Thinking of assigning a research paper? Get writers off on the right foot with a instructional activity that introduces the BEAM research model. Writers brainstorm the background of their topic, explicate the aspects of their topic,...

A guided imagery exercise is a great way to get readers thinking about writing. As part of their study of Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse’s 1998 Newbery Medal winning verse novel, class members listen to a reading of one of the poems...

Drive or take the school bus? Class members determine the amount each student would have to pay in a carpool situation. They then evaluate  the cost in a set of provided examples. I think I'd rather take the school...

Challenge classes to think deeply and apply their understanding of polynomials. The assessment prompts learners to use polynomial functions to model different situations and use them to make predictions and conclusions.

How many of the pupils at your school think selling soda would be a good idea? Show learners how to develop a study to answer questions like these! The lesson explores the meaning of a population versus a sample and how to interpret the...

Having trouble finding performance task questions? Here is an assessment that uses all high-level thinking questions. It includes questions to assess sequences, linear functions, exponential functions, and increasing/decreasing intervals.

English and math have more in common than you think. Make a connection between a compound sentence and a compound inequality with an activity that teaches learners the difference between an "and" and "or" inequality through solutions...

Scholars take transformations from the second to the third dimension as they extend their thinking of transformations to include three-dimensional figures. They explore how to use matrices to represent compositions of...

Assess your classes' knowledge using questions that require high-level thinking and explanation. Learners use matrices to answer application questions. They also demonstrate their understanding of matrix operations.

Our young scientists have now specifically identified a problem, and this step helps them think of possible solutions. An outline, including guidelines, for brainstorming helps scholars stay on the right path. The resource includes...

Looking at London's population from 1801–1961 in 20 year increments, high school mathematicians determine if the data can be modeled by a given logistic growth equation. They explain their thinking and determine the values of each...

Connect the size of a rolling cup to the size of circle it makes. Pupils view videos of cups of different sizes rolling in a circle. Using the videos and additional data, they attempt to determine a relationship between cup...

Math can be a work of art! Reach your artistic pupils as they explore angle measures. A creative set of five problems of varying levels has young learners study interior and exterior angle measures of polygons. The introductory levels...

Have class members take the pledge against bullying! Use the eight-page packet during a bullying unit to reinforce the importance of sticking up for others, thinking about what might hurt others' feelings, and ways to prevent bullying.

Don't just think outside of the box — read outside of it! The 15th lesson plan in a 22-part unit provides pupils more work with box plots. Learners read the box plots to estimate the five-number summary and interpret it within the...

How many ways can you make the number 9? Use a task that has pupils thinking about the many different ways a classroom of nine can be made up of boys and girls.

Don't think negatively about exponents. Young mathematicians dissect a fictional conversation between pupils trying to evaluate an expression with a negative exponent. This allows them to understand the meaning of negative exponents.

Practice composing and decomposing numbers in base-ten using three word problems. Each problem presents a different scenario requiring learners to explain their thinking, find the number of ones, and find out different ways to make a...

The star on the top of a Christmas tree can be beautiful, or it can be gold, or it can be shiny—or, in fact, it can be all three! A picture of a decorated Christmas tree encourages pupils to choose from a list of 18 adjectives to...

This activity may have writers evaluate short compositions, but their subjects are quite tall: great Americans. Pupils read one another's compositions and closely examine how specific phrases and diction contribute to shaping American...

A cork, a rubber snake, and a bucket of mud may not seem like the best materials for washing a car, but they are in The Twits. The fifth lesson in an 11-part unit designed to accompany The Twits by Roald Dahl has readers role play...

Help bring subconscious stereotypes to the surface to stop it in its tracks. Pupils first read an excerpt describing the experience of prejudice and analyze how this process connects to World War II. Then, they write a creative story...

How to meet the needs of people around the globe—a question many ask. The fifth in a six-part series about human population and its effects on the globe, the eye-opening lesson includes discussion, a homework activity, and an in-class...

Global history and geography class members demonstrate their knowledge of and ability to analyze primary sources such as graphics, maps, political cartoons, and texts from important documents with an assessment that includes multiple...