Towson University
Looking Backwards, Looking Forward
How do scientists know what Earth's climate was like millions of years ago? Young environmental scholars discover how researchers used proxy data to determine the conditions present before written record. Grouped pupils gain experience...
Towson University
It's a Gassy World!
How much does your class know about the relationship between climate change and carbon dioxide? Science scholars explore the nature of greenhouse gases and rising ocean temperature through demonstrations, research, and experiments. The...
ThoughtCo
Back to School Means...(Concept Web)
Going back to school doesn't have to be scary! Brainstorm what Back to School means with a concept web graphic organizer.
ThoughtCo
When My Work is Finished
The most chaotic time in the classroom can be when some people are finished with their work, but others aren't. A checklist and reflection worksheet reminds learners what their options are after finishing their work, including reading,...
ThoughtCo
Compare and Contrast
How was your summer vacation? Encourage class members to meet their new friends with a back-to-school activity that compares summer vacations using a Venn diagram.
George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum
Teaching Primary and Secondary Sources
What makes a source primary or secondary? Middle schoolers read a definition of each term before exploring different examples and applying their knowledge to a research project.
American Physiological Society
Sit On It
How do product designers come up with the variety of things we see in stores and on TV every day? They identify a need, then create something that meets that need. Sounds simple, right? A two-week lesson puts seventh graders in that role...
American Physiological Society
Why is Kettle Corn Cooked in Copper Pots?
The kitchen — it's not just for eating anymore! Specific heat is often a difficult concept to grasp, so give it context by relating it to cooking. Learners gain experience in the principles of thermal energy transfer by designing an...
American Physiological Society
How Does the Density of a Liquid Affect the Buoyancy of an Object?
Here's a lesson plan that will really float your boat! Introduce physical science scholars to the relationship between buoyancy and density through an assortment of individual and collaborative exercises. Lab groups work together to...
American Physiological Society
It’s the Heart of the Matter
Get the class jumping for joy with a fascinating look at matters of the heart. Learners perform physical tasks, collect and analyze heart rate data, and study conditions that affect heart health. Use the action-packed lesson plan to...
American Physiological Society
Did I Observe it or Infer it?
Take the mystery out of inquiry! When young scientists learn to use their keen powers of observation to make smart inferences about a situation, they are well on their way to understanding what the scientific method is all about. Using...
Virginia Department of Education
Quadrilateral Sort
If only you had a Sorting Hat to sort out quadrilaterals. Learners sort cutouts of quadrilaterals based on their properties and attributes. A flowchart helps them organize the results of the activity.
Virginia Department of Education
Integers: Multiplication and Division
Rules are meant to be broken ... but not integer multiplication and division rules. Learners use chips to model integer multiplication and division. The results of the activity help them develop integer rules for these operations.
California Education Partners
Vincent Van Gogh
Living in someone's shadow would be difficult for anyone, including one of the most talented artists of the modern age. Middle schoolers read an excerpt from Vincent Van Gogh: Portrait of an Artist by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan...
California Education Partners
The Road Not Taken
An effective lesson plan truly can make all the difference. Seventh graders read, analyze, and annotate Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken" before writing an essay about what they believe to be the theme of the iconic poem.
California Education Partners
Eleven
It is difficult to articulate how growing up feels as accurately and beautifully as Sandra Cisneros does in her short story "Eleven." After seventh graders read the story and note the author's use of figurative language, they respond to...
Chymist
Esters: An Introduction to Organic Chemistry Reactions
Scratch and sniff an introduction to organic chemical reactions. A creative lesson has individuals study the esters commonly used in scratch-and-sniff stickers and advertisements. Following the lab procedure, scholars create the organic...
PACER Center
Student Action Plan Against Bullying!
Mighty changes are possible and are often the result of the actions of individuals. Like the high hopes that let the ant move a rubber tree plant, the determination of one person to take a stand against bullying can make a difference....
Do2Learn
Topic Tree
Here's a graphic that provides learners a place to record their ideas on any topic. After identifying a subject, they record their ideas within the follage of the tree.
Do2Learn
T-Chart (Basic)
T-charts make a great note taking tool. Here's a template for a basic one appropriate for all learners and all subject areas.
Do2Learn
T-Chart (Topics of Conversation)
A T-chart matrix provides learners with a way to record the different responses to a conversation.
Do2Learn
Relationship Target
A graphic organizer focuses on relationship dynamics. Users fill in the various rings that indicate how close their relationships are.
Do2Learn
Behavioral Thermometer
Monitor behavior with a thermometer worksheet. Whether it's reinforcing positive behavior, managing negative behavior, or finding a way to record those boiling points, you can use the sheet in a variety of ways.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Elements of the Epic Hero Cycle
Here's a handy worksheet applicable to any study of epic heroes, including those in epic poetry. Readers record examples from their text that identify the quest, the tests, helpers and companions, as well as the low point, the...