Joan Newkirk

Joan (she/her) is a retired elementary school teacher who feels fortunate to call the beautiful state of Maine home. She hopes she has inspired her students to head outside and always be curious about the world around them.

Lesson Plans

Lesson Plan

The Importance of Insects: A Writing Lesson

In this language arts lesson, students learn about threats to insects and actions to support their survival.

Inquire: Students read and analyze “Hurt No Living Thing” by Christina Rossetti to learn about insects and people’s perceptions of them.

Investigate: Students research why insects are important and why they are threatened.

Inspire: Students write and draw about what they have learned in a class book to be shared with younger students.

Grade

Subject English Language Arts

Resource Type Lesson Plan

View STC Lesson

Lesson Plan

Biking for Good: Math Lesson

Students consider the impacts of biking on their community and how to encourage people to bike more through a school survey.

Inquire: Students view a short video of students biking to school and discuss their experiences with biking.

Investigate: Students create and analyze graphs and survey results about biking.

Inspire: Based on their findings, students generate suggestions to encourage biking in their school community.

Grade

Subject Mathematics

Resource Type Lesson Plan

View STC Lesson

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