How does background and experience influence one's point of view? Dwight Okita's famous poem about the Japanese internment is the text used to explore this essential question. Class members study primary documents to gain the necessary...

Passages from Unbroken and Farewell to Manzanar provide the context for a study of the historical themes of experiencing war, resilience during war, and understanding the lasting trauma of war. Appendices include extension...

Like Yuki, Mrs. Sakane, and Ken, characters in Journey to Topaz, class groups must reach a consensus on 12 items they would bring if forced to relocate.  The activity provides readers with an opportunity to make text-to-self and...

Japanese Internment and World war II are the focus of a KWHL strategy used to scaffold for a reading of Journey to Topaz,  Yoshiko Uchida's story of 11-year-old Yuki Sakane and her family. Complete directions for the activity...

A link to a beautiful Animoto presentation is included, giving examples of primary sources that a student might want to contact when doing research. Using the Topaz Internment Camp in Utah as a sample topic, middle schoolers view a slide...

Do people really need “a newer, bigger Holocaust” in order to change? Or is it possible that by making text-to-self connections to the stories of others people that they can change? In order to connect to Art Spiegelman’s Maus, class...

A page of links lead to a number of lessons on backpacking. There are eight lessons, and within these lessons are links to other resources and to the entire unit.

What are the essentials needed for a backpacking trip? What does minimum impact mean? What are some general safety tips? These are the things to think about when planning a backpacking trip. This lesson has handouts included for...

Do you have to be in decent condition to go on a weekend backpacking trip? This resource stresses the importance of fitness in backpacking. There are many ways to get the legs, the lungs, and the heart ready for a strenuous excursion....

For some, building a campfire is the best part about going backpacking. Learn what it takes to build a good campfire. Read the regulations about having campfire outdoors and make sure to follow the safety tips to prevent forest...

Backpacking - Lesson 2 is part of an eight lesson plan unit on backpacking. This specific lesson plan is how to properly fit a backpack according to the length of a torso. Proper fit is important when carrying a load of substantial...

Backpackers should wear three layers: breathable material next to the skin, warming layer in the middle, and waterproof/windproof on the outside. This lesson is part of a unit on Backpacking. There are links at the bottom of the page to...

Going on a backpacking trip? You need to plan your meals and your snacks for sustenance. Help guide your pupils in the planning of healthy foods to take, and to make sure there is just the right amount. Have young scholars pair up to...

Basically walk your early electronics techs through the vocabulary relating to an electronic circuit. Give them an LED light, a resistor, a battery, and some clips, then have them construct a simple circuit. Specific electronic equipment...

Here is a fabulous series of lesson plans on four of the most celebrated artists of the Old Western period in American history. Learners study the works of Charles King, George Catlin, Albert Bierstadt, and Thomas Moran. The pack is...

Young archaeologists study the development of human history, and work in groups to create a timeline that traces the development of humans. Additionally, the groups utilize a very clever graphic organizer embedded in the plan in order to...

Have your class practice their comprehension skills using this resource. After reading Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George, learners engage in cause and effect activities, identify story elements and figurative language, and...

Class members create literary mandalas for two characters from Maus, Art Spiegelman’s graphic novel about his father’s experiences with the Holocaust. After finding quotes that reveal three good traits and three bad traits of each...

Learning about one landform might seem boring to some, but using the resource provided practically guarantees scholar interest. The second in a sequential series of eight covering the topic of Mount Everest includes activities such as a...

What's it like to climb Mount Everest? An educational resource encourages an in-depth knowledge of Mount Everest's scientific missions through a variety of activities, including an analysis of maps, a KWL chart, videos, a simulation, and...

The Civil War, a war that divided a nation. Comparing and contrasting the Confederate and Union soldiers is not always an easy task, but the eighth of 15 resources makes it easy to teach the concepts. Exercises include watching videos in...

Learners make "leprechaun dust" in this short art lesson using Jello instant pistachio pudding, small jars, milk, and spoons. Ideal for celebrating St. Patrick's Day with early-elementary students. Can be combined with the reading of a...