Children solve problems involving measurement using information taken from various items measured (wooden blocks and boxes). This is a particularly good lesson to use when introducing how to use a ruler and how to add inches together in...

Use artwork to illicit responses in a writing journal, and then present your class with the short list of key terms provided. Can your learners add any of their own key terms? Segue for a second, and read tales such as Peter Pan or...

Are you working on a research and citation unit? Have your young writers listen to a lecture on how to cite research sources correctly and how to distinguish new information that requires citing. They compile a list of works cited from...

Have your pupils just finished reading biographies? Extend their study by having them craft a biography newsletter about the subject of their biography.  Using a word processor, they create, revise and edit their report, and add...

Students discuss cases in which juveniles were convicted of horrific crimes. They answer questions in which there are no right or wrong answers related to juvenile delinquency.

Sixth graders pick a native animal and write a classified housing ad to match the animal's habitat requirements, paste it on posterboard and then try to match each habitat with the animal it represents.

Learners begin the lesson by reading a novel about the diversity of geography in Africa. They are to create an oral report based on information they research. They also communicate with someone through email about the situation in Africa.

Each of the Mesopotamian Gods and Goddesses are associated with a city and a symbol. This hand out is intended as a quick reference guide to help learners recall 12 of the most prominent of these figures. 

Fifth graders create a radially balanced design using geometric shapes which exhibits their prior knowledge of symmetry. They use a kaleidoscope image to develop a design using markers or colored pencils.

Students read excepts from various government documents on the issue of slavery in America. Using the internet, they research a topic related to slavery of interest to them and present to the class their findings. They examine the life...

Young scholars are introduced to the connection between women and the textile industry. Using primary source documents, they complete a handout on how gender roles have changed over the years. They examine a sampler which is connected to...

Middle schoolers examine the role of John Jones and his fight to repeal the Black Laws of Illinois. Using the text of the law, they explore his reasoning for repealing the laws and the arguments he used to support his beliefs. They draw...

Learners use the text of the Illinois Black Codes to examine the laws in place. Using this information, they draw their own conclusions about why the laws existed in a free state. They also identify the purpose of these laws and how they...

Students examine the role of African-Americans in the Civil War. Using primary sources, they analyze the material and formulate their own opinions about the past. They write journal entries to share their opinions on photographs from the...

Students investigate the events that created the historical context for the Progressive Era in the United States. They evaluate the conflicts of business and common people of the time. The research is done using primary and secondary...

Students demonstrate an understanding of basic elements and principles of art making such as unity, variety, movement, and meaning found in daily experiences. They also describe the meaning of students¿ own artwork in a written statement.

Connect the geography and history of Illinois using an art-centered lesson on the railroads. The railroad connected once-distant places, particularly in the Midwest. Using research, class members create postcards of fictional cross-state...

Students use the children's story of The Tortoise And The Hare in order to investigate the graphing of equations. The story is converted to an algebraic word problem for them to solve. Students investigate the relationships of data and...

Third graders complete various activities pertaining to Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, and Veteran's Day. They conduct research and complete writing and art activities on the...

Students make educated guesses and explain their reasoning and compile, graph, and map weather data. They then study environmental weather extremes on earth and discover that many variables determine climate.

Make fitness a part of each and every day. Special Ed pupils are given charts with maps and record keeping information. They are given a 20-week period (late October to late March, when the weather is cool enough) to walk that designated...

Read Angela Royston's Ciclo de vida de la mariposa! You can show your class pictures of different butterflies that live in Mexico or Spain, or have your learners conduct puppet shows with caterpillars and butterflies. How does a...

Who are you? Where are you from? Teach young Spanish language learners how to identify themselves and where they're from. They draw a picture of themselves to help develop vocabulary for this activity. 

What is the difference between primary and secondary sources? Help your middle schoolers develop a knowledge of appropriate sources to use when doing accurate research. They develop unique ways to incorporate literature in historical...