Berkshire Museum
Adopt a Schoolyard Tree
Help young scientists connect with nature and learn about trees with a fun life science lesson. Heading out into the school yard, children choose a tree to adopt, taking measurements, writing descriptions, and drawing sketches of it in...
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What Is Viscosity?
Students experiment with the visocosity of corn syrup, mineral oil, vegetable oil, water, and honey. They research viscosity before beginning. Pupils draw the conclusion that the marble sinks more slowly in the liquids with greater...
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Andy Warhol Animals
Students view and identify the colors on the color wheel. After viewing a PowerPoint, they discuss the reasons why animals become endangered. They examine the life and works of Andy Warhol and review contour drawing. To end the...
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Learning with Technology and Literature
Students practice their reading comprehension by utilizing computers. In this education technology instructional activity, students utilize a drawing program such as Microsoft Paint to draw pictures based upon the story they read, The...
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Movement Adventure
Pupils discover movement and pantomime techniques in this adventurous story telling experience for kindergarten. Assessment is done through a short question and answer session and students drawing the "adventure".
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Musical Instruments - Woodwinds
Students assemble and examine typical European orchestral woodwind instruments, determine how the instruments change pitch, identify common orchestral woodwind instruments by sound, and research a non-Euro-centric woodwind instrument in...
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Teaching the Five Themes of Geography Through Picture Books
Read the story Make Way for Ducklings and introduce little ones to the five themes of geography. Reread the story, while displaying transparencies to reinforce the five themes. In groups, learners view pictures and identify the themes on...
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Cardinal Directions
Young scholars discover cardinal directions through the use of digital cameras, compasses, and file folders in this technology-based lesson for early elementary students. Emphasis is placed on student practice and inquiry.
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Nutrition and the Media: Cereal Box Consumerism
How many treats do you buy each week? Learners investigate diets and how the media tricks consumers into purchasing unhealthy snacks. They will investigate the designs and logos affiliated with cereal boxes and identify specific phrases...
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Everybody Needs a Little Sunshine
Three activities introduce upper elementary ecologists to photosynthesis and food webs. In the first, an experiment is set up to determine how plants respond to different types of light. In the second, they connect organism cards with...
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Classroom Potlatch
Elementary schoolers study the history and purpose of potlatches. The listen to two stories about potlatches, then design a potlatch that they will host for their family members. They must come up with the gifts they would give, the...
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Earth Day - Grow A Seed Garden
Young scholars discover how things grow and how they can take better care of the environment in this Earth Day lesson for the elementary classroom. The activity can be accomplished in one day and left in the sun until the "beans" begin...
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World at Peace
Students explore world peace by creating a PowerPoint presentation. In this human rights lesson, students discuss the current conditions of human rights around the planet and view an on-line exhibit hosted by UNICEF. Students discuss...
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Food on the Map
Students work together to examine the tastiest towns in the United States. After discovering the names of the equipment, they identify the seven continents. They take a survey and locate the cities and states of the foods mentioned.
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Introduction of Primary Sources: Introduction to TDC site (Lesson 3)
First graders are introduced to using a database as a primary source. Using the internet, they choose a site of artifacts and practice navigating through the site. They identify an artifact and draw them on a large piece of white...
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Word Books
Students explore art and writing. They create a word book consisting of new words that they come across in their reading or words they hear from people. Students create a cover for their word books.
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The Five Senses - Magic School Bus
Students identify five senses, draw parts of body that relate to each of the senses, hear different sounds in the environment, write those experiences in their journals, and list at least four objects/things that relate to each of the...
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Your Amazing Body
Students examine the different body systems and how they are interdependent on each other. In this body systems instructional activity students draw the body and its parts.
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Crazy Hair
Students decorate small styrofoam cups with faces and plant grass seeds in the cups in this Science and Art lesson for the early-elementary classroom. Emphasis is placed upon the science of seed growth. The lesson includes resource links.
Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary
B. Franklin, Printer and the Public Eye
Students explore U.S. history by researching famous Americans. In this Benjamin Franklin lesson plan, students read portions of a biography about Franklin and identify his position within U.S. politics and as a leader in the battle for...
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Challenge to Communicate
Students use Lewis and Clark's journals to identify the forms of non-verbal communication they used. They discover the problems they faced on their journey and how they overcame them. They practice using the non-verbal language of the...
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Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
Students demonstrate beginning reading strategies. In this Chicka Chicka Boom Boom lesson plan, students identify upper case letters of the alphabet while relating them to a selection of literature.
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Rules and Responsibilities: Youth and the Process of Change
First graders analyze politics by participating in a class rules instructional activity. In this democracy instructional activity, 1st graders identify several class and school rules they dislike and conduct discussions to examine if...
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Changing Images of Childhood in America: Colonial, Federal and Modern England
Learners compare and contrast maps of New Haven, Connecticut from today and the past. After taking a field trip, they draw sketches of the types of architecture and discuss how the buildings have changed over time. They read journal...