Curated OER
Food Chains
Fourth graders investigate food chains. They review cycles and discuss ecosystems. They select an environment and create a food chain in small groups. They write their food chain and label it for the class to evaluate. They create...
Curated OER
Evaluating Information Resources
Students identify at least five aspects to be examined in determining the validity of information presented on a website. They classify websites into highly trustable, trustable or questionable information sources. In addition, they...
Curated OER
What's Legal with Music on the Web?
Student research legalities of downloading music from Internet, gather information on citizens who have been charged with downloading/copyright crimes, find out who is working to create new laws dealing with this technology, explore what...
National Constitution Center
Explore Rights Around the World
How has the American Bill of Rights influenced the rest of the world? An interactive web activity helps individuals see the similarities between countries' bills of rights. A text-to-text tool compares the American Bill of Rights to...
Curated OER
Who Says?
Students evaluate websites for scientific accuracy and usefulness. They explore various content evaluation criteria and observe a demonstration on evaluating web sites. They select and evaluate a website for its content information on a...
Curated OER
Shakespeare and Poe Teach Six-Trait Writing
A Six-Trait Writing instructional activity helps your middle schoolers liven up their word choice and shows them how to evaluate their own writing. Class members take a close look at the language used in poems by Shakespeare, Kipling,...
Curated OER
The Internet of Things: IoT
How has the Internet of Things affected our lives? Scholars examine the massive influence of mobile devices in this analysis activity, which begins with a seven-minute documentary clip. They also read a New York Times article (linked)...
Curated OER
Evaluating Material By Using Quotations
Twelfth graders examine how to evaluate reading material by using direct quotations. They read a Newsweek magazine article, answer questions, underline the passage that supports their written response, and write a letter to a senator...
Curated OER
Blue Planet: Open Ocean
Young scholars research facts about animal species. In this ocean lesson students view a video, prepare illustrated cards and create a food-web display.
Curated OER
Discovering New Species
Students identify animals observed by Lewis and Clark while evaluating the animal's habitat and describing the animal's behavior. Students construct a food web mobile to illustrate the animal's position in the food web in the 19th...
Curated OER
Strategic Skill: Evaluating Information Quality Using Electronic Sources
Fourth graders review and complete evaluating information quality. In groups, they research the diversity of the numerous Native American tribes in Montana. They complete a worksheet on evaluating sources on the Internet and share...
Curated OER
Nellie Bly's Newspaper Club: Introducing the Science of Writing
Students evaluate a video about Nellie Bly, a famous reporter from the 19th century. They consider what makes a high-interest news article, write an essay in pairs and present it a literary tea.
Social Media Toolbox
Reporting with Social Media
What does it take to create news stories that are both informative and objective? Aspiring journalists walk the line between engagement and activism with lesson 15 of a 16-part series titled The Social Media Toolbox. Grouped pupils...
Polar Trec
Why Can’t I Eat This Fish?
Can turning on the television lead to toxins in the food supply? The lesson offers an opportunity for young scientists to complete guided research. A worksheet lists each question as well as the web page necessary to answer the question....
Curated OER
Planets And Moons Web Quest
Students work with a partner using the Internet to find the answers to a web quest about space exploration. They work in cooperative groups to discuss information and evaluate its importance to space exploration.
Curated OER
Forest Stewardship Library Media Center Resources
Students develop their technology skills by accessing web sites and evaluating information. In this research lesson students research forestry topics and write a paragraph on the accessed websites.
Curated OER
You're the Expert Now
Students evaluate information about mental illness for accuracy and relevance as they examine brochures developed in the lesson by their classmates. Data about mental illness is revisited and adjusted for additional information obtained...
Curated OER
World Trade Center Design Proposals
Students explore architectural design. In this critical thinking and architecture lesson, students view a number of websites providing proposals for design plans of a new World Trade Center. Students choose and evaluate three possible...
Curated OER
You're Special
Students utilize a new language to tell someone they care for them. In this complimenting lesson plan, students practice saying nice things to friends and strangers in their target language. Students react to the lesson plan afterwards...
Curated OER
Online and Off the Record
Students evaluate how effectively teen Web sites abide by privacy protections of the studenT Online Privacy Protection Act. They write letters to the Webmasters offering recommendations for improving the privacy and appeal of the sites...
Curated OER
All the News That's Fit to Blog
Students critique three Web logs, each of which offers first-hand accounts, but reflect different points-of-view, on the war in Iraq; students write a response to one of the entries and analyze what they learned about the war from the...
Curated OER
Design and Construction of an Eco-House
Students are able to design, construct, evaluate and recommend materials for planned Eco-house to be built on campus. They investigate about good design and plan for construction. Students have a greater knowledge and appreciation of...
Curated OER
"I WONDER!"
Students explore a variety of age-appropriate resources. They answer a teacher-selected question about a science or social studies topic. They locate and review age-appropriate resources and provide practice in using the resources...
Curated OER
Understanding Scientific and Social Implications: Acid Rain
Students examine the social and scientific implications of acid rain. In this acid rain lesson plan, students read an article about acid rain, the causes of acid rain, the effects of acid rain on the environment and the proposals to...