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

A New Logo (Grades 6-8)

Arts, Literacy

Grades 6 - 8

A New Logo (Grades 6-8)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 8

45 Minutes

Youth act as graphic artists and designers, as well as business executives, to design a logo for a new business. After generating their logo, they'll present it to the group for feedback.

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A New Logo (Grades 6-8)

Arts, Literacy

Grades 6 - 8

Erasure Poetry as Resistance

History and Society, Literacy

Grades 6 - 12

Erasure Poetry as Resistance

Pulitzer Center

6 - 12

45 Minutes

Students discuss what erasure means, and how it can be used both as a tool of oppression and resistance. They then explore examples of poems that use erasure to question, challenge, and subvert existing texts, and create erasure poems of their own in the spirit of resistance.

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Erasure Poetry as Resistance

History and Society, Literacy

Grades 6 - 12

Design Landscape Ceramic Tiles

Arts, Literacy

Grades 6 - 8

Design Landscape Ceramic Tiles

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 8

45 Minutes

Students design a 3-inch-by-5-inch rectangular tile for a landscape. This activity can include clay construction or the use of air-hardening clay options.

This activity may require up to 3 sessions. Review the Preparation steps for more information.

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Design Landscape Ceramic Tiles

Arts, Literacy

Grades 6 - 8

Show Me How

Literacy, Social and Emotional Awareness

Grades 3 - 5

Show Me How

Mizzen Education, Inc.

3 - 5

45 Minutes

Public speaking can be challenging and overwhelming at first, but the more you practice, the easier it gets. Students get a taste of public speaking as they present a how-to project.

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Show Me How

Literacy, Social and Emotional Awareness

Grades 3 - 5

Get to Know You Bingo (Grades K-2)

Social and Emotional Awareness, Literacy

Grades K - 2

Get to Know You Bingo (Grades K-2)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

K - 2

45 Minutes

In this activity, children play a bingo game to get to know one another. They practice skills in drawing, communication, and relationship-building.

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Get to Know You Bingo (Grades K-2)

Social and Emotional Awareness, Literacy

Grades K - 2

Body Language

Social and Emotional Awareness, Literacy

Grades 3 - 5

Body Language

PBS

3 - 5

45 Minutes

Explore the power of body language in interviews! In this exciting lesson, students dive into the world of non-verbal communication. They play interactive games, watch videos, and create Body Language Stories to master the art of body language. By the end, they're equipped with the skills to convey messages beyond words.

This is lesson 14 in “Building a News Hour,” the second module from PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs’ module series.

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Body Language

Social and Emotional Awareness, Literacy

Grades 3 - 5

Reflecting on Slavery and Resistance with Born on the Water

History and Society, Literacy

Grades K - 8

Reflecting on Slavery and Resistance with Born on the Water

Pulitzer Center

K - 8

1 Hour

In this activity, students read the picture book Born on the Water and explore the stories of African people who were kidnapped and brought to America, experiencing years of enslavement and oppression. Through reading and class discussion, students explore a legacy of Black American resilience, resistance, and joy.

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Reflecting on Slavery and Resistance with Born on the Water

History and Society, Literacy

Grades K - 8

Which Website Is a Good Source of Information? (Grades 6-8)

Digital Media and Communications, Literacy

Grades 6 - 8

Which Website Is a Good Source of Information? (Grades 6-8)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 8

45 Minutes

When students conduct research online, they easily can feel overwhelmed by the huge number of websites dedicated to a certain subject or that provide tangential but still useful information. But there is 1 rule of thumb: not all information is good information. In this activity, students learn how to identify and evaluate websites in order to determine if they are reliable tools for research.

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Which Website Is a Good Source of Information? (Grades 6-8)

Digital Media and Communications, Literacy

Grades 6 - 8

The Angle

Digital Media and Communications, Literacy

Grades 3 - 5

The Angle

PBS

3 - 5

45 Minutes

Let's continue our news adventure! In today's mission, students dive deep into story angles, identifying the right approach to reporting on the first cellphone call.

This is lesson 5 in “Building a News Hour,” the second module from PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs’ module series.

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The Angle

Digital Media and Communications, Literacy

Grades 3 - 5

Spelling Bee (Grades K-2)

Literacy, Arts

Grades K - 2

Spelling Bee (Grades K-2)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

K - 2

45 Minutes

This activity provides a fun alternative to the traditional spelling bee. Children take turns spelling a word letter by letter, involving an element of chance. Play the game to build interest in spelling practice!

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Spelling Bee (Grades K-2)

Literacy, Arts

Grades K - 2

Making Costumes for Characters from Books

Arts, Literacy

Grades 9 - 12

Making Costumes for Characters from Books

Mizzen Education, Inc.

9 - 12

45 Minutes

Fiction and fashion unite in this fun activity. Students design and draw a costume for a favorite character from a book or story and for use in a scene from the book or an imagined event.

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Making Costumes for Characters from Books

Arts, Literacy

Grades 9 - 12

Give One, Get One (Grades 3-5)

Social and Emotional Awareness, Literacy

Grades 3 - 5

Give One, Get One (Grades 3-5)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

3 - 5

45 Minutes

Students begin this activity reading One Green Apple, a story about a young immigrant girl on her first day of school in the United States. She does not speak English. As students listen to this story, they are faced with how it feels to be different and alone, even when surrounded by people. Students then discuss the story with one another, communicating both by writing and speaking.

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Give One, Get One (Grades 3-5)

Social and Emotional Awareness, Literacy

Grades 3 - 5

Collections

10 Activities

•

Grades 3 - 5

Opening and Closing Activities for Grades 3-5

Literacy, Social and Emotional Awareness

Playlist

Opening and Closing Activities for Grades 3-5

kid-grit

3 - 5

2 Hours

This collection of opening and closing activities encourages students to explore their thoughts, feelings, and choices while building habits that support reflection and growth. Opening activities use emojis, discussion prompts, and movement to help students connect with their emotions and set a tone of respect, curiosity, and readiness for learning. Closing activities invite students to slow down, look inward, and practice calming techniques as they reflect on their experiences and explore ways to shift habits and mindsets. Together, these moments bookend the day with purpose and self-awareness!

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Opening and Closing Activities for Grades 3-5

Literacy, Social and Emotional Awareness

10 Activities

•

Grades 3 - 5

Playlist

13 Activities

•

Grades 6 - 12

American History: Elevating Black Voices (6-12)

Leadership and Teamwork, History and Society, Literacy

Playlist

American History: Elevating Black Voices (6-12)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 12

9 Hours 10 Minutes

The American History: Elevating Black Voices Collection is a weekly, inquiry-driven playlist that invites learners to examine how storytelling, innovation, creativity, and leadership shape American history and civic life. Through complex texts, Innovator Trading Cards, and theme-based activities across literacy, STEM, the arts, and collaborative problem-solving, students engage with lesser-known Black Americans—whose contributions have influenced systems, culture, and community change. Each week introduces a thematic lens that builds historical analysis, critical reading, argumentation, and interdisciplinary thinking, culminating in a challenge-based game that requires evidence, reasoning, and collaboration. Designed to support meaningful discussion and application, this Collection highlights innovation as a collective process and underscores the power of amplifying voices that shape our shared history.

This collection is designed to have learners apply ideas from the weekly themes introduced through the Innovator Playing Cards with additional related activities; it is recommended to follow this sequence to maintain consistency:

Week 1: Storytelling and Voice

Designing Innovator Trading Cards

What Makes a Good Story?

One Minute Speeches

Erasure Poetry as Resistance

Week 2: Inventing and Problem Solving

Designing Innovator Trading Cards

Cell City

Catapult (Team Building) Game

Build an Extension Arm

Week 3: Creativity and Expression

Designing Innovator Trading Cards

Create a Cardboard Self-Portrait

Improv: Say the Line

How to Look at Dance

Week 4: Leadership and Change

Designing Innovator Trading Cards

Playing Innovator Trading Cards

Analyzing and Constructing Timelines of Racial (In)justice

Dream Team

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American History: Elevating Black Voices (6-12)

Leadership and Teamwork, History and Society, Literacy

13 Activities

•

Grades 6 - 12

Playlist

5 Activities

•

Grades 3 - 5

Building a NewsHour: Part 5

Literacy, Digital Media and Communications

Module

Building a NewsHour: Part 5

PBS

3 - 5

2 Hours

Welcome to PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs (SRL)’s Module, Building a NewsHour: Part 5

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 5 of 6 in the Building a NewsHour Collection series.

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Building a NewsHour: Part 5

Literacy, Digital Media and Communications

5 Activities

•

Grades 3 - 5

Module

7 Activities

•

Grades K - 8

The News and You: Journalism and Media Literacy for Grades 2-6

Literacy, Digital Media and Communications

Module

The News and You: Journalism and Media Literacy for Grades 2-6

Pulitzer Center

K - 8

9 Hours

This module supports students in developing a healthy relationship to the news rooted in curiosity, critical thinking, empathy, and empowerment.

Students will learn what the news is and reflect on how they can use it in their lives. They will examine the idea of bias and learn how to challenge it, using some of the same skills journalists use. They will consider why some stories get more attention than others, and explore the importance of seeking out underreported stories in order to see a fuller picture of people, places, and issues. Finally, students will move from analyzing news stories to sharing their learning. In their final projects, students will use creative expression and journalistic information to draw attention to the issues that matter to them.

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 upper middle and high school learners? Check out The News and You: Journalism and Media Literacy for Grades 7-12, also on Mizzen.

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The News and You: Journalism and Media Literacy for Grades 2-6

Literacy, Digital Media and Communications

7 Activities

•

Grades K - 8

Module

7 Activities

•

Grades 9 - 12

Reading and Literacy Enrichment, Grades 9-12

Digital Media and Communications, Literacy

Playlist

Reading and Literacy Enrichment, Grades 9-12

Mizzen Education, Inc.

9 - 12

5 Hours 15 Minutes

The playlist has been curated to support reading and literacy enrichment through fun and innovative learning experiences. This playlist supports grades 9-12 and can be implemented in a various out-of-school settings.

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Reading and Literacy Enrichment, Grades 9-12

Digital Media and Communications, Literacy

7 Activities

•

Grades 9 - 12

Playlist

21 Activities

•

Grades 3 - 5

From Concept to Screen: Building Your Own News Show

Literacy, Digital Media and Communications

Module

From Concept to Screen: Building Your Own News Show

PBS

3 - 5

10 Hours 30 Minutes

Welcome to PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs (SRL)’s Module, From Concept to Screen: Building Your News Hour.

The module is broken into three sections. The first, "Beyond the Headline" and "A News Show Structure" contain lessons that can be completed as standalone activities or as part of a series. All three sections converge to provide a powerful and fun introduction to producing and hosting news shows.

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From Concept to Screen: Building Your Own News Show

Literacy, Digital Media and Communications

21 Activities

•

Grades 3 - 5

Module

15 Activities

•

Grades 3 - 8

The Big Easy

Literacy, Arts

Module

The Big Easy

Jazz at Lincoln Center

3 - 8

20 Hours

Step into the vibrant world of Jazz at Lincoln Center's "The Big Easy" module, where students embark on an exhilarating journey of creativity and discovery. Jazz at Lincoln Center has made identifying and decoding symbols in art a fun and easy process. Throughout the module, students learn to "read" a provided comic book by researching the history of New Orleans and learning the tools artists use to symbolize their experiences, emotions, etc., in their work. Students studying the fundamentals of music, dance, and illustration, throughut this immersive experience, unleash their imagination, celebrate diversity, and ignite their passion for lifelong learning.

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The Big Easy

Literacy, Arts

15 Activities

•

Grades 3 - 8

Module

13 Activities

•

Grades K - 2

American History: Elevating Black Voices (K-2)

Leadership and Teamwork, Arts, STEM, Literacy, History and Society

Playlist

American History: Elevating Black Voices (K-2)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

K - 2

9 Hours 10 Minutes

The American History: Elevating Black Voices Collection is a weekly, hands-on playlist that helps young 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 teamwork, students discover lesser-known Black Americans whose voices and ideas have made a lasting impact. Each week introduces a new theme that strengthens early reading skills, creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking, while giving learners multiple opportunities to apply their understanding through play and exploration. Designed for easy facilitation and joyful learning, this playlist shows that innovation takes many forms—and that every voice matters.

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 (K-2)

New End to the Story

Round Robin Storytelling

Animal Interviews

Week 2: Inventing and Problem Solving

Designing Innovator Trading Cards (K-2)

Balanced Mobile

Sound on a String

Mechanical Engineering Tops

Week 3: Creativity and Expression

Designing Innovator Trading Cards (K-2)

Masquerade Masks

Music and Rhythm (Grades k-2)

Creative Play Design Challenges

Week 4: Leadership and Change

Designing Innovator Trading Cards (K-2)

Playing Innovator Trading Cards (K-2)

People Bingo

What is a Quality

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American History: Elevating Black Voices (K-2)

Leadership and Teamwork, Arts, STEM, Literacy, History and Society

13 Activities

•

Grades K - 2

Playlist

10 Activities

•

Grades K - 8

The 1619 Project for Grades 2–6: Exploring Enslavement and Resistance

Literacy, History and Society

Module

The 1619 Project for Grades 2–6: Exploring Enslavement and Resistance

Pulitzer Center

K - 8

This collection offers students an engaging, affirming introduction to the concepts of history, culture, and resistance to injustice, all while centering the experiences of Black Americans. Activities guide students in multimedia explorations, personal reflections, and group discussions before culminating in a range of hands-on projects, including research, art, creative writing, and presentations. Students are consistently encouraged to reflect on how they can honor the contributions of Black Americans and build a more just world for all people.

Using elementary-friendly text and multimedia resources, students will learn about the history, culture, and resistance of early African civilizations; enslaved Black Americans; and contemporary Black American communities. At the core of these resources is The 1619 Project, an award-winning collection of journalism and history resources about the legacy of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans in moving the country towards its stated ideals.

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The 1619 Project for Grades 2–6: Exploring Enslavement and Resistance

Literacy, History and Society

10 Activities

•

Grades K - 8

Module