All of the people in your class would agree that life would be different without the invention of the telephone! Study Alexander Graham Bell's most famous and influential invention through the primary source document of his...

Whether you are viewing a landscape painting of a farm, examining a still-life portrait of a bowl of fruit, or reading a descriptive poem about cultivating food, you can't deny that agriculture plays a major role in visual and language...

There is no more useful life skill to learn than budgeting and setting financial goals. It's math that is used by every person, everyday. Learners examine the responsibilities and costs involved in family economics. Through a series of...

Applying photography basics they learn for this project, first graders take pictures of an adult at work focusing on the tools used, the work site, and job responsibilities. After making a career book that includes photos and...

The New York Times article “Online Diary,” launches this study of websites and how to assess them. Richly detailed, the activity includes warm-up activities, procedures, journal prompts, discussion questions, and links to valuable...

The topic of this lesson focuses on whether or not Obama was able to convincingly defend his choice of choosing Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at his inauguration. This is considered a controversial or hot topic because it...

Based on a New York Times article, "The College Drop-Out Boom," participants in a fishbowl discussion formulate and express opinions about the correlation between level of education, career options, and economic mobility. Ample...

Help class members become savvy consumers with a series of activities that has them analyzing marketing strategies, comparing the value of brand name versus off-brand clothing, and considering the advantages and...

High schoolers deconstruct advertising messages by analyzing parody ads and exploring the purpose of satire. Then they create their own parodies based on real ads discussed in class. A creative activity to extend any study of media,...

Students study West Virginia quilts. In this mathematics activity, students use symmetry, geometric shapes, and patterns to create their own quilt square.

Students study about the Venezuelan government's promotion of the Dancing Devils ritual in San Francisco de Yare as a tourist attraction. They investigate a number of traditional regional events around the world to explore the...

Fifth through eighth graders engage in a lesson in which they study working class people during the Great Depression. They work to develop an understanding of the economic developments in Arkansas during the 1930's. Learners access...

Trying to write your end-of-year exam while encouraging scholars to begin reviewing? Do both using this study-skills strategy, which has scholars writing their own test! Although this activity is intended for AP classes, it is applicable...

Students investigate the effect of paid employment on academic performance. They examine how to construct a survey on time use.

While not everybody will end up married, everybody does need to know how to resolve conflict. Learners examine several real-life scenarios involving a married couple. They use problem-solving strategies to help the couple come to an...

Learners consider the differences between egalitarian and traditional marriages. They analyze a series of video clips and mid-century advertisements looking for evidence of gender bias in marriage. Feminism, gender roles for women and...

Credit can be confusing for teens, some of whom are already using credit cards. Clear up misconceptions with this group research activity which has a solid outline with a lot of room to adjust to your needs and resources. Groups are...

Future public health consultants are asked in a letter to help determine if a fictitious drug is causing birth defects in a population. They perform a simulation using beans and probability calculations to come to a conclusion. Note that...

Invite your learners to take a look at life during the term of United States president George Washington through analysis of an interesting primary source. The document summarizes American manufacturing capacities, as detailed...

Learners practice basic social etiquette skills. They view a video, write a thank you note with an addressed envelope, eat a dinner and simulate introductions and phone conversations. They identify accepted manners and demonstrate them.

Students consider features of skyscraper using descriptive words, reflect on notion of skyscraper as orientation point in a city, and explore New York Times Building in Manhattan by reading and discussing article, "Pride and Nostalgia...

Students study tourism and conservation. In this coral development lesson plan students view a PowerPoint presentation and write a report. 

Students explore how authors write stories. In this careers lesson, students invite an author into the classroom and ask him/her questions about writing as a career.

Learners work in small groups to investigate a variety of art and architecture forms common during the Old Kingdom epoch in Ancient Egypt. Learners then evaluate how these art forms reflect a culture's beliefs and values. And, finally,...