Curated OER
Create the Ideal City
Students examine the significance of city planning. They analyze maps, develop a crossword puzzle using vocabulary terms, and create a diagram of an ideal city and describe the features that make it healthy for the economy, the...
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Designing an Earthquake-resistant Structure
Students attempt to design and build the most stable "earthquke resistant" structure. They create model buildings and test them on a shake table to see which design holds up the best.
Michigan Sea Grant
Great Lakes, Great Careers
Pupils play a question-asking game to investigate careers relating to marine and aquatic science, then conduct research to further investigate the career of their choice—examples range from marine veterinarian to underwater...
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Fields of the Future
Students investigate India's technology outsourcing, and examine their own career choices to determine what technology is required in the field. Students dermine how careers have changed over time and speculate future changes, then write...
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What is Entrepreneurship?
Eighth graders describe the entrepreneurial process and how it relates to the economy. They work together in small groups to answer questions and participate in small business groups. They use the internet to gather information as well.
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Reach For The Sky
Learners consider alternative designs for a tall building and choose one of their designs to build. As a final step, they design and construct a model of a skyscraper.
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Keep on Standing!!
Students conduct research on the Internet about earthquakes and buildings that have withstood them. They suggest designs for future buildings. They create models of their suggested designs. Their models are tested in an earthquake...
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Building a Personal and Career Portfolio
Students build an on-going personal and career portfolio that be useful in creating an Annual Education Plan or for applying for college or scholarships or for applying for a job.
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Cookie Creations
Students, in teams, create and prepare an original cookie recipe. They market their cookie by designing creative packaging and advertising. They compete with other groups in a cookie contest.
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The Kindness Company
Middle schoolers organize themselves into a simulated company complete with applications, interviews and training. They identify a community need they can fulfill related to cooking or sewing and work to make and deliver the designated...
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Watching the Watchers
Students identify, explore, and analyze the effects of their daily exposure to advertising.
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Math and Architecture Lesson
Students examine relationship between architecture and math, explore importance of inventions to humanity and relate math and architecture to their school and home by creating graphs, tables, and presentations showing development of...
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To Protect And Serve? Debating Police Misconduct And Reform
Students discuss purpose of law enforcement, its relationship to the community it serves, and ways to combat police misconduct.
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Energy Efficient Appliances
Students use the Internet to research energy efficient appliances. They discover tips on how to save energy in the home and how to read the EnergyGuide labels. They also examine ways to reduce the amount of water that is used.
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Built To Last
Students face the challenges of building big, functional structures, like bridges, domes and skyscrapers. They turn their talents to satisfying clients who have hired them to design their new home.
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Hunger at Home
Students discuss the plight of the homeless in the U.S. and in their own community. They participate in a food drive for a local shelter. They role play being homeless and discover what it would be like to not have food or shelter.
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The "Ad" Survey-What Makes a Print Ad Convincing?
Students develop opinions from a variety of materials, recognize and analyze bias, propaganda and stereotypes, and evaluate effectiveness of print advertisements.
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Technology and Medicine
Young scholars watch a video and continue with research of Ancient Rome and the quest for knowledge. They form expert groups to study one aspect of life in Ancient Rome and share with the rest of the class.
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Linoleum Reduction Print Quilts
Learners identify quilt designs along with the meanings and symbolism behind those designs. They explain the uses of a quilt and the controversial connection to the Underground Railroad.
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Food, Food, And More Food From Plants!
Learners examine the edible parts of a plant and explore their function. They define what makes a fruit classified as a fruit. They create a sketch or map or photo of a 1930s farm and justify their plant selections.
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"Finding" Horsepower
Students investigate horsepower as a unit of power. They examine history and discover that scientists and engineers of high achievement are considered to be among the most valued contributors to their culture.
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No Lights Tonight
Students explore use of batteries and electrical power on farms in the 1930s.
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Life Before Electricity
Middle schoolers describe life before the introduction of electricity, and debate the implications of the introduction of electricity on society.