Curated OER
Straight Talk On Tough Issues
Students engage in a activity that is focused upon the concept of breast cancer and research is conducted using a variety of reference sources. They reflect upon how different people deal with the tragedy of cancer and then students...
Curated OER
Fighting for Control
Engage your class in a class discussion examining and defend different sides of an argument about whether the Environmental Protection Agency should have the legal authority to regulate carbon dioxide emissions. They will have to...
Curated OER
Finding Promise in Compromise
Examine how the 'safe passage' for Palestinians between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank affects those living in Israel and reflects both conflict and cooperation between the Israelis and Palestinians. The class compares the perspective...
Curated OER
Ambassadors of Art
Have your class create their own art exhibit. Learners study the exchange of artwork between the Louvre in Paris and two American art museums, and create an introductory exhibit featuring European and American art from the Renaissance...
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A Zoo Book for All
A visit to the local zoo launches an integrated life science/ language arts research project into the habitat, feeding habits, offspring, lifespan, and other interesting facts about animals. Each group selects two animals to photograph...
Curated OER
Arti-Factual Evidence
Practice responding to controversial information with the New York Times lesson provided here. Middle schoolers watch a video interview with the director of The Lost Tomb of Jesus. After reading a companion article, they identify the...
Curated OER
Digging Up Artifacts On Line
Why is it important to preserve historical documents and artifacts? Examine the role of primary source documents and the availability of these documents on the Internet. Middle and high schoolers write a journal about the nature of...
Curated OER
Playing With Science
Young scientists investigate the scientific concepts and principles that help make common toys such as hula hoops, yo-yos, slinkies, and silly putty work. As a class, they read "Backyard Rocket Science, Served Wet" to get a look behind...
National Endowment for the Humanities
A Debate Against Slavery
Slavery is a serious topic that can be challenging for middle schoolers to study. Young scholars can see firsthand through primary sources what occurred during that time period in the United States. The third of five lessons provides...
Curated OER
Magnificent Michigan
Fourth graders complete a research project about the state of Michigan. They conduct Internet research, organize the information on index cards, and create a HyperStudio presentation.
Curated OER
Edward Lear, Limericks, and Nonsense
Introduce your class to the delights of nonsense poetry and explore literary devices with the writing of Edward Lear. Learners identify rhyme and meter as well as figures of speech, alliteration, and onomatopoeia in "The Owl and the...
Curated OER
Human Body Corp.
Learners investigate body systems by participating in a role-play activity. Third, fourth, and fifth graders pretend that they are an organ or system of the human body, and they must write a letter to the body "corporation" discussing...
Alabama Department of Archives and History
A Cry for Help in Alabama - 1934
What should be the role of the federal government during an economic crisis? That is the question at the center of this introduction to a study of the New Deal. Class members examine letters to the state government asking for help,...
Curated OER
Newsinary
Students demonstrate dictionary and vocabulary skills. They create an index card book containing a page for each letter of the alphabet that includes a word, definition, and sentence.
Curated OER
Recognizing Reference Sources
Fourth graders investigate five different reference sources in the Media Center: Atlas, Dictionary, Encyclopedia, Card Catalog (Look Up Station), and the Internet. They decide which is the BEST source to use to answer specific questions.
Curated OER
Astronomer Research
Students discover the contributions of early astronomers and scientists. In this research skills lesson, students research electronic and print sources about Galileo Galilei, Aristarchus, Hipparchus, Claudius Ptolemy, Nicholas...
Curated OER
Vietnam Today
Students discover the Vietnam of today. In this research skills lesson, students identify what the country is like today. Students select projects from the provided list to complete and share with their classmates.
Curated OER
African American Inventors Study
Students learn about African American inventors. In this inventing lesson, students are assigned an African American inventor to research. Students work in pairs to complete their research. Students write a compare and contrast paragraph...
Curated OER
Showdown on the Frontier
Especially critical following a series of shootings in schools, theaters, and religious buildings, it's safe to say that we need to evaluate the current laws on gun control. Eighth graders read a New York Times article in order to better...
Curated OER
Dinosaur! Fossil Rush: Tale of a Bone
Explore 1870s when a "bone rush" led to amazing discoveries, as fossil-hunters risked life and limb in their quest for dinosaur remains. The class uses the attached visual encyclopedia to prep for a discussion on early paleontology. Two...
Curated OER
Beary O'Mometer Learns About Careers In Meteorology
Students explore the field of meteorology. In this meteorology lesson, students explore weather-related careers as they research the field of study as well as various weather concepts. Students interview meteorologists, write business...
Curated OER
How Was Coal Formed?
Geology can be a lot of fun. Learners review geology related vocabulary, make flashcards, use encyclopedias to answer questions, then explore the formation of coal. They identify dates and order them into key time frames of geologic...
Curated OER
What's the Purpose Anyway?
Examine author's purpose in newspaper articles, comic books, cookbooks, encyclopedias and other forms of written materials. Working in groups, middle and high schoolers read teacher-selected articles and write an explanation of the...
Curated OER
Gathering, Evaluating,and Organizing Information for a Research Report
It's never too early to build research skills! Students locate information relevant to a subject they are doing a research project on. They take notes and sort the information under main topic headings. Through research, they gain an...