How do you solve a conflict that's been around for so many years? Scholars discover the viewpoints of stakeholders in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict during an emotionally charged simulation. A facilitator moderates discussions between...

Problem solve across the content standards. The presentation slides provide 19 sample items from the Smarter Balanced high school assessment. Items illustrate Claim 2, problem solving, of the test and are drawn from all the high school...

Communication is the key. A dozen sample items require scholars to communicate their reasoning involved in arriving at a solution. The PowerPoint from the Gr. 8 Claim 2 - 4 Item Slide Shows series uses a variety of content to...

Individuals complete a pre-assessment to gauge their ability to determine the main idea and supporting details in nonfiction text. They examine a new piece of nonfiction reading by looking at the table of contents, headings, and index...

Geometers identify and determine angle pair relationships when two parallel lines are intersected by a transversal. They review the concepts of angles by watching streaming video clips online, read definitions of lines and angles from...

Put your class in the shoes of someone - or something - else with this lesson, which encourages writers to keep a diary from the perspective of a living creature or an abstraction. Use Doreen Cronin's Diary of a Worm and the Six Trait...

Focusing on Doppo's "Unforgettable People" and late nineteenth century Japanese literature, this resource also leads to discussions of form being dictated by content. Explore the development of new literary styles first-hand by...

Japanese architecture is rich in symbolism and culture. Critical thinkers engage in three activities intended to expose them to the beauty of Japan. They read through the book, Praise of Shadows by Junichiro Tanizaki and watch the...

Grab your hiking gear and get ready for a math adventure! Learners explore the meaning of percent grade change, as compared to the slope in an excellent activity activity about hiking trails in the mountains of New Hampshire. They...

Ask your class to think about how song lyrics can go with a video and more with a well-sequenced lesson plan that focuses on the song "Two Fingers" by Jake Bugg. Class members work together to make predictions about the content of the...

Explore the structure and content of the US Constitution in the second lesson of this five-part social studies series. A collection of activities, games, and videos complement a class reading of a document summarizing the US...

Here's a 15-page packet packed with ideas for warm-up activities that can be used for drama classes or in content courses. Each activity is coded to indicate materials needed, space requirements and appropriate audience. A great...

You've heard of farm to table ... but what about farm in classroom? Junior agriculturalists embark upon a two-week journey into the science of growing things. Based upon the classic terrarium in a two-liter experiment, the instructional...

Communication is the key. A presentation provides 25 sample items for Claim 3, Communicating Reasoning, for the Smarter Balanced High School Math assessment. Items require pupils to answer the question and provide logical reasoning to...

One of several presentations of eighth grade sample items looks at the basics of functions. Smarter Balanced sample items for Target E highlights the way function content shows up on the assessments. The presentation contains eight items...

Develop a model for prep. The resource provides examples of how items reflect modeling and data analysis for Smarter Balanced assessments. Items use on-grade or below-grade content to focus on the modeling aspect. The questions revolve...

Trash is where it's at! Using bags of garbage collected from the school, learners sort the contents into categories based on type of material and collect data on the results. The data may include weight, volume, and/or percent of the trash.

The students will create an Autobiography PowerPoint, including clip art or other illustrations relating to the content, and present the finished product to the class using the SMART Board.The students should be able to create their own...

Seventh graders review the content of American History and focus upon the original thirteen colonies. They also study the geography of the region. It is recommended that students have other lessons delivered on the topic prior to this one.

Young scholars research the concept of genetically modified foods. The purpose of the research is to increase science content knowledge and comprehension of the controversy surrounding the subject.

Which animal is best for you—a dog or cat? Why? Engage third graders in an opinion writing assessment that prompts them to read facts about both pets, and then write and decide which pet is best for them.

Here's a must-have resource for primary classrooms. The 144-page resource is packed with ideas, tips, suggestions, templates, worksheets, graphic organizers, and activities, all with a September theme. The calendar even notes special...

The American Revolution is the theme of a five-week unit that focuses on reading, grammar, morphology, and writing. Scholars read and respond to texts, practice spelling and word work, and write paragraphs. Assessments gauge comprehension.

Students write an essay to describe the contents of a compost bin.  In this composting lesson, students create a compost bin. Students examine soil for its contents and explains in an essay the impact of the soil on the environment.