Library of Congress
Industrial Revolution
Could you live without your phone? What about cars, steel, or clothing? Class groups collaborate to produce presentations that argue that either the telephone, the gramophone, the automobile, the textile industry, or the steel...
US National Archives
We the People Focusing on Details: Compare and Contrast
Even the most inspiring documents in American history had to go through a few drafts before they were ready for publication. Reinforce the importance of the writing process, as well as the collaborative nature of democracy, with an...
Teach Engineering
Can You Resist This?
Some things are hard to resist. Small collaborative groups build circuits and calculate the voltage using Ohm's Law. Budding engineers explore the connection between the voltage across different resistors and linear...
Teach Engineering
Balsa Glider Competition
Change one variable and try again. Teams build basic balsa gliders and collect data on their flight distances and times. Through collaboration, the team decides on two modifications to make to the basic design and collect data for the...
Teach Engineering
Engineers Love Pizza, Too!
Help overcome challenges in eating pizza. Scholars work in groups to design a device that assists a physically handicapped person eat pizza. They build a prototype of such a device to test their designs before building. To...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Developing an Explanation for Mouse Fur Color
Whether or not you think mice are nice, you'll love the colorful activity! Scholars examine evidence for evolution in the rock pocket mouse through video, discussion, and collaborative work. Learners watch a video regarding variation in...
US Institute of Peace
Organizations Working for Peace
From helping refugees to negotiating peace treaties, the peacekeepers of the world keep busy! Introduce young activists to the many individuals and organizations throughout the world that work daily toward peace. 14th in a series of 15...
Curated OER
The Shadow Knows: Student Worksheet
Pairs of pupils get together in order to measure the heights and lengths of their shadows. They use these measurements in order to predict the height of other friends in class. A good activity to practice measuring things that cannot be...
Curated OER
Shaquille O'Neal Hand/Foot Span: Student Worksheet
Here's a clever math worksheet that has learners measure their hand span, foot length, come up with a ration, then use that information to figure out the hand span, and foot length of basketball giant Shaquille O'Neal. A good activity!
Discovery Education
Hurricane Force
It's important to make sure houses can withstand winds. A hands-on activity has learners create a structure out of household materials. They use a fan to simulate hurricane-force winds to see if their structures can withstand the...
Missouri Department of Elementary
The Problem Solving Game
Creativity, communication, cooperation. Pupils assume the role of employees at a game factory working together to develop a new game. Using the principles of the STAR method (Stop, Think, Act, Review), they work in teams to create game...
Florida Center for Instructional Technology
The Shadow Knows: Student Worksheet
How can you measure the height of a tree or telephone pole with only a short measuring tape? It's not a problem when you start by measuring your shadow and your height to create a ratio to use with taller objects. Additional...
Teaching Tolerance
Community Mural / Poster Campaign
Every piece matters. A creative lesson provides an opportunity for scholars to create murals or posters that represent their views on social justice. Academics work on smaller posters or pieces of a mural that will ultimately be...
Teach Engineering
Penny Perfect Properties (Solid-Liquid Interations)
I can get more water to stay on a penny than you can! Collaborative pairs determine the volume of liquids that can be contained on the surface of copper pennies and plastic coins. The pairs analyze their results using graphs and go on to...
Curated OER
Picture This!
Students explore and generate story elements for wordless picture books. In this collaborative writing lesson plan, students review wordless picture books and write a story based on the illustrations. Students use post-it notes to...
Curated OER
Non-Fiction Texts
Third graders examine different types of non-fiction texts. In this non fiction lesson, 3rd graders use different types of texts to gather information. Students work in groups to analyze the texts for author's purpose, common...
Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary
Benjamin Franklin and the Long Struggle for Independence
Students explore U.S. history by reading biographical material in class. In this Benjamin Franklin lesson, students identify the life of Franklin and the events that led him to become one of America's first heroes. Students complete an...
Curated OER
Fantasy Creature
Students, in groups, create three-dimensional sculptures from found objects. They paint their sculptures and write essays that reflect on the collaborative creative project.
Curated OER
Creating a Pamphlet/Brochure for a Party or Candidate
Students explore political persuasive writing. In this government and persuasive writing lesson, students work in groups to write text and create graphics for a brochure describing and promoting a predetermined political candidate.
Curated OER
Team Building
Students participate in various activities to become more successful as a team member. In this team building activity, students discuss team jobs versus individual ones. Students must work together to complete activities such...
Curated OER
The Impact of Human or Natural Events on the Spheres
In this hydrosphere and atmosphere worksheet, students work in groups to present an assigned topic's effects on the atmosphere and the hydrosphere. They identify the topic as human activity or natural activity and it's impact.
Curated OER
Make Me Metric
Sixth graders explore standard and nonstandard measurement. In this measurement instructional activity, 6th graders estimate the lengths of different objects and write about their observations during measuring. Students work in...
Curated OER
Play Doh Map of Your State
Young scholars create a state map using Playdoh. In this hands-on state geography lesson, students work in groups to form a three-dimensional map of their state using Playdoh made at home following a (given) recipe. Young scholars...
Curated OER
Arriba Amigos!
Students explore how culture effects our world. In this culture lesson, students work in groups to do a web quest. Students gather and analyze information to decide if Mayan ruins should be destroyed to build a shopping center. Students...