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How Solar Cells Work
Students create electricity. In this solar energy lesson, students role play how photovoltaic cells change sunlight into electricity.  Students discuss the experiment and create their own diagram of the model.Â
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Log Cabin in a Thunderstorm Lesson Plan
Students work on a K-W-L chart about electrical storms, lightening, and thunder. They discuss how meteorologists forecast storms and research their answers which are shared in a whole class setting. Using art supplies, they draw dwelling...
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Larger Than Life
Learners research the Spanish artist Francisco de Goya and his use of fantasy and allegory in his artwork. After reading either classic or contemporary fantasy stories, they discuss how Goya might have illustrated the stories. Students...
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Labor Day Workers Cube
Students examine the history of celebrating Labor Day and discuss the important role blue-collar workers play in the country's economy. After discussion, they create a cube displaying drawings of various jobs they admire. Panels of cube...
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Kwanzaa Window Book
Learners research Kwanzaa, focusing on the seven principles used in celebration, with an artistic lesson. They design their own window books to demonstrate comprehension of the principles and symbols of Kwanzaa in words and pictures.
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King of the Forest
Students in a special education classroom use the internet to research the characteristics of the rainforest. Individually, they decide whether to write a short story or poem with a main character who lives in the rainforest. To end the...
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Juneteenth Proclamation Jubilation
Learners research the U.S. holiday Juneteenth and examine the historical elements that contributed to the delayed announcement of the emancipation of slaves in Texas. They recreate a facsimile of the Emancipation Proclamation with the...
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Make a Solar Oven
Students build a solar oven. In this Science lesson, students construct a functional solar oven. Students design the oven and explain the energy concepts involved.
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Growing a Native American "Three Sisters" Garden
Students explore plant life by creating their own gardens in class. In this food growing instructional activity, students discuss the types of gardening methods Native Americans used in order to keep healthy. Students plant corn seeds in...
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Jobs in Our Classroom
Students brainstorm jobs that help contribute to a smooth running classroom. After identifying responsibilities and skills necessary for each job, they created "Help Wanted" posters. Students design their own letterhead and submit...
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Interviews and Beyond
Students get to know their classmates by interviewing them. Individually, they develop questions they want to know about their classmates and ask one a week. To end the lesson, they use a tissue box to draw their partner and the answers...
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MAUS Cloze Procedure
Determine if the graphic novel Maus, by Art Spiegelman, is an appropriate reading level for your class by performing this cloze activity. Kids read the passage and attempt to complete the sentences on a second or third read through. All...
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Reading Comprehension 3 (Level 7)
Have you ever been in a hot air balloon? Whether your readers are English language learners or native speakers, assess their reading comprehension with this short passage and the seven multiple-choice questions that follow. A detailed...
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Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: The Cloze Procedure
Is your class prepared to read Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? Do they have the reading level necessary to truly comprehend the novel? Use the cloze procedure (detailed here) to determine if this text is appropriate for your class. The first...
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Falling Leaves Poetry Spinners
Why settle for autumn leaves as classroom decorations when you could use autumn poetry? After taking a nature walk and collecting fall artifacts, including seed pods and fallen leaves, learners demonstrate the movement of the season with...
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Egyptian Tomb Treasures
Students are taught that the culture and customs of ancient Egyptian civilization. They recognize Egyptian symbols, patterns, and artwork. Students demonstrate their knowledge of Egyptian funeral procedures by creating replica sarcophagi.
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Barrels and Buckets: Access to Water - What Would It Be Like to Live in Africa?
Students compare water access in the United States with that of Africa. In this water access lesson, students located Ghana and Kenya on a globe before reading Peace Corps Volunteer accounts of the difficulty of accessing clean water....
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Celebrate Change
Students develop fantasy creatures and characters, describing personalities in terms of gestures, actions, and expressions displayed. Then they make fantasy masks, focusing on shape, form, proportion, line, and emphasis to demonstrate...
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Castles With Character
Students read historic or contemporary fiction that is set in and around castles. Then they build castles and characters to use in retelling stories, demonstrating their understanding of fiction texts and period architecture. Students...
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Castle in the Sun
Students use the internet to find pictures of castles throughout Europe. After reading stories about castles, they use recycled boxes to build their own. To end the lesson, they write their own script and act it out in front of their...
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Building Up Books
Students participate in a book club in which they share the setting, characters and plot of the book they read. Individually, they make a list of the most important or appealing features of the book on construction paper to try to...
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Bringing Rain
Students research folklore and scientific information about rain and water cycles. Then they communicate their understanding of water cycles by creating mobiles showing each stage. Students also write their own folk tales, explaining the...
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Bilingual Crossword Puzzle
Students assess new ways to strengthen and expand their vocabularies by creating crossword puzzles for their classmates to experience. They become aware that learning a new language can be a fun experience if approached with an open mind...
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Big-as-Life Book Report
Students read fiction or nonfiction books that stretch their reading levels. They reflect on the books they read with classmates and select a dynamic scene, colorful setting, or appealing characters to illustrate in a visual book report....