New York State Education Department
English Language Arts Examination: June 2017
Plants prefer classical music to rock and roll. That's one of the claims in an informational passage that makes up part of a set of standardized assessment questions. The set is part of a larger collection of English language arts tests...
Society for Science & the Public
Easter Islanders Made Tools, Not War
When studying artifacts, especially tools, how do archaeologists determine what the devices were used for? In what ways might researchers' previous experiences influence their perception of an artifact? An article about researchers'...
Penguin Books
An Educator’s Guide to Chraisma by Jeanne Ryan
Often, science fiction makes a lot of connections to real life. An educator's guide for the novel Charisma by Jeanne Ryan, has readers discuss many of the real-life issues that come in the text. A brief summary helps garner interest...
Curated OER
Allele and Phenotype Frequencies in Rock Pocket Mouse Populations
In the deserts of Arizona and New Mexico, some tiny creatures show just how quickly natural selection can turn a mutation into an advantageous adaptation. Watch a video about rock pocket mice, who show that one small change can make all...
University of Colorado
Are All Asteroids' Surfaces the Same Age?
Did you know scientists can tell the age of an asteroid by looking closely at its craters? This final lesson of a six-part series focuses on two asteroids, Gaspra and Ida, in order to demonstrate the concept of dating asteroids. Scholars...
Curated OER
Transitions and Managing Change
Intended to help sixth graders move on to middle school or junior high, this presentation discusses ways to cope with stress caused by change. While this cute and friendly format may invite good healthy discussions, it may not appeal to...
Curated OER
Chicken Soup with Rice Extension Activities
After reading Chicken Soup with Rice, by Maurice Sendak, incorporate some of these great extension activities into your lesson plan. Ideas include focusing on knowing the months of the year, or studying the illustrations and how...
Curated OER
Document Based Question: Erie Canal
Fourth graders read the provided documents about the Erie Canal to discover the impact that this transportation systems had on the New York community. In this history instructional activity, 4th graders first analyze the documents and...
Curated OER
Let Me Give You a Little Advice
Students use proper writing conventions to write two friendly letters. They use the steps of the writing process to draft, revise, and peer edit. Students publish their letters. They write the first letter to a person who is going to...
Curated OER
Victims of Geography
Learners examine the toll taken on New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina. In this current events lesson, students visit selected websites to discover details about the geography of the city and the hurricane itself.
Curated OER
The Photogingerbread Connection
Students draw pictures of themselves. They mail the picture of themself to the teacher prior to the start of the school year.
Curated OER
Let's Create An Ecosystem
Seventh graders create ecosystems in a jar which they observe over the course of the school year.
Curated OER
Ardipithecus ramidus: A Prehistory Lesson Plan
Students discover details about the genus Ardipithecus. In this prehistory instructional activity, students listen to a lecture about the attributes of Ardipithecus. Students then conduct further research on either Ardipithecus ramidus...
Curated OER
Building a Journalism Team
Students play a granola bar relay to learn about the importance of teamwork in a journalism team. In this journalism team lesson plan, students use granola bars to participate in a relay activity to improve their communication as well as...
Curated OER
Building a Peace
Students take a closer look at the rebuilding of Rwanda. In this current events lesson, students review the genocide in the country during the 1990's and perform role plays that require them to determine how to rebuild a nation after...
Curated OER
Celebrate Library Card Sign-Up Month
Motivate your class to acquire and utilize a library card all year long.
Curated OER
1,2,3 Art (First Day of School)
Learners participate in a first day of school survey. In this art activity, students answer three questions about art class, such as one thing they don't like about art class and their goals for art this coming year.
Curated OER
Language Arts Ice Breakers
Activities that build rapport and help students demonstrate their skills can be a great way to begin the school year.
Curated OER
Wake County Landfill Problem
Young scholars create a proposal to solve Wake County's problem with losing the North Wake landfill in such a way that: a new landfill site is agreed upon, Solid-wase disposal is in compliance with Local and State landfill regulations...
Curated OER
Time Conceptualization
Students use this activity to establish a new mode of reference to the conceptualization of time. To present hominid evolution in terms of millions of years and endosymbiosis of eukaryotes in billions of years carries little meaning to...
Curated OER
Confronting Two Challenges-One Physical, One Intellectual
Young scholars examine how the author confronted the challenges of a new language and a new culture. They examine how the author's penchant for running featured in his adjustment to the culture of Fuling and in his learning of the...
Curated OER
Seasons--Autumn (fall)
As part of a discussion of seasonal words, class members identify words relating to autumn and then identify the language used to describe what happens during this time of year.
Curated OER
Miss Tizzy
Students experience ways language and visuals bring characters to life in a story, experience age-appropriate songs, cooking experiences, and art, learn the days of the week in a new learning experience, and engage in hands-on learning...
Curated OER
Our Friends in the East
Learners explore Chinese New Year. In this Chinese culture instructional activity, students visit websites to research the traditions and culture of China as they relate to Chinese New Year.