Curated OER
Magical Creatures Land
The opening of J.R.R. Tolkein’s The Hobbit provides a model of how to use rich details to create a setting. After reading the description of Bilbo Baggins’ abode, young writers create their own magical home for a fantasy creature. The...
Texas Education Agency (TEA)
Build a Paper Structure
Who knew that paper is an amazing building material? Scholars learn about the properties of planar materials, such as paper, as well as their structural capabilities in the sixth lesson a series of 11 on architecture. Working in groups,...
Curated OER
Adventure Story
It's always fun to make up something together as a class. This fine lesson has children make up and illustrate a collaborative adventure story. The essential elements of a good story (setting, characters, plot, help, conclusion) are all...
Curated OER
Point of View Practice: Narrative Perspective
Excerpts from ten texts (There's something for everyone from Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath to Covey's Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens, and more!) provide the springboard for an examination of point of view. For each short...
Curated OER
"The Collaborative Group Information Collection, Interpretation and Dissemination Technique"
High schoolers answer the question "How are the concepts and processes I examine in Biology relevant to my other classes, to my life, and to my community?" This assignment has students actively involved in the intellectual work of...
Curated OER
The Great Depression Group Activity
Fourth graders work in groups filling in worksheets learning about and appreciating conditions during the Great Depression. They analyze the difference in the cost of living today versus the Depression years.
Curated OER
Newsprint Activity
Students identify the main question behind their paper and narrow the focus and purpose of their paper. They view their topic from a variety of perspectives and determine their own interest in a particular aspect of a topic. They...
Curated OER
Effect of Daylight Hours on Human Activity
Students determine the average hours of daily sunlight for each month of the year by constructing a bar graph. They develop a understanding of how the amount of daylight hours varies by month and how that affects both temperature and...
Curated OER
"how To Think Like an Archaeologist" Suggested Pre-visit Activity for Historic Jamestowne
Young scholars study grocery receipts to simulate the archaeological activity of classifying items. They discuss the receipts as if they were find lists.
Curated OER
Systems Working Together
Third graders listen as the teacher reads the book "Roxaboxen" to them. They discuss the main characters and other aspects of the story. They discuss the characteristics and properties of the soil in Roxaboxen. The discussion is applied...
Curated OER
Biomimicry: Working Together, Cooperative Design
Middle schoolers explore the concept of biomimicry. In this cooperative design activity, students consider how cooperation is connected to nature and then collaborate to create their own cooperative designs for the future.
Curated OER
The Global Grid System-World Map Activity
Students demonstrate how to use the global grid system. In this map skills lesson, students use a world map to locate various locations. Students identify locations based on the global grid system. Students complete a worksheet as an...
Curated OER
Henry David Thoreau's Philosophy
Students research and report on the life and times of Henry David Thoreau. In this Thoreau research lesson, students visit the given website and freewrite about Thoreau's life and home. Students work in groups to research and report on...
Curated OER
Tasty Mapping
Students create an edible map. In this civics and geography lesson, students research their town's features and local government. Students work in groups to design and create a physical map of their town based on research.
Curated OER
Bible: Aztec Gods
Students create a visual representation of an aspect of Aztec religion. In this Aztec religion lesson plan, students work in groups to read a passage and create a visual way to remember the important information in it. ...
Curated OER
Glad To Meet You
Students explore patterns. In this patterns instructional activity, students explore patterns in hand-shaking scenarios. Students work in groups to predict and record the number of handshakes that occur in a group.
Curated OER
The Solar System: Why do we Explore?
Third graders act as scientists. In this property discovery lesson, 3rd graders explore the substance "Oobleck" (cornstarch, water, food coloring). They work in groups to investigate the substance and make observations as a scientist...
Curated OER
Make Your Own Recycled Paper
Paper Lesson Plan - Students discover how paper is made. Working together, they make their own paper. This activity introduces students to recycling; what it is and its importance. Students study the process of how paper is made, and...
Curated OER
Sliders - Static and Kinetic Friction
Students work in groups to conduct experiments the demonstrate the differences between static and kinetic friction. They consider how friction affects us in our everyday lives, determine the effects of weight on friction and complete a...
Curated OER
Stop Heat from Escaping
Students explore the uses of insulation and describe how insulation helps to conserve energy. They work in groups and use plastic, wool, paper and aluminum to experiment with the heat-retaining properties of various materials.
Curated OER
Orange Juice - From the Tree to the Glass
Second graders work in groups to create a play showing how an orange becomes orange juice at the store. In this economics and goods production lesson, 2nd graders complete a webquest that guides them though discovering the process of...
AIMS Education Foundation
Shifty Shapes
Shape shifters examine and experiment with pattern shapes. For this geometry lesson, they work in groups to name and describe pattern block shapes, and they discover the combinations of shapes that can be placed inside a hexagon.
Curated OER
Life During the Civil War for Women and Civilians
Students follow an overview of the American Civil War from a film, the text and/or teacher direct instruction. They create a timeline with a large map of the U.S. in the 1860's available for student reference as they do the spider activity.
Curated OER
Lost King of the Maya
Students are introduced to the Mayan Long Count calendar system. They work in groups to calculate the date of their birth and use the calendar to determine important Mayan dates.