Curated OER
Constructing a Building
Students work with big boxes to connect big ideas. In this early childhood problem solving instructional activity, students develop social, language, math, creative-thinking, and problem-solving skills as they work together to plan and...
Curated OER
New Ways to Measure
Students recognize that measuring tools can come in many different shapes and sizes. In this early childhood math lesson, students develop creative-thinking, math, and social skills as they use nontraditional measuring tools.
Curated OER
Every Puppet Tells a Story
Students make homemade puppet characters that have faces that tell it all. In this early childhood dramatic play lesson plan, students create stick puppet characters that encourage language and story development, creative-thinking and...
Curated OER
Boxes & Blocks: Square Play
Students add a new angle to block play with this spatial challenge. In this early childhood math instructional activity, students use creative-thinking, patterning, visual-spatial, and fine-motor skills to explore the different shapes...
Curated OER
So You Think You're Tough
Fourth graders learn how to classify animals. In this invertebrates lesson, 4th graders discuss how we classify thinks into groups and move into a discussion about classifying animals. Students learn about the differences between...
Curated OER
Creative Can Sculptures Help Feed the Hungry
Students look at pictures of Canstruction sculptures, then read a news article about the construction of these canned food sculptures. For this current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with pictures of winning sculptures...
Curated OER
Creative Problem Solving
Students respond to a situation presented about the wetlands. For this wetlands lesson, students understand the various opinions over the use of areas in the wetlands. Students complete a worksheet using critical thinking questions about...
Curated OER
Author Activities
For this author activity worksheet, students read a variety of books and discuss ideas that go along with the themes of the books. Students read Ruby Rogers books, Stink books, and also Troll Trouble books. After reading the books the...
Curated OER
If I Had the Power
Have your young learners practice using higher-order thinking skills by engaging in this problem-solving activity. They work in cooperative groups to solve problems, and list ways to address a variety of challenges. They explain their...
Curated OER
Creating New Forms of Life
Although not particularly educational, here is a creative group activity in which high school biologists will use their imaginations to create a new life form combining characteristics from existing life forms. Each group must come up...
Curated OER
Something Special Gift Certificate
Students make gift certificates to give to others. They use creative thinking and writing skills to create the text for the certificates. They practice spelling and grammar skills.
Curated OER
Taxed Tempers Toss Tea To Tides
Engage learners in persuasive writing, research, and creative thinking. They research the series of events that led to the Boston Tea Party and create brochures that include propaganda intended to rally Patriot support or dissuade...
Curated OER
Creative Activities for the Sciences
Students expand their creative outlets. In this science lesson, three ideas, including videos, are presented to help get students motivated to think creatively and express themselves.
Curated OER
Critical Thinking & Writing: Brainstorming
Have your young writers organize their thoughts before writing. They generate ideas through various brainstorming activities prior to writing a mock feature news story for USA Today. A series of USA Today articles debating the level of...
Curated OER
Learning About Inventions
This site contains a variety of worksheets and activities to supplement the on-line problem-based learning activity about how imagination and how inventions are created. TheWright Brothers are used as a case study. The links and...
Curated OER
Task: Miniature Golf
"Fore!" All right, no one really yells this out in miniature golf, but this well-defined activity will have your charges using lots of numbers in their unique design of a miniature golf hole. Included in the activity criteria is the...
iCivics
Washington’s Water
It's easy to forget about something as simple as water, a substance that is easily available to many in the world. However, understanding water management and the importance of a renewable resource system becomes clear in an informative,...
Curated OER
Words/Music/Images: Interpretation and Meaning A Motivational Activity
Students explore popular music in its historical context. In this music lesson, students examine the lyrics, musicical arrangement, and video imagery of selected songs to interpret the messages and themes of the songs.
Curated OER
Collaborative Drawings
Students create a collaborative drawing. In this cooperation skills lesson plan, students are divided into small groups and are given art supplies. Students decide on a topic for their illustration and create the drawing on large paper....
Mathematics Vision Project
Geometric Figures
Logical thinking is at the forefront of this jam-packed lesson, with young mathematicians not only investigating geometric concepts but also how they "know what they know". Through each activity and worksheet, learners wrestle with...
Benjamin Banneker Association
Celebrate Benjamin Banneker
Inventor, astronomer, surveyor, mathematician, clock maker. Learners celebrate the life of Benjamin Banneker by building creative analog clocks, making scale models, and solving problems related to surveying. The activities model the...
Outdoor Learning Center
Outdoor Survival
Which of the following can you survive without for the longest time: water, food, or a positive mental attitude? The answer may surprise you. Guide learners of all ages through games, activities, and discussions about surviving in the...
Southern Poverty Law Center
Analyzing Gender Stereotypes in Media
Why might toy advertisers use gender stereotypes to sell their products? Young people think critically about media messages and its role in gender stereotyping with a thought-provoking lesson.
Candlewick Press
A Classroom Guide to Peter H. Reynolds's Creatrilogy
Help young readers find, identify, and use their voices with a set of empowering activities based on Peter H. Reynolds' trilogy of books. Sky Color, Ish, and The Dot focus on recognizing moods and treating each other...