Teach Engineering
Nanotechnology and Cancer Treatments
Information on the biomedical use of nanotechnology, specifically in the detection and treatment of cancer, is the focus of a lesson that seems like it is out of a science fiction novel. Pupils learn about electrophoresis, which is used...
Smithsonian Institution
Trait Tracker
Help mice beat the odds with an exciting activity about traits. Biologists discover the role of diet and other factors on animal traits by participating in a simulation activity. Teams collect and evaluate data to understand how certain...
Curated OER
Beautiful Noise Poetry
"What a beautiful noise comin' up from the street; got a beautiful sound, it's got a beautiful beat..." Use Neil Diamond's "Beautiful Noise" to guide your class through a Six Trait writing activity, in which they write an original poem...
Curated OER
Chapter Tableaux: Visualizing The Call of the Wild
Do your young readers have difficulty visualizing what they read? Although the activity described here is for The Call of the Wild, the strategy could be used with any narrative. At the conclusion of each chapter of Jack London’s novel,...
Curated OER
The Call of the Wild: Activities
“There is an ecstasy that marks the summit of life” and an excitement that comes with finding a good teaching resource. Included in a richly detailed packet designed to accompany The Call of the Wild, are a tableaux exercise, a silent...
Curated OER
Animal Coverings
Students compare and contrast the types of coverings found on animals. They identify a wide variety of animals in a museum room. They classify animals based on their coverings as well.
Curated OER
Self-Esteem
Young scholars determine what contributes to their self-esteem. In this self-esteem lesson, students participate in a discussion by answering a list of questions. They complete two handouts; one entitled "Who's in the Mirror?" and...
Curated OER
Challenge to Communicate
Students use Lewis and Clark's journals to identify the forms of non-verbal communication they used. They discover the problems they faced on their journey and how they overcame them. They practice using the non-verbal language of the...
Curated OER
Geometry: Practical Applications of the Distance Formula
Students, working independently and in groups, apply the distance formula to practical situations. After solving various problems, students in pairs design coordinate planes from the school blue print to measure the distance from the...
Curated OER
Pictographic Poetry of Current Events
Students discuss recent currents events as a class. Using one of the events, they write a poem about how they feel about the event in question. They choose specific symbols that relate to event and write a poem about it as well. They...
Curated OER
Magnetic Discovery Bottle
Students examine how to conduct simple investigations and use simple equipment to gather data. For this magnet lesson students decide what types of objects are attracted to magnets.
Curated OER
Animal Classification
Students watch video and slide shows as an introduction to animals. They discuss classifications of animals while moving from most common to least common of the animals. Types of classifications includes herbivores/carnivores;...
Curated OER
Family Responsibility and Commitment
Students are introduced to Picasso and how he created Baboon and Young, and interpret the expressive content of the work. They discuss and define what a family unit consists of, and form conclusions of their own. Students identify and...
Curated OER
Archeological Finds
Students explore archeology and it contributions to human history. They write a magazine article describing the discovery of a dig.
Curated OER
Challenge to Communicate
Pupils examine the journals from Lewis and Clark and identify how they spoke without using words. They participate in a game in which they use non-verbal communication with each other. They write their own journal entries to complete...
Curated OER
Japanese Bookbinding Kit
Middle schoolers are introduced to Japanese bookbinding techniques. In groups, they compare and contrast the western style against the Japanese style. As a class, they make their own book binding to present the material in a more...
Curated OER
Pitchy Patch Puppet
Students make a puppet. They use magazines, construction paper and a dowel rod to construct the puppet. This activity is part of a Caribbean Unit. A link for additional art lessons is included on this website.
Curated OER
The History of Your Chicago River
Students examine the history of the Chicago River. In groups, they identify the problems of the watershed and develop possible solutions. As a class, they examine the importance of the river to the Chicago area by reading a story. To...
Curated OER
Coin Investigation: How Can You Use Tools?
Students, by exploring a simple investigation system, see how technology can allow people to extend their senses and "see" beyond the world of their natural vision.
Curated OER
Teaching Lewis and Clark: Challenge to Communicate
Students note instances in the journals of Lewis and Clark where they relied on non-verbal communication (sign language.) They discover some basic sign language and play a game in which they must use their new sign language skills to...
Curated OER
Tortured Beauty
Learners compare and contrast two fundamentally different treatments of women, one Chinese and one Japanese, and to examine how this reflects on the culture that produced them.