National Endowment for the Humanities
Women's Equality: Changing Attitudes And Beliefs
Students analyze archival materials contemporaneous with the birth of the Women's Rights Movement, and begin to appreciate the deeply entrenched opposition the early crusaders had to overcome. They discuss whether or not such attitudes...
Curated OER
Critical Thinking Problems
Young mathematicians practice their reasoning as well as adding and subtracting skills with this learning exercise that includes five simple word problems about birthdays. Learners are give pictures of birthday cakes and based on the...
Curated OER
Studying Contraception
Abstinence, different contraceptives, decision-making about sexual activity, and peer pressure are a few of the topics in this lesson. Did you know the majority of youth are not sexually active? This would be a great jumping off point...
PHET
Pre- and post-assessment (High School)
Need to gauge your pupils' understanding before the instructional activity begins? A base assessment includes short answer and drawings to determine pupil knowledge. Advanced assessment covers vector addition.
Curated OER
Wildlife Variety Show: Biodiversity In Illinois
Eighth graders write a short report in first person about any plant or animal found on a list of Illinois species. They become the character of the plant or animal and give a short report describing the plant or animal.
Curated OER
Those Fabulous Fables
A video leads off this activity on fables, introducing the class to this important form of traditional storytelling. The group defines fable and hears an explanation of the origin of this type of folk tale. They summarize the story they...
Curated OER
Summer Body Activity: As Big as Me!
Learners explore things that are their size, literally. For this early childhood lesson plan, students use their bodies for measuring and comparing sizes as they work in pairs to complete the activity.
Contemporary Arts Center
Mughal Miniature Paintings: Pattern Transformations
What is the artist's role in the post 9/11 world? How do artists use imagery to convey meaning in their work? After examining the work of Mughal artist Imran Qureshi, class members create their own work that uses combative imagery to...
Curated OER
Using a Graphic Organizer to Research a Question
Is Pluto still a planet? Using this popular question, kids are introduced to graphic organizers as a writing tool. As a class, they watch a demonstration on how to use them and work together with a partner to research whether Pluto is a...
Curated OER
Gender Stereotypes and Body Image
Students discuss and become aware of the dangers of gender stereotyping and the media's role in perpetuating gender stereotypes. They view magazine advertisements and make entries in their journals after guided discussion.
Do2Learn
Classroom Observation Form
Monitor individual students during a classroom observation with a template form. Three pages of fields prompt the observer to note the class member's affect, behavior, peer interactions, and presence of accommodations.
Curated OER
I Can Balance. You Can Balance.
It's disturbing to think that one third of children born after the year 2000 will suffer from diabetes and perhaps be the first generation to live shorter lives than their parents! Too many youngsters are not eating properly and are not...
K12 Reader
Identifying Adverbs IV
What a mess! Read about Lilly-Ann's birthday cupcake surprise and work on grammar skills at the same time. Four lengthy paragraphs provide kids with many opportunities to find and circle adverbs. They note the ways that adverbs come in...
Curated OER
Beginning Handwriting
First graders practice their handwriting skills on bus cut out at the beginning of the year. They talk about coming to school on the bus and add details to the bus.
Curated OER
Second Graders Create Their Own Social Studies Book (Part I, The 5Ws of the Constitution)
Students study the United States Constitution and create a year-long cumulative activity for social studies. In this social studies lesson, students complete activities throughout the year to learn the 5Ws for the United States...
Curated OER
Other Worlds: The Voyage of Columbus
Learners utilize Internet sites to explore and compare current ideas and opinions concerning the impact of christopher Columbus' famous voyage of 1492.
Curated OER
Kernels of Wisdom: Investigating Natural Variations in Corn
Here is a brain-popper! Corn, or more appropriately, maize, was intentionally domesticated by humans around 9,000 years ago and over a period of hundreds to thousands of years! Genetics and botany researchers have collaborated to find...
Curated OER
What Happens in the First Nine Months?
Young scholars explore human development using Internet resources that contain text, drawings, photos, and video about human development. They research a trimester of pregnancy then create drawings to show what is happening to the fetus...
Curated OER
Do Heroes Have to Wear a Cape?
Young writers choose a person from American history, their community, or their family to use as the subject of a persuasive essay. The process begins with a discussion of the characteristics of a hero, the completion of a prewriting web,...
Curated OER
Espionage and Sedition Acts: Mock Trial
Bring to life the severity of the Espionage and Sedition Acts through a mock trial. Learners have prior knowledge of WWI and the context of these acts. An anticipatory set gets the class discussing the ethics of wartime dissension, and...
Curated OER
Islamic New Year
In this Islamic New Year worksheet, students complete activities such as reading a passage, phrase matching, fill in the blanks, correct words, multiple choice, spelling, sequencing, scrambled sentences, writing questions, survey, and...
Curated OER
Chinese New Year's Day
In this Chinese New Year's Day instructional activity, students complete activities such as reading a passage, matching phrases, fill in the blanks, choose the correct word, multiple choice, unscramble the words, sequencing, unscramble...
Curated OER
I'm Still Scared: The War Years
Students read the story I'm Still Scared: The War Years, complete discussion questions, and activities about the book. In this war book lesson plan, students keep journals, write about being frightened, have a war veteran visit their...
Curated OER
Getting To Know You
Students listen to the book "I like me" by Nancy Carison, or a similar self-esteem book, and then create self-portraitswhile the song "Getting to Know You" is being played. This is an excellent ice-breaker for the beginning of the...