Curated OER
East Asia Country Project
Get your young historians thinking about East Asian culture and history during this partner research project, in which they analyze a variety of East Asian aspects to prepare for a presentation. After an initial "what do we already know"...
Minnesota Center for Community Legal Education
Minnesota v. Hershberger
Freedom of religion has been a controversial, yet fundamental, tenet of the United States since even before the nation's birth. In a well-constructed lesson, the class compares the Minnesota Constitution to the US Constitution as a means...
Curated OER
Sentences for Sight Word Dictation
Improve your learners' reading and writing skills with a set of sentences designed to help pupils work with sight words. The teacher dictates while the pupils write; this is followed by discussion. ...
Polar Trec
Plankton Parents
Plankton are so abundant in the ocean they outweigh all of the animals in the sea. In this three day activity, groups discuss and become familiar with plankton, capture females, and look for egg production on day three.
Rainforest Alliance
The Carbon Cycle
Scholars learn about the carbon cycle, play a carbon cycle game, and then write a story based on their role as a carbon atom during the game. After the writings, pupils analyze the carbon cycle by leading a class discussion on the material.
Annenberg Foundation
Mapping Initial Encounters
Picture someone's excitement of seeing a horse for the first time. How about a cow? The Columbian Exchange changed life for not only Native Americans, but also for Europeans and the entire world. The second lesson of a 22-part series...
Curated OER
Two Truths and a Lie: Internet Research Skills
It's tough for high schoolers to assess what is a credible resource and what is not. A helpful resource prompts class members to research a particular topic and record two facts—and create one lie—while documenting the sources. They...
New York City Department of Education
Grade 5 Literacy in Science: Ecosytems
How do humans affect ecosystems? Learners read two articles and interpret a graph to develop essays on the human impact on ecosystems. They read about human impact on tigers and manatees as a basis for their overarching papers.
Beauty and Joy of Computing
Search Engines
Which search engine is best? The last lab in a unit of five leads the class to investigate search engines. Working in groups, individuals read and discuss articles related to searching the Internet. Pupils develop suggestions that...
TryEngineering
Computing in the Cloud
What and where is "the cloud"? The lesson teaches scholars about the history of cloud computing and about its current uses. It also teaches how to install a multiple guest OS in a host OS and how to use cloud computing services.
ProCon
Electoral College
The Electoral College's role in elections is sometimes confusing and controversial. Pupils use a debate topics website to research the pros and cons of the practice to debate whether the United States should still use the Electoral...
Curated OER
Discussion of Adaptation
Students discuss ways in which dinosaurs adapted to their environments. They apply the same logic to an analysis of human habitat, survival needs, and survival need fulfillment to explain how people have adapted to their environment.
Curated OER
Making Conversation
Students develop their social skills to help them feel more apart of society. They practice initiating conversations and using common phrases. They also use small talk.
Curated OER
Don't Get Lost on the Web
Scholars discuss purpose of search engines, define World Wide Web, become familiar with website addresses, demonstrate understanding of site updating, create a list of topics about which they would like more information, and visit at...
Wellness in the Rockies
Friendship Web
What does it take to support a friendship? Youngsters complete a group activity using yarn and balloons to demonstrate qualities of a good friend, and their importance in a strong friendship.
Tracy Pendry
Cardiovascular/Circulatory System
Explore the circulatory system with a cardiovascular pump activity that promotes discovery and discussion as class members create a functioning model of the heart. Continue the learning process through a web quest showcasing the...
Curated OER
Interviewing Skills
Prepare your pupils for the world of work and the dreaded interview by providing class members with a resource packet that includes handy tips. After examining the materials, pairs conduct mock interviews and reflect on the experience....
Curated OER
How Do I Get There? Planning a Safe Route to School
One much-needed skill for young learners is direction giving. Have your class plan and draw a safe route for them to travel from home to school. They will also draw places and items that are in between home and school in order to build a...
Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution and Its Impact on Latin America
Fidel Castro was the iconic leader of Cuba. Yet, individuals may know little about the man or his motivations. In an engaging Web quest activity, scholars investigate Castro's political aspirations and his more ephemeral personal life...
Curated OER
You Can Say That Again!
A discussion of the Supreme Court’s Opinion of Tinker v. Des Moines generates a discussion of the Bill of Rights and the First Amendment. Although the key elements of this lesson are based on a video that is not included, the activities...
Virginia Department of Education
Go with the Flow
How does nature's hierarchy relate to our local human environment? Answer this question, along with others, as the class visually depicts the natural hierarchy provided by nature. Pupils discuss each piece of the pyramid and its energy...
Curated OER
National Oatmeal Month and Nutrition
January can be a time to delve into a science lesson about nutrition through a discussion of whole grains, like oatmeal.
Curated OER
Harvesting Energy from Food: How do Plants Help Humans?
Beginning botanists view slides of plant vascular tissue. They watch Magic School Bus Gets Planted, which you can find online, and then write a summary of what they have learned about plants. This lesson could be used with upper...
US Institute of Peace
Simulation on The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
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...