People associate calories with food, but what is a calorie? Young scientists measure the number of calories in samples of food to better understand the concept. They test a variety of samples, take measurements, and compare their results...

When given too much data to simply memorize, it helps to sort it into manageable groups. The second lesson in the six-part series of Cosmic Chemistry challenges groups of pupils to take a large amount of data and figure out how to best...

A two-part assessment challenges scholars to gather information from reading then write an opinion piece. In part one, learners read, take notes, and answer text-related questions. In part two, participants use their new-found knowledge...

An assessment challenges scholars to read an informative text then respond with an explanatory essay. The exam begins as participants read a text passage twice then take notes, making sure to jot down key details. Following the...

Children can recognize popular brands from an early age, but these images symbolize much more than what they advertise. Take a journey through the design of a logo with a lesson that focuses on the history and ubiquity of the Super Bowl...

Take note. Scholars receive their claim drafts back to revise and write their claims and three pieces of evidence on notecards. They save the notecards to use when the verbally present their claims to the class. At the end, individuals...

Eighth graders focus on the elements of art with a secondary focus on the principles of art. They are assigned to a team to play Art Jeopardy. They take an exam. They use the internet as a resource for answers.

Pupils examine the steps for developing science fair projects. They visit stations where they examine posters, books, and paper that describe how to research and design a science fair project. Additionally, they take notes on how to...

It doesn't take a lecture on economics to convince teenagers that one's wants often exceed one's means, but this presentation will hopefully help them to understand the discrepancy. Using an example of pizza and robot arms, the slides...

Tired of your students taking you for granite? Use a unit that offers multiple hands-on weathering and erosion labs and interactive activities. Some of the exciting lessons include planning a tour of Australia, using ice...

It's all about perspective. Scholars view a note from the author in Eight Days. They determine the gist and discuss what they can learn about the author's background based on the note. They then complete a fishbowl activity in...

Listening is a skill. This instructional activity will provide your pupils with clear guidelines for what to do when someone else is speaking. Whether you ask them to note key words in a talk, to prepare two questions about the...

Language is a fluid and ever-changing entity! Take a week to cover the changing English expressions and slang as related to the word "wannabe." Go through vocabulary, spelling, worksheets, and quizzes on the topics with your class.

A lab in which high schoolers examine the difference between arteries and veins. Budding biologists will find out which blood vessel can stretch furthest, recording their data in a table then answering several questions evaluating their...

How does the particular point of view in a situation affect the way it is presented? Focusing on perspectives on slavery during the Civil War, middle schoolers use research to write narratives from the points of view of their historical...

Students explore the story of the Gingerbread Man, and compare the story's neighbors and neighborhoods with those of their school. They bake Gingerbread Friends cookies, retell the story, take a neighborhood walk, and create a class book.

Take your class on a nature walk around the school and have children assume the role of "Plant Hunter" as they go. The goal is to explore the different parts of a plant. They return to the classroom to discuss the parts that they saw and...

After listening to From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons, learners take a walk around their school looking for plants. They use digital cameras to photograph the plants, then construct a class book which has the identities of the plants,...

Divide your chemistry or environmental science class into two groups. Each group tests water samples from a river for the concentration of phosphorus using a different method. With chemists, you can use this activity as they learn to use...

Students observe slides of cork cells and discuss the use of microscopes. They view a power point presentation on "Looking Inside Cells" and take notes aligned with the PPT presentation. They collaborate with a partner to create an...

Sixth graders choose specific trees to research while taking a nature walk around the schoolyard. They discuss tree and leaf parts and observe various types of leaves. After writing their reports, 6th graders present them to the class...

Here is a full-fledged investigation of light waves, the electromagnetic spectrum, and element spectra. Physicists research a scientist that contributed to our understanding of the behavior of light. They take notes on your lecture, and...

While this activity focuses on appropriate behavior management techniques used in the home, it could apply to the classroom as well. Included are several PowerPoint presentations, Notes, and Stories, on positive behavior management...

A great resource for your unit on Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart. Small groups conduct research about related topics (list included), write papers, present PowerPoint slide shows, and take a student-created test. Fill in a few...