Hear about a great resource on sound? An interesting hands-on activity has learners construct a device that will soundproof a phone or speaker. They test out different materials to see which ones best absorb sound waves.

Deploy an activity that requires deploying a parachute. An engaging lesson challenges learners to design and construct parachutes. They test out their creations and consider what changes should be made to improve the parachute's...

It's about time! Young historians use primary sources to create a timeline of events leading to American Independence. The fast-paced activity is designed to be used at the end of a unit on the Revolutionary War or as an assessment tool....

Commonplace today, the zipper and button construction of blue jeans was a major innovation. Using the patent for the J.W. Davis and Levi Strauss innovation, individuals comb an image of the fly for clues. Afterward, they discuss its...

It is said that necessity is the mother of invention. Fifth graders prove this with help from three lessons that examine how ancient cultures used their needs to drive innovations. In lesson one, pupils identify main ideas and supporting...

Uncover the building blocks of the universe as budding chemists explore atoms and molecules in an exciting inquiry-based activity. Investigators view an interactive video describing the chemical structure of six molecules. Using...

Discover the icy world of snow from the comfort of the indoors. Young meteorologists study visuals and a video to examine snow formation and structure. Using the information they learn, scientists follow a procedure to construct a...

Teamwork makes the dream work. Pupils participate in a peer critique process, using forms to offer constructive advice about each other's storyboards. Next, scholars revise their storyboards based on the feedback, and then share their...

Blow classes away with a hands-on lesson investigating wind speed. Learners use common materials to design and construct anemometers. They then test their anemometers and collect data on the wind speed created by a fan.

Engage creative minds with an exciting activity about the power of wind. Investigators participate in class discussions while viewing images and animations of air and wind. Scholars test the relationship between wind speed and an...

Four lessons, each following the same routine, explore the careers of a teacher, nurse, electrician, geologist, plumber, and police officer. After listening to a read-aloud and thoughtful discussion, young scholars construct puppets...

The story of the Vietnam War is often told through images. Young historians analyze images and primary sources —including the Vietnamese Army's Seven Commandments poster and photos of the daily life of soldiers—to construct a...

Two lessons focus on alcohol's effects on the human body and encourage participants to make responsible choices. First, scholars identify five adults they can turn to for guidance and craft a construction paper hand that lists the...

An activity uses images of George Washington's statues to compare how they represent different aspects of his life. Scholars complete a worksheet based on their findings and then share as a group how they would construct a new memorial...

Those who build together learn together. Scholars work in groups on two teamwork-building activities that involve engineering design. They first construct the tallest tower they can using five sheets of paper and masking tape. Next, they...

There is a strong need for workers skilled in trades (agriculture, construction, transportation, the service industry, manufacturing, industry). Middle schoolers listen to an interview with a tradesperson and then go online to...

A lesson plan uses a stop light to assist young scholars in using self-control. After the class defines self-control and how it boosts responsibility and independence, they practice a breathing exercise to reflect on their...

"Sí, se puede!" Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta believed organizing farm workers and changing their working conditions were possible. Scholars examine provisions of the Bracero Program, videos, and the United Farm Workers' (UFW) work....

Massive storms, shipwrecks, survivors stranded on an island ruled by an aging magician, and strange creatures—Shakespeare's The Tempest appeals to today's middle schoolers. For this unit, seventh graders read selections from an...

The second lesson in a five-part poetry unit asks seventh graders to construct a metaphor poem. First, pupils examine Emily Dickinson's "The Railway Train" and identify the metaphor. They then select an object and an animal and craft a...

High school juniors learn how to construct a strong argument by crafting a claim and using neutral language backed by evidence from reliable sources. To do so, they learn to evaluate sources and evidence to support claims. They then...

Groups of two to four work collaboratively to engineer a birdhouse that will stay cool in the summer heat. Teams examine several different-colored roofs, testing the efficiency of each with a heat lamp. Then, groups sketch their ideas,...

The proteins inside a cell determine the shape of the cell. While most red blood cells have a circular shape, those with sickle cell take the shape of a sickle. This change in shape causes multiple issues in the system. Scholars solve...

Analyze and make inferences from the information used by linguists to construct the evolution of languages. They research different dating techniques to explain how scientists infer age with evidence.