National Endowment for the Humanities
A Wrinkle in Time: The Board Game
Tackle some big questions about A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle with a board game project. As learners brainstorm for and complete their board games, they consider what helps and hinders Meg on her journey and why she succeeds in...
iCivics
Step One: We've Got Issues
What is the most pressing issue in your community? The resource helps you and your middle schoolers begin the process of doing something about it! Learners compare and contrast two pressing issues in their local counties by reading two...
Curated OER
Bird Interdisciplinary Possibilities
Students use a brainstorm of ideas to create an interdisciplinary approach to the Bird Protocol.
Curated OER
Bio-What
Students explore the concept of biodiversity. Through activities, they discover the importance of one species upon another. Students examine food webs, discuss animals interdependence upon one another, and brainstorm why biodiversity is...
Curated OER
Aerospace/Aeronautical Engineering: Build a Paper Airplane
Students brainstorm what it is like to fly on an airplane and discuss the parts of a plane. Students construct a paper plane of their own, decorate it, have a competition, and discuss the importance of each part of a plane and the role...
Curated OER
A New You!
Science learners journal familiar ways that the human body can regenerate or heal itself. In small groups, they research and create a poster of current information on stems cells and how they can be used to regenerate. The article for...
Curated OER
Prairie Predator and Prey
Fifth graders brainstorm a list of animals that live on the prairie, and classify them as predators and prey. They conduct interviews where they ask the animals what they need to look out for to sustain life on the prairie.
Curated OER
Animals on the Farm
Students work in groups to create a description of a farm animal. Other classmates try to guess the animal. The class discusses what farmers need to provide for each animal on their farm (food, shelter, veterinary care). Students...
Curated OER
Growing Up
Here is a sweet lesson that will help your young learners think of themselves in a new light. They compare themselves to babies, and brainstorm all of the ways that they are different from babies. They make a list of things they can do...
Curated OER
Plant a Tree
Students participate in a service project in their own community to gain an understanding of stewardship. They learn about basic plant needs. Students brainstorm what a plant needs to survive. They write to government officials informing...
Curated OER
Cool Inventions
Students explore inventions and inventors, focusing on the French-Candadian inventor of the snowmobile Joseph-Armand Bombardier. They brainstorm a list of inventions still to be created and then create their own invention from recycled...
Curated OER
Erase Neighborhood Hunger
Students research the varied causes of hunger and the effects malnutrition can have on people's bodies and minds. They brainstorm concrete steps they can take to help erase hunger and malnutrition. Students draw one or more ways that...
Curated OER
Erase Waste
Students brainstorm a list of objects that are thrown in the trash each day and come up with alternative uses for the trash. They design a 3-D poster to display their ideas to recycle and reuse items creately to personally erase waste.
Curated OER
Safety First
Learners work in groups to brainstorm safety rules everyone should follow: at home, at school, in very hot or cold weather, in case of fire, or while playing outside, eating, riding in cars, or interacting with animals. They pick one...
Curated OER
Sunken Treasures
Students brainstorm what they believe can be found at the bottom of the ocean. Individually, they choose one of the four oceans to research the types of items found in them over time. To end the lesson, they make those objects into 3-D...
California Academy of Science
Fresh Solutions: Design Thinking Challenge
How do people transport fresh water long distances to ensure everyone has access to it? The final instructional activity in the 10-part Fresh Solutions unit encourages individuals to design their own solution, or solutions, to that very...
Curated OER
Exploring Forest Objects
Students explore the forest. In this ecosystems lesson, students rotate through sensory activity centers, brainstorm, and read about temperate forests.
Curated OER
Making Recycled Paper
Students explore paper making. In this tree conservation ecology lesson, students brainstorm ways paper is used in daily life. Students examine paper fiber using a magnifying glass. Students make paper following a step by step procedure...
Virginia Department of Education
A Designed Organism
How can you encourage pupils to demonstrate creativity while still meeting the objective of applying technical knowledge? This activity is your answer! Scientists will create an imaginary creature and prepare a graphic organizer with...
Curated OER
Cool! Awesome! What is it?
Students work in small groups to brainstorm hypotheses about mysterious science photographs, read and interpret answers to the science photographs, cooperatively develop a set of clues for the images and develop their own science photo...
Curated OER
Bees and Honey
Students are challenged to build a bee home out of provided materials and discover a way to produce a new flavor of honey. Students research beekeeping and honey production and brainstorm possible ideas for bee homes and honey production...
Curated OER
The Community Forest
Fourth graders plant a tree. In this sustainable forestry lesson, 4th graders define community forest and brainstorm a location to plant a new tree on the school grounds. Students learn how to plant a tree and discuss choosing an...
Curated OER
I Went Walking
Young scholars take pictures. In this nature walk lesson, students read I Went Walking and brainstorm a list of things they might see on a nature trail. Young scholars take pictures of things they see on the nature trail, write a caption...
Curated OER
The Book of Life
Students discuss the factors that make a good children's book. After reading an article, they explore the prevalence of science in children's literature. In groups, they research a topic and translate it into easy language for a child...