Music For 3rd-5th Grade at Home