Curated OER
How Old Is Illinois?
High schoolers use fossils found in rocks to determine the age of the strata between Rock Island and Chicago. Pupils pretend they are geologists. They must determine the age of all rock layers between the Mississippi River and Lake...
Curated OER
Living Under the Illinois Black Codes
Young scholars use the text of the Illinois Black Codes to examine the laws in place. Using this information, they draw their own conclusions about why the laws existed in a free state. They also identify the purpose of these laws and...
Curated OER
An Upbeat West Side Story: Puerto Ricans and Postwar Racial Politics in Chicago
Tenth graders read an article about the migration of Puerto Ricans to Chicago. As a class, they identify the barriers the immigrants faced regarding employment and separation from family members. To end the lesson plan, they work with...
Curated OER
African American Life in the Nineteenth Century
Students read about the life and work of John and Mary Jones. Using primary source documents, they draw conclusions about their role in the abolistionist movement. They also examine artifacts from their lives and analyze their portrait...
Curated OER
John Jones and the Fight to Repeal the Black Laws
Students examine the role of John Jones and his fight to repeal the Black Laws of Illinois. Using the text of the law, they explore his reasoning for repealing the laws and the arguments he used to support his beliefs. They draw their...
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Section Four: How Can We Protect Biodiversity?
Look into the future with a lesson plan on biodiversity and natural habitats. Learners read articles about different perspectives when it comes to planning future development, and decide which angle is the highest priority in a group...
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Section Three: What's the Status of Biodiversity?
Biodiversity is essential for every habitat, but many species are at risk due to pollution and other factors. Explore several different species native to Illinois in a gallery walk with posters that learners have created after research...
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Section Two: Why is Biodiversity Important?
Explore soil, genetic traits, natural resources, and pollution in a series of lessons that focus on biodiversity. Kids complete experiments to learn more about the importance of varied genes and organisms in an ecosystem.
Federal Reserve Bank
Piggy Bank Primer: 25 Cents Worth of History
It's all about money. Here's a resource that introduces kids to the Federal Reserve System, different coins produced by the mints, and fun facts about state coins.
DePaul University
Contrast and Evaluate Fact and Opinion
How can you tell when an author is expression an opinion or stating a fact? Use two short reading selections to emphasize the difference between a statement that you can prove and one that you can't. The first passage explains food...
Curated OER
Inquiry into Infectious Disease: It's a Germy World After All
Students choose a question from a given list and develop an investigation about it. In this biology activity, students analyze bacterial growth by carrying out a guided experiment. They present their findings in class.
Curated OER
Born Gay
Is a person's sexual orientation determined at birth? With the informative website, scholars prepare for a debate about the topic. They learn the top pro and con arguments and read through a historical timeline of homosexuality. They...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Saved from the Gallows — the Trial of Leopold and Loeb
Was justice served for Bobby Franks? An informative article about the 1924 trial of Richard Loeb and Nathan Leopold includes an overview of the murder of Bobby Franks, the defense’s legal strategy, and excerpts of closing arguments from...
ProCon
Israeli - Palestinian Conflict
Many people think the best solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a two-state solution. After reviewing the available resources, scholars determine whether they agree with that approach. They analyze graphs and charts about...
Curated OER
Stampin' Around Chicago
Students discuss the United States Postal Service and choose an artifact from one decade. In this art lesson, students research how the artifact chosen relates to Chicago and the United States. Students create their own postage stamp...
Pearson
The Comparative
A lecture on comparative adjectives is good, but an engaging presentation is better! Take learners through the rules of comparing one thing to another with a slideshow about how some experiences can be better or worse than others.
Curated OER
The Pythagorean Puzzle
An engaging hands-on activity is presented. Learners of all ages are addressed in thie unique plan. K-5 learners identify, name, and define a rectangle, square, triangle, and the concept of area. Older learners prove the Pythagorean...
Curated OER
Land Use
Students examine ecosystems that covered Illinois 200 years ago, investigate some living and non-living components of ecosystems, identify components of prairie system, create food webs, and observe human effects on environment. Lessons...
Curated OER
Mapping the Prairie
Fifth graders study maps of the Chicago area looking at defining characteristics and place names. They investigate settlement patterns by looking at the maps.
Curated OER
Passport to Africa
Students begin the lesson by reading a novel about the diversity of geography in Africa. They are to create an oral report based on information they research. They also communicate with someone through email about the situation in Africa.
Curated OER
Indirect Observation
Students observe obscertainers through indirect observations and make hypotheses about the internal wall structures of the containers. In this indirect observation lesson plan, students make observations of 4 obscertainers with a steel...
Curated OER
Tower of Hanoi
Students look for a pattern to solve an ancient puzzle. In this logic and reasoning math lesson, students work to solve the problem of moving the Tower of Hanoi, then listen to a legend about a monk moving a 64-disc tower and determine...
Curated OER
Working on the Railroad
Students plan a trip on the railroad. In this railroad creation and implementation lesson, students listen to the song "Working on the Railroad", make a map of where the track was laid and discuss the geographical challenges. Students...
Curated OER
Structure of Seeds and Effects of Fertilizer on Plant Growth
Investigate the structure of seeds and the effects of fertilizer on the growth of plants. Young scientists observe a peanut and determine if it is a monocot or dicot plant. They plant seeds and make varying solutions of fertilizer, then...