Bring Internet research and social issues to your language arts class in this activity. After investigating the topic "Media Violence and How It Affects Teenagers" on the Internet, middle schoolers work in groups to compile their...

Stay up to date on current events as well as how the class views the issues. A performance task has scholars select a current event of interest and design a class survey on the topic. They conduct the survey, analyze, and report the...

What can layers of rock teach us about the climate? Young scientists solve a mystery about who stole a cookie by applying the law of superposition. Then, they apply the same concept to solve a more difficult mystery, trying to determine...

Use the Law of Cosines and the Law of Sines to solve problems using the sums of vectors. Pupils work on several different types of real-world problems that can be modeled using triangles with three known measurements. In the process,...

Present your pupils with some moral dilemmas to examine. The scenarios, which learners rank by seriousness individually and then in groups, require learners to think about right and wrong.

Sexual harassment and sexual violence are by no means new issues. What has changed is the role of social media in these issues. This powerful and troubling lesson uses a specific rape case to launch research into a discussion of the...

Put your knowledge of sample surveys to good use. Pupils begin by conducting a survey of class members. They identify an appropriate topic and sampling technique; collect and organize their data; compute and analyze statistical measures;...

What are the most important values a person possesses? Teens and parents take a collaborative survey and discuss what values are important to them. They return the signed form to the teacher to confirm they completed the activity. 

Find out if your class agrees with Ice Age: Continental Drift ... or if it's just a fun family movie! Class members research the theory of continental drift, examine evidence of plate tectonics, connect...

How did an investigation into the causes of the collapse of the Twin Towers, as a result of the 9/11 attacks, inform the construction of the new 1 World Trade Center? That is the central question of a resource that asks class members...

Collecting the data required to adequately assess school programs can be an overwhelming task. Simplify the process with a three-page worksheet that identifies the indicators for student achievement results, engagement data, discipline...

Learn about grammar the fun way! Eight activities about prepositions of time and place and phrasal verbs are sure to intrigue learners of all levels. Each activity requires minimal materials and set up, but will pay off in skills and...

Do not overlook this set of lessons just because your school does not have a data analysis system. There is plenty of material here to administer a complete mini unit on the formation, distribution, and properties of coal. Since it...

If I want to build up my heart, where should I start? Science scholars use statistics in a sports physiology setting during an insightful experiment. Groups measure resting and active heart rates and develop a scatter plot that shows the...

Role sheets clearly define expectations of all group members in this introduction to literature circles. By using a variety of picture books or short texts, readers can practice roles while the teacher circulates to each group observing...

Create a safe and respectful school environment with the help of this special education teaching guide. Offering dozens of instructional ideas and activities for raising awareness and acceptance of children with disabilities, this is a...

Learners analyze the evolution of cultural attitudes through the lens of transportation, examining several artifacts, documents, and photographs. Topics covered include how American attitudes have influenced society's evolution into a...

What do we do when a dive is too dangerous for humans to accomplish? Send in the robots! Middle school scientists get acquainted with several different models of submersible robots in the second instructional activity of six from NOAA....

A dollar bill, a check, a credit card, and... a cow? What exactly are the various forms of payment that exist today? Your learners will identify the three functions of money in this activity. In addition, they will discover the most...

How do we count the fish in the ocean? An engaging lesson plan models how to estimate fish populations with observational surveys. Class members begin by studying the behavior of fish on the coral reef in the oceans. They...

How do you summarize data that cannot be averaged? Using an exploratory method, learners complete a two-way frequency table on super powers. The subject matter builds upon 8th grade knowledge of two-way tables. 

Convey how to determine appropriate and credible online sources with a series of three lessons. After completing the lessons, class members will know what kinds of sources to use, how to identify credible sources, and how tone and style...

Introduce language learners to class behavior expectations, and each other, with activities that include greeting and name games, conducting a class survey, and creating a classroom rules poster.

Is social media the best way to convey news in your school? Young journalists dig deep into the social media question in the second of 16 lessons from The Social Media Toolbox. After learning about the relationship between social media...