What do Robert Downey Jr., Basil Rathbone, Jeremy Brett, Fritz Weaver, Roger Moore, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Daffy Duck have in common? Why, it’s elementary, my dear Watson! They all have portrayed Sherlock Holmes. Literary detectives...

Students develop a list of criteria for a book trailer. In this book trailer lesson, students review book trailers, create storyboards and use Photo Story 3 to create book trailers. Students create a mini-webquest to review copyrights.

Learn about the California Gold Rush from an institution that has been in place since the early days of the American West: Wells Fargo History Museum. From domain-specific vocabulary review to group research projects, an expansive packet...

Young journalists write diary entries from the point of view of a person involved in a historical event. They focus on including facts, clear narration, and accurate description of the individual's feelings. 

Students bring in a collection of discarded books. Using the book, they turn it into a piece of art that shows a specific theme. They can use a variety of media and techniques to put their book back together. They are graded based on...

Who named the shapes, or the days of the week? Should words be removed from the dictionary if they're no longer commonly used? Are there too many words in the English language? Language arts students explore these and additional...

Students make several models of the solar system to learn the positions of the planets in the solar system as well as relative distances and sizes. Creation of these models will help them identify the planets by size, shape, color,...

Young scholars brainstorm a list of potential uses for micro-video technologies. After reading an article, they analyze the development of a new pill-sized camera. In groups, they create a children's book that shows them the various...

Middle schoolers examine the Push Pull Theory of immigration. In this lesson on immigration, students explore primary sources to discover several reasons why people migrate. They will then present skits to share this information. Finally...

High schoolers analyze the problems with staging and character using the play Julius Caesar. They summarize the final scene of the play and view film versions of the scene. Additionally, they prepare a promptbook for the final scene and...

Americans may think of Mount Everest as a region dedicated to adventurous hikers, but many cultures have flourished there! Learners read informative books, watch videos, participate in classroom discussion, analyze folk tales, and...

Students choose a book and read it with a partner throughout the week. They discuss and evaluate the text with their partner as well as complete a question form. They desing and choose a way to present their book to their peers in the...

Students practice compassion. In this character education lesson plan, student read Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud. Students discuss the book as well as ways to demonstrate they care for one another. Students fill...

Explore descriptive writing and visual art. Listen to the story Go Away Big, Green Monster by Ed Emberley and generate a list of adjectives used in the book. Name familiar shapes and create a shapes list. Choose an adjective and shape to...

Students transform a discarded book into a creative art work of art that encompasses a theme and utilizes a variety of media and techniques.

Students hear of the recent discovery of a group of planets orbiting the star Upsilon Andromedae. Each student create a page about an element of the universe,

Designed specifically for lower elementary pupils, this is a great biographical research project in which students research a famous American, and then design creative poster boards to help them "become" the famous...

Fifth graders apply math to real-world situations. In this mathematics lesson, 5th graders are read the book, "Math Curse," which discusses ways in which math is used each day. Students then write a sequel to the book in groups,...

Young scholars brainstorm images and themes associated with the American Fourth of July holiday. They create illustrated posters to explain the processes or history behind these themes.

students read the Ghost of Caesar scene and use prompt books to stage the scene. In this Shakespeare lesson, students read the scene and then stage the scene. Students make prompt books for the staging activity and then perform the scenes.

High schoolers write, illustrate, and narrate studenT books in German using at least 20 German vocabulary words.

Students explore the publishing roles of author and illustrator. Stories are written and the illustration done by other students. Answers to several questions act as a motivating force for the creation of the stories.

Young scholars write letters, create models, create a photo display, and make charts about the rules that a state has. In this rules lesson plan, students learn about and make different displays of how states come up with rules, change...

Students create an airship that doesn't use fossil fuel. In this flying activity, students research different types of flying machines that only use wind power. They discuss invention designs by Alexander Graham Bell and Leonardo Da...