Council for Economic Education
Jokes, Quotations, and Cartoons in Economics
Humor offers a great tool teach the basics of economics to scholars via video clips, satire, and political cartoons. Individuals create their own economic humor to present to the class—with the assistance of Daryl Cagel's online...
Curated OER
World History: Legacy of the Conquistadors.
Students examine the influence of the Spanish conquistadors on ancient South American Cultures. In four separate lessons, they discover the relationships of Cortes and the Aztecs, Pizarro and the Incas, Orellana and the Amazons, and...
Curated OER
Technology: The State of the Internet
Students develop ratings criteria for evaluating Websites. Once they brainstorm lists of qualities for Websites, students, in pairs, browse various Maine Websites and create evaluation systems. As a follow-up activity, students may...
Curated OER
Electronic Elections
Students evaluate the role of voting in democratic societies and the potential of voting on the Internet.
Rainforest Alliance
Investments in Forest Carbon
One hundred metric tons of CO2 can accumulate in one acre of forest over time—that's a lot of carbon! In the activity, groups of middle school learners determine what makes forests important. They then solidify the concept by using a...
Rainforest Alliance
Trees and Carbon
You'll find everything but the kitchen sink here ... or just a carbon sink. In the activity, pairs or groups of middle school learners go outside and measure a tree's circumference and height to estimate its carbon storage potential and...
Wild BC
Is Climate Change Good for Us?
Is it really that big of a deal if the global climate undergoes a little change? Young environmentalists consider this very question as they discuss in small groups the impact of different climate change scenarios on their lives, their...
Curated OER
Mark Twain and Huckleberry Finn Introductory Lessons
“What is the role or function of controversial art? And, should children, our children, be required—forced—to study certain works they may find painful or humiliating or offensive?” Robert Zalisk’s question, found in his article, “Uproar...
Bette Brooks
"No Irish Need Apply..."
Young scholars describe conditions that led to massive immigration from Ireland in the 1840s, and compare response of native-born Americans to Irish immigration with responses to Mexican immigration today.
Curated OER
Water Gardening
Students study the details to watering a garden. In this water resource lesson plan, students visit several websites and watch a PowerPoint about watering a garden.
Curated OER
Creating Character: Courage
Young scholars explore the concept of courage, both in themselves and in others. For this history and character education lesson, students discuss the characteristics of courage and what it means and how one can show it. Young scholars...
Curated OER
Researching African Americans Who Made a Difference
Celebrate Black History Month with this lesson, in which middle schoolers create an essay about a famous African-American. Writers conduct research online, take notes to write an essay in proper format, and use ideas, text, and graphics...
Curated OER
The Betsy Ross Story: Truth or Legend?
Students discover that some historians question the story of Betsy Ross's involvement in the creation of the first U.S. flag, study why historians question the story and list reasons the story of Betsy Ross might not be true.
Science Matters
Crawly Composters
Get your hands dirty with an interactive instructional activity that showcases the process of decomposing and returning nutrients back into the soil. After building a compost pile, pupils regularly observe the...
English Enhanced Scope and Sequence
Media Literacy with Focus of Strategies for Collaboration
Introduce your class to literary analysis with a series of activities that has them examine book and movie reviews. Groups then draft their own review of a text, select a digital medium, and craft a presentation.
Curated OER
Laura Bush
Young scholars read an article about First Lady, Laura Bush's visit to the Midway Atoll, in which she was hoping to focus attention on preserving wild places. They discuss what role they think First Ladies should play while their...
Curated OER
Creating Energy From Water
Students study water and its energy. For this water energy lesson, students discuss hydroelectricity and make models of water turbines.
Curated OER
Synthesis of Information
Locating and synthesizing information is an essential part of the research process but can be overwhelming for many young writers. Eliminate some of the stress and confusion, this resource suggests, by separating these steps. To focus...
Curated OER
Current Events Research
Pupils monitor current events using on-line and traditional resources. They explore issues such as what trends they see developing in specific news issues over time and how different news stories might be interrelated.
Curated OER
The Grand Canyon
Students investigate how dams help and hurt the ecology of an area. In this Grand Canyon lesson, students research the Glen Canyon Dam and why it flooded in 1996. Students create a pros and cons list about dams and write a summary.
Columbus City Schools
The Mystery of Earth’s History
Every living creature can leave a fossil record, yet most fossils belong to extinct organisms rather than ones currently living. Scholars learn about dating rock layers, fossils, and the environment of the past. Pupils understand that...
Curated OER
Is That a Fact? A Comment on Modern Fables
Students complete literary analysis for modern fables or urban legends. In this modern fables lesson, students listen to an urban legend and discuss it. Students then research urban legends online and write their own urban legend.
Curated OER
Leapin' Lizards And Other Facts About Reptiles And Amphibians
Students compare and contrast reptiles and amphibians. As a class, students discuss the yellow-spotted lizard mentioned in the novel Holes. Using internet resources, students research facts about reptiles and amphibians and document...
Curated OER
Vote for Me!
Tenth graders analyze voter trends in South Carolina and discover techniques canddidates and their parties use to convince us to vote their way. They are able to locate voting statistics for their county; compare the number of...