"Words, words, words." Despite Hamlet's opinion, words can be significant. In this inquiry lesson, middle schoolers learn how the words in Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin, in the view of many, lead to the American Civil War. To...

Students map local places and learn to use scale and distance.  In this mapping lesson, students map their school and a favorite place.  Students recreate their maps showing distance and scale sizes. Students locate their...

Students measure and write specific metric distances. In this archaeology lesson, students are given specific artifact locations on a map and measure the distance using millimeters.

Fifth graders analyze a landscape depicting Yosemite during the time of the Wild West. They compare their perceptions of the West from film and television to this representation. They observe the use of scale and color to depict size and...

The American Museum of Natural History offers a website sure to engage young anthropologists. Learners can dig into a site that offers an explanation of the field of archaeology, the kinds of questions archaeologists ask that launch...

Young historians may be surprised to learn that the Constitution of the United States includes provisions that protect the institution of slavery. Groups examine four clauses of the Constitution, as well as other primary sources, and...

Pupils think about their neighborhood and get a mental picture of their community. They then interpret aerial photography, learning how to use shapes and patterns to describe urban, suburban and rural communities.

Young scholars investigate the purpose of map scale and how it is used to measure the distance and the size of objects.

Students discuss the validity of using the internet for learning. They compare and contrast the various strategies for learning when done online and in class. Students prepare a lesson plan for an online class and write a paper...

Students create a map. In this direction and distance lesson, students come up with familiar places in the community and calculate the distances from these places to the school. Students create a map that displays these places and their...

Class members consider how people steal online identities as they discover the essential elements of identity theft and consumer fraud. Pupils demonstrate learning by creating a poster or video about how to avoid identity theft. 

A cross-curricular lesson plan for middle schoolers that covers language arts, social studies, geography, and math, this is a great extension activity if your class is reading The Diary of Anne Frank or learning about the...

Students study the contributions of Jackie Joyner-Kersee. For this service learning lesson, students explore the work of Jackie Joyner-Kersee as an Olympic athlete and philanthropist.

While this lesson focuses on a study of the Hudson River, it could be used as a template for a discussion of map skills, converting measurements, and plotting a route. The lesson includes vocabulary and other resources to make it a...

Students examine their own intelligence to find areas of strength after studying the multiple intelligences.  In this diverse learning styles lesson, students analyze how the school environment fosters or fails students of diverse...

There is no more useful life skill to learn than budgeting and setting financial goals. It's math that is used by every person, everyday. Learners examine the responsibilities and costs involved in family economics. Through a series of...

Wow, now here's a presentation that tells a story! Your class can follow along the battle lines of the American Revolution to learn key players, dates, and events that marked each twist and turn in the fight for American independence....

How do you read a frame? How do you read a shot? Here's a resource that shows viewers how to read films. As part of the study, class members examine the camera angles, lighting, movement, and cinematic point of view in Mr. Smith Goes to...

Academics use their research skills to create a financial guidebook for young adults. They also learn about the skills needed to be successful as an adult, including how to use credit cards and how to buy a car. Hands-on activities and...

Your class will be on top of their game when it comes to mid-ocean ridges! The second installment in a 13-part series focuses on the 65,000-km underwater ridge system that spans our globe. Junior oceanographers practice placing the...

Students explore the concept of philanthropy in historical context. In this Westward Movement lesson plan, students read Our Journey West and explain examples of settlers working together for the common good.

Students examine how the Inca communicated over large distances. They locate the Inca Empire on a map, define key vocabulary terms, play the game, 'telephone,' and create a quipu to show the year they were born.

Here is an exciting exploration of a fascinating topic for your emerging ecologists: bird migration! They begin by visiting the US Fish & Wildlife Service website to discover which Arctic birds come to their areas. They are assigned...

What do we use to determine the exact locations on the earth? Your kids can learn all about compass roses and latitude and longitude. Test understanding with the five reading comprehension questions included on the page.