Students explore ocean biology by participating in a plant growing activity. For this seaweed lesson, students identify the importance and uses of seaweed in the ocean and examine different seaweed samples. Students utilize an aquarium,...

A fun, modern twist on journaling! Instead of responding to prompts in their composition notebook, writers use the Internet to complete blog entries. A sample blog (with prompts) is shown here, and writers are assessed on conventions and...

Key to social-emotional learning is understanding who we are. The first lesson in an Understanding Identity unit asks class members to consider the factors that shape one's concept of themselves, the parts of their identity they choose...

Fourth graders have to place themselves in someone else' shoes through journal writing. They place themselves in someone else' shoes through journal writing. Students write the journal entry to another student in the class or a...

Learners access oral histories that contain slave narratives from the Library of Congress. They describe the lives of former slaves, sample varied individual experiences and make generalizations about their research in journal entries.

Students explore the species found in the Galapagos Islands and practice descriptive writing skills by creating a sample journal. They create a fictional journal that documents the places they visit and the species they encounter.

Young scholars recognize that Peter the Great modernized Russia. They write letters and complete journal entries in first person as if they were Peter the Great. In addition, they decorate their journal entries with scenes from his travels.

Fourth graders create journals with explicit descriptions of objects found on the school yard.  In this descriptive writing lesson, 4th graders read some of Lewis and Clark's journal entries before they explore the school yard, then...

Students are given the guidelines for their log books. The log book first starts with what is the purpose of a log book. Then students have the instructions on how to organize a log book. From there student are given step by step...

Students explore autobiographical stories. They write about a personal experience that is significant and memorable. Students specifically explain the chosen events. They define autobiography and share their stories.

Students read the book, The Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System, and discuss the planets visited by the characters in the book. They write journal entries from the viewpoint of E.T., writing letters home describing his travels in...

Pupils study Charles Darwin's voyage on the HMS Beagle and his visit to the Gal??pagos Islands. They click through an interactive map of the Gal??pagos Islands to read actual and fictional journal entries from a fellow eco-tourist.

Learners use newspapers and websites to examine human rights' abuses issues. They consider how these rights' abuses relate to citizens' rights. Following their research, they write a journal entry and discuss an action or project they...

Sixth graders write journal entries o school site at least once during each season, including sketched and written observations of present environment. They can use sample topographical maps and student's own maps. Students can use...

This lesson about writing can be taught in small groups or large group settings. They examine basic writing techniques and practice using them to improve their 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.

Third graders develop an appreciate for the various cultures that are present in their local community. Through reading and research, they explain how various culture came to live in their area. At the conclusion of the unit, 3rd...

Students examine Harriet Tubman's contribution to the Underground Railroad. They read and discuss an excerpt from the book "The Tamarack Tree," listen to the CD for the book "Follow the Drinking Gourd," and write a journal response from...

Students identify the investigator whose studies formed the basis of modern genetics (Mendel). They list characteristics that make the garden pea a good study organism, and summarize the 3 major steps of Mendel¿¿¿s experiment.

Learners explore how migration to Harlem created a new life for African Americans. In this cross curricular activity, students illustrate maps showing the migration, paint murals representing African American life in the South and...

Fifth graders, in groups, write about things that happen as a result of interacting with their environment.

High schoolers read aloud the book "Courage" by Bernard Waber and discuss the examples that compromise the defintion of courage. They describe another word such as joy and work with a partner or group to brainstorm and write sentences of...

Students practice calculating density and examine examples of the physical characteristics of soil. They solve a "crime" based on the evidence and laboratory investigations.

Students investigate the historical development of human attempts to fly and the practice of keeping recorded data for historical reasons.