Curated OER
Personal Responsibility
Young scholars write in their journals. For this writing and responsibility lesson, students write about personal responsibility. They have three writing choices to choose from that all deal with this central theme.
Curated OER
The Merchant of Venice
Pupils read parts of Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice. Using primary sources, they gain a glimpse into the early modern period's negative perceptions and stereotypes of human beings of African descent.
Curated OER
Guess that Scene: A Review of A Midsummer Night's Dream Through Performance
Young scholars rewrite and perform various scenes from the play, A Midsummer Night's Dream. In groups, they include the main quotes and ideas from their scene, perform it for the class, and identify which scene each group is performing.
Curated OER
Shakespeare in Parts
Students examine primary source manuscript fragments, discuss differences in performing a play without the entire script, and perform a scene from Twelfth Night with no preparation.
Curated OER
Haiku - Poetry of the Samurai Warrior
Students research the Samurai and their Haiku Writings. Students use internet research to gather information about the ancient Japanese Samurai. The students then create individual Haiku writings, and a cultural day is designated when...
Curated OER
Creating the Pamphlet
Middle schoolers create philanthropic brochures. In this philanthropy lesson, students make promotional pamphlets and offer theirs products to philanthropic organizations.
Curated OER
Setting Goals with Benjamin Franklin
Young scholars discuss historical accounts and accomplishments of "Benjamin Franklin" which exemplify good character traits. They create a display of paper keys which describe these traits. They relate these traits to their future...
Curated OER
Comparison of King Lear and King James
Young scholars learn of the comparisons between Shakespeare's play, King Lear, and the actual King James. They make historical connections through internet research.
Curated OER
Good Judgement and Honesty
Seventh graders write about the importance of honesty. In this character education lesson, 7th graders reflect about the value of honesty and following the rules. This lesson is part of a larger unit on honesty.
Curated OER
True and Honorable Wives?
Students discuss whether men or women are smarter. They divide into groups and review Act 2 of Julius Caesar and look for incidents of characters reading or mis-reading "signs", and making either wise or foolish decisions.
Curated OER
Artistic Differences
Students create self-portraits as an ice breaker at the beginning of the year. In this self portrait instructional activity students use generic child shaped outlines. Students include information about themselves in their outline such...
Curated OER
Chairs, Corduroys, Cottages, and Cars: Exploring the Diversity of Design
Young scholars create and present a theme-based exhibition. In this design activity, students categorize objects to reflect a specific design theme and create their own theme-based collections. Young scholars research a museum collection...
Tech Museum of Innovation
Balloon Astronaut
Design protection from high-speed particles. The STEM lesson plan highlights why astronauts need protection from space debris. Pupils use the design process to design, build, and test a spacesuit that will protect a balloon from a...
Tech Museum of Innovation
Tree House Escape
Use simple machines to escape from a tree house. Pupils learn about simple machines and how they are useful in everyday life in a STEM lesson. Groups then design a device to rescue a friend stuck in a tree house.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Don't Mess with Mercury (Lesson C)
The health effects of mercury exposure if the focus of the first of three activities about the properties of metals. Pairs research mercury to write, prepare, and share posters, articles, or PSAs with the class.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Don't Mess with Mercury (Lesson A)
Mercury is the only metal that is a liquid at room temperature. Teach your class this and many more interesting mercury facts by assigning an engaging task. A public relations activity, the exercise informs pupils of the hazards of...
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Don't Mess with Mercury (Lesson B)
At one point, people thought mercury was therapeutic for humans, but now we know it is highly toxic. The second of three activities covering mercury focuses on its health hazards if humans are exposed. Pairs research and answer questions...
Tech Museum of Innovation
Seed Dispersal
Engineering challenges are not just man-made ... nature has its own set of them. A hands-on STEM activity has groups designing a seed dispersal system. Each group can only use one sheet of paper — a tough task!
Channel Islands Film
Magic Isle: Lesson Plan 3
Middle schoolers complete a writing assessment task to demonstrate their ability to craft a narrative based on a variety of informational texts. They view West of the West's documentary Magic Isle, read three print resources about the...
Channel Islands Film
Santa Cruz Island Restoration Narrative
What would you be willing to do to save an animal from extinction? After re-viewing a video about the restoration of the Island Fox on Santa Cruz Island, individuals adopt the point of view of one of the key players in the debate and...
Channel Islands Film
Santa Cruz Island - Writing for Information
After re-viewing a documentary segment on the restoration of Santa Cruz Island,, individuals craft an essay in which they compare the views of the various stake holders featured in the video and identify the point of view they find the...
Channel Islands Film
Eminent Domain
After viewing the documentary The Last Roundup, a documentary about the transitioning of Santa Rosa from a privately own island to a National Park, class members debate the takings clause of the Fifth Amendment that permits the...
Channel Islands Film
Cache: Lesson Plan 4 - Grades 4-5
After viewing the West of the West's documentary Cache, individuals craft either a newspaper article chronicling the discovery of the cache on San Nicolas Island, a historical narrative of the placement of the cache in the cliff side, or...
Channel Islands Film
Island Rotation: Lesson Plan 1
How do scientists provide evidence to support the theories they put forth? What clues do they put together to create these theories? After watching West of the West's documentary Island Rotation class members engage in a series of...