Students sculpt a bust out of clay using naturalistic features.  For this sculpture lesson, students use themselves or classmates as models to ensure correct form and proportion of a hollow bust.  This lesson includes pictures...

Here is a (great) lesson on using parentheses! The task requires the expression of ages using algebraic expressions, including the distributive property. Pupils use their expressions to determine the individual ages.

What a fantastic project idea for discussing not only the history of America's expansion into the West, but for reviewing any major unit of history in your class. Pupils build stamp collections to visually represent themes of the...

Celebrate the geography of the Americas and develop map skills through a series of activities focused on the Western Hemisphere. Learners study everything from earthquakes and volcanoes of the Americas and the relationship...

Determining which statements represent fact or the author's opinion in an integral part of reading informational text. Encourage seventh graders to read a passage about Barack Obama and the city of Chicago, as well as a passage focused...

Learners watch a video and examine archival newspaper articles to study the different points of view about the building of the Brooklyn Bridge. They examine the impact the bridge had on those living in Brooklyn and Manhattan.

Middle schoolers examine the design and construction of skyscrapers. They use the internet to research information about different types of skyscrapers. They create their own building and defend it to the class.

Learners simulate different spacecraft missions using materials provided. In this space science lesson, students observe and record a planetary model's features from a distance. They relate this activity to scientists' space exploration...

Learners define the term species, and graph species data together with previously collected data at the National Zoo. They interpret graphed data and recognize patterns in the streamside quadrant versus hillside quadrant. Students use...

Students examine the role of the explorers. In this explorers and conquistadors, students create word puzzles (Wordles) regarding the time period in history. Students conduct research regarding a particular explorer and create foldables...

Learners explore changes in the Missouri River. In this Missouri River instructional activity, students discover that changes in the atmosphere cause changes in the river. Learners search the Internet for information about the Missouri...

Students examine a crushed rock and sort the minerals they find in that rock by color and other properties.

First graders examine the significance of the American bison to the American Indians of the Great Plains. They create a story in pictographs in the style of American Indians of the Plains.

Students discuss the topic of the Holocaust. Before reading and discussing Elie Wiesel's "Night", they complete an activity giving them a different perspective on the event. They read diaries and journal entries of children and write a...

Fourth graders become familiar with a chart and use the information to create a flight plan.  In this flight plan instructional activity, 4th graders access background knowledge of the role of flight controllers and the number...

Sixth graders explore the solar system. Using the Internet, 6th graders gather information about planets in our solar system. Students participate in an activity to determine where they should build the first city in space. They create a...

Learning how to read is a big challenge for young learners, but this series of lessons provides them with the extra support they need to succeed. With each lesson following the a clearly outlined format, children are introduced...

Critical thinkers consider how word choice in speeches impacts the meaning and effectiveness of the message being presented. They examine and respond to some of the speeches made at the 2004 Republican and Democratic National...

Using correct grammar is a capital idea! Elementary readers review the rules of capitalization, including proper nouns, abbreviations of organizations, and holidays, before correcting the errors in two sets of sentences.  

Even though the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt ended over 100 years ago, we can still learn something from his stances and policies that is applicable today. Class members first look over a list of prevalent political issues from the...

If you build it they can come. After reading a short article about the impact of western expansion, middle schoolers cite evidence from the article to explain how this expansion forced changes in transportation.

Teach the class about the predecessor to Declaration of Independence—the Virginia Declaration of Rights. Using the foundational documents, scholars examine the two writings to consider how they are similar and how they are different. A...

The work of building and maintaining a democracy is, in the words of Justice William Hastie, "never finished." To better understand what Hastie sees as an ongoing building process, class members listen to a seven-minute podcast about two...

Knowing what farmers are feeding livestock is just smart business. A WebQuest lesson helps learners build an understanding of the relationship between amino acids, nitrogen, and protein. With interactive instruction,...