Center Science Education
Torrents, Droughts, and Twisters - Oh My!
What is causing the extreme weather happening around the planet? Middle and high schoolers read about climate change as a possible link to such phenomena. Then they form groups to discuss and research one of the types of weather events....
IBM
The Human Body
Every moment, the systems in your body are working together to keep you breathing, standing, and thinking. Elementary schoolers explore the human body and its systems with an impressive, 15-page lesson plan that should leave your...
Science 4 Inquiry
Musical Vibes with Palm Pipes
Ancient people used musical pipes as early as the third millennium BCE. Young scientists explore the workings of musical pipes to better understand the relationship with frequency, length of pipe, and sound waves. They determine the...
Curated OER
Improving Discussion Lessons
Students participate in group activities to stimulate group discussions. They respond to statements by listening, reacting, reading, and modifying them. They discuss the statements of their group and listen to those created by the other...
Curated OER
Word Identification Lesson
Third graders listen to a list of Fall words and then repeat them aloud as a class. They discover how to count syllables either by holding their hand under their chin or clapping and practice together as a class and then split into small...
Curated OER
Top Ten Summer Lesson Plans: Make the Kick Off to Summer Fun!
The right summer lesson plans can help both teachers and students spend the final days of school in a fun and productive way.
Curated OER
Lesson 2: Identifying an Author's Purpose (part 2)
Keep reinforcing the concept of author's purpose with a practice activity. After discussing the three purposes of writing, third graders will complete a graphic organizer intended to help them pin point textual evidence that proves...
Carnegie Mellon University
How Power Plants Work 2
In this second of three lessons on power plants, future engineers find out how we generate electricity and how coal-powered plants operate. They work in small groups to make electromagnet generators to light LED bulbs. A set of...
Curated OER
Classify By Topic
Students explore and evaluate poetry. In small groups, they read and summarize poems, complete a handout, create and perform a dramatization of a poem, and write a journal entry in response to their performance.
California Academy of Science
Sustainable Fishing in the Philippines
Understanding the importance of sustainable fishing practices is fostered through a classroom game. In small groups, the class plays a fishing game where they can see first-hand, the effects of thoughtless fishing practices. After the...
Curated OER
Speak a Little Clearer!
What are the characteristics of effective public speaking? Emerging orators choose a fairy tale to present orally to the class. After modeling yourself, divide the class into small groups, having them critique each others' oral...
Curated OER
A Sailing We Will Go!
Fifth graders investigate the journey that Magellan took around the world. Small groups conduct research on a ship that went on Magellan's voyage, write the story of their ship, and create a class dance that demonstrates the route taken...
Curated OER
The Story of the Solar System
There is more to the solar system than the typical study of the sun and planets. Launch a study of asteroids, meteoroids, and comets by watching the video The Story of the Solar System, available for purchase through this resource on the...
Curated OER
Economics: Actions of Government
Students examine the susceptibility of legislators to agricultural lobbyists to support subsidy programs. In small groups, they role-play as members of interest groups that might be affected by inflation.
Curated OER
Building With Blends
Understanding consonant blends is crucial for young readers. In this language arts lesson plan, students examine consonant blends, and play the folder game, "Building With Blends," in small groups. The game is especially engaging!
Curated OER
Radio News
Part of a larger unit from the Media Awareness Network on media literacy, this particular lesson plan focuses on the medium of news radio. Small groups participate in discussions on their radio listening habits as well as the...
Curated OER
Puffin Patrol
Bird diversity and the majestic puffin are the topics of today's lesson. Children discuss and look at images of puffins, and then they use felt to put a puffin body together. After that they talk about what and how puffins eat. They get...
Curated OER
Add or Subtract Whole Numbers Up to 1000
Elementary schoolers solve practice problems on the board and are shown how to line up the numbers for addition. They solve various addition problems in small groups. Everyone continues the same process for solving subtraction problems.
Curated OER
Exploring and Oregon Commodity
A fun (and delicious!) lesson teaches measurement to your third graders. They work in small groups to first predict, then to measure the weight, circumference, and number of seeds found in a watermelon. Everyone gets to eat watermelon...
Curated OER
HEROs Project
What does it take to be a hero? In small groups, middle schoolers design a hero by identifying heroic characteristics and recording responses on an online blog. Use this lesson as an extension in a literature unit about a heroic...
Curated OER
Great Rivers 2: The Ups and Downs of River Flooding
Second in a three-part lesson plan on rivers, this lesson plan focuses on the flooding that occurs in riparian locations. First, learners take a look at facts about the Amazon River. They read online materials and fill in a worksheet as...
Curated OER
How Simple Is Your Rational Expression?
Investigate simplifying rational expressions. Learners define rational expressions, review how numerators and denominators are polynomials and complete several problems using a checklist to ensure they don't skip any steps. Work can be...
Curated OER
Jay Gatsby's Souvenir Scrapbook
Young scholars create a Power Point scrapbook that compiles memorabilia representing the life of Jay Gatsby. They read the novel, "The Great Gatsby" and conduct internet research using the "American Twenties" website. In small groups,...
Curated OER
A Small Book of Small Things
Young scholars explore size relationships as they collect pictures of the small things in their world. In this early childhood math and literacy lesson, students gain an understanding of size differences and develop fine-motor and...