Curated OER
Holy Mole
Third graders explore the Mexican sauce Mole and the culture of Mexico. In this Mexican culture instructional activity, 3rd graders find Mexico on the map and access prior knowledge about the country. Students discuss Mexican foods....
Curated OER
Social Studies Integrated with Writing Lesson Plan
First graders access prior knowledge about goods and pricing. In this scarcity lesson plan, 1st graders understand the meaning of scarcity and how it effects people. Students prepare for a boat trip and choose three things to bring...
Curated OER
Moth or Butterfly
Students categorize butterflies and moths by identifying the unique characteristics of the two different species. In this classifying lesson plan, students discuss their prior knowledge about these insects before categorizing the two.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Good Litter, Bad Litter
Which ones can be thrown on the ground? Discover the difference between natural litter and unhealthy trash, helping scholars by using several examples. Use the information here to give them a basic background, but also encourage prior...
Curated OER
Ocean Exploration
Students explore whales. In this animal adaptation and whale lesson, students access prior knowledge about whales from previous lessons, then use background knowledge to predict the eating strategies of a baleen whale and a toothed...
Curated OER
President's Day
Students access prior knowledge about the branches of government to explore foreign policy. In this conflict resolution instructional activity, students reflect on foreign policy decisions and participate in scenarios based on foreign...
Curated OER
We Are One World
Students access prior knowledge to choose a country and research the living conditions in that country. In this living conditions lesson, students recognize the differences and similarities of conditions of another country to ours....
Curated OER
United States Map
Students access prior knowledge and locate the North and South Poles on the map. In this mapping lesson, students understand the position of the United States relative to the poles. Students answer questions about the globe.
Curated OER
Buying and Selling Stocks
Young scholars access prior knowledge of the stock market and how it works. In this buying and selling stocks lesson, students complete worksheets on stocks to understand how the stock market works. Young scholars answer critical...
Curated OER
Cooking with the Sun!
Students access prior knowledge of solar energy and understand that solar energy produces heat. In this solar cooker lesson, students complete grade appropriate experiments using the heat of the sun. Students complete a worksheet on...
Curated OER
Mental Money
Students access prior knowledge to round numbers and add decimals. In this mental math lesson, students share the book Betcha and calculate estimates for three jars based on the book. Students calculate money answers based on coins...
Curated OER
Super Science Sleuths Explain It All: Circumnavigating the Circulatory System
Students access prior knowledge of the circulatory system. For this circulatory system lesson, students participate in experiments related to the circulatory system and film for a podcast. Students work in pairs to create their...
Curated OER
What is the Rocky shoreline?
Second graders access prior knowledge of the rocky shoreline. In this rocky shoreline lesson, 2nd graders create questions about the rocky shoreline. Students define vocabulary related to the rocky shoreline. Students become familiar...
PHET
Planet Designer: Retro Planet Red
What does the atmosphere on Mars look like? This fourth lesson plan in the series of five is designed for high schoolers. Scholars apply previous knowledge to add atmosphere to Mars in an online simulation. This comprehensive lesson plan...
Curated OER
Cell Organelles and Their Functions
Students will be using Inspiration, which is a graphic organizer computer program, to create their own model community where they will label the community parts with the corresponding organelle. They will have prior knowledge of cell...
Curated OER
Animal Kingdom Characteristics using Microsoft Access
Students create a computer database to discover relationships present in the Animal Kingdom. In this classification lesson, students enter data into a Microsoft Access database. They answer questions on a worksheet and create a visual...
Curated OER
The Water Cycle
Students access prior knowledge of the water cycle by completing a KWL. In this water cycle lesson, students follow the movement of water through the water cycle.
Curated OER
“THE LORAX” by Dr. Seuss
Few children's books convey the message of conservation as well as Dr. Seuss' The Lorax. Read the story aloud, emphasizing the interconnectedness of plants and animals in an ecosystem and discussing different ways people can help the...
NASA
Catch a Piece of the Sun
What does the sun mean to you? Learners have many different interests that may have connections to the sun. Whether its solar radiation, solar flares, or solar storms, there are connections to daily interests that may surprise your...
Rainforest Alliance
How Do Jaguars and Howler Monkeys in Belize Depend on Us?
How does weather play a role in the lives of land and sea creatures? Find out with a lesson focused on habitats and the ways animals from different homes are connected. Here, learners explore how the life of a jaguar and howler monkey...
Poets.org
Ghosts and Spirits
Connect poetry to a naturally kid-friendly topic: ghosts! Draw on your class's prior knowledge of the paranormal to help them access the classic poem "Haunted House" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. After a fun warm-up activity describing...
National Wildlife Federation
Bird Behavior Hike
Bird behaviors have a distinct purpose. Using a tally sheet, learners observe and record different bird behaviors in nature. They practice their observation skills while learning how birds act and why.
SRI International
The Water Crisis
Water, water, everywhere, right? Wrong. Learners assess their own knowledge of water availability on Earth. Then, through a reading, a teacher-led presentation, and an activity, pupils learn about the importance of available clean...
Southern Nevada Health District
What Am I ?
Have fun learning about fruits and vegetables with a game of pictionary! One team draws a fruit or vegetable on the board, while the other team collaborates to guess what it is. After the game, class members discuss where foods are grown...