PBS
Inspector Detector
How do spacecraft detect magnetic fields? The fourth installment of a five-part unit has learners develop a device with magnets that allows for the detection of magnetic fields. They use a map of an imaginary planet to try out their...
Teaching Tolerance
Community Puzzle Mural
Every piece of the puzzle is important. A lesson gives individuals the opportunity to create artwork that spreads a message of inclusion and tolerance. Class members work in teams to create pieces of the mural that form a larger picture....
Mathematics Assessment Project
Smoothie Box
Pupils demonstrate their understanding of nets by designing a net of a box that contains 12 bottles. Given the full size top and side views of the bottle, they determine the dimensions needed for the finished box. The directions do...
Curated OER
Science Inquiry Lesson: Mapping Project
Pupils explore the methods of creating maps. They create a map of Animas River Park using a compass and measuring tape, develop a single map from the team map sections, and devise another map of the Animas River Park using a GPS unit.
Curated OER
STORY MAPPING: THE HUNDRED DRESSES
Young scholars illustrate and paraphrase each chapter of The Hundred Dresses, creating a graphic organizer through the use of story mapping. After students have completed their story maps, ask for a few volunteers to present theirs to...
Curated OER
Map Scaling
Second graders use a map scale to determine distances between cities in the state of Florida.
Inside Mathematics
Swimming Pool
Swimming is more fun with quantities. The short assessment task encompasses finding the volume of a trapezoidal prism using an understanding of quantities. Individuals make a connection to the rate of which the pool is filled with a...
Inside Mathematics
Scatter Diagram
It is positive that how one performs on the first test relates to their performance on the second test. The three-question assessment has class members read and analyze a scatter plot of test scores. They must determine whether...
US Mint
Rename That State!
As Shakespeare famously wrote, "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet," but can the same be said for a state? In this elementary geography lesson, students are assigned specific states to research using the information...
West Virginia Department of Education
Project Based Learning Template
Here is a great resource for vetting your next project-based learning idea and considering all the major components that you should incorporate.
University of California
The Civil War: Secession of the South
Was the Southern states' decision to secede from the Union protected by the United States Constitution? Eighth graders discuss the constitutionality of the South's justification for secession, particularly the secession of South...
Edgate
Native Americans of the Lewis and Clark Trail
As part of a study of the Corps of Discovery expedition, class groups research the different Native American tribes Lewis and Clark encountered on their journey and share their findings with the class.
Curated OER
Mapping an Empire
How did the expansion of the Roman Empire during the first century contribute to its downfall? Using a map of the Roman Empire in 44 BC and one of the Roman Empire in 116 AD as references, class member use critical reading skills to...
Curated OER
Candy Bars
There is often more to data than meets the eye. Scholars learn that they need to analyze data before making conclusions as they look at data that describes the number of candy bars boys and girls eat. They disprove a given conclusion and...
Curated OER
Putting Pitch In Its Place
Students focus on reading musical notations. They see, hear, practice and write notations in the lessons to become more independent readers of music. They complete a Rubric for Pitch Worksheet.
Captain Planet Foundation
Adopt-A-Plant
Note the way that plants change during the season by adopting a plant on your school campus. After your class chooses their plant, they research the plant's needs, how it differs from other plants, find ways to support their plant's...
Curated OER
Road Map Relief - Mixed Media painting
High schoolers use road maps to create non-objective artwork.
Cornell University
Constructing and Visualizing Topographic Profiles
Militaries throughout history have used topography information to plan strategies, yet many pupils today don't understand it. Scholars use Legos and a contour gauge to understand how to construct and visualize topographic profiles. This...
ReadWriteThink
Dear Librarian: Writing a Persuasive Letter
Everyone deserves to read a great book! Here, pupils write a persuasive letter to the school's librarian detailing their favorite story and why it should be found on the shelves. Class members' persuasive reading passages are shared with...
Mathematics Assessment Project
Temperatures
As a middle school assessment task, learners first examine line graphs of monthly temperatures for two locations, and then match box plots to each line plot.
Curated OER
Fairy Tales
Once upon a time are four words most children are familiar with when reading a fairy tale. But do they know that fairy tales are a great way to learn the literary elements of reading and writing? Use a thorough fairy tale unit...
Mathematics Assessment Project
Circles in Triangles
Circles, and triangles, and tangents, oh my! In the assessment task, learners first answer questions leading to the radius of an inscribed circle for a given right triangle. They then use the result to independently determine the...
Mathematics Assessment Project
College and Career Readiness Mathematics Test A1
A six-page test covers content from several different high school math courses. It incorporates a few short answer, graphing, and word problems. It also allows room for mathematical reasoning and analysis.
Mathematics Assessment Project
Sidewalk Stones
One block, two blocks, white blocks, gray blocks. In the high school assessment task, learners investigate patterns of sidewalk stones to develop a quadratic expression for each colored block. Young mathematicians then use the expression...