Second graders investigate self- and teacher-selected literature (e.g., picture books, nursery rhymes, fairy tales, poems, legends) from a variety of cultures. They re-enact and retell stories, songs, poems, plays, and other literary...

Young scholars consider the purpose of talk radio and examine its importance in the new democratic Iraq. They enact mock talk shows based on current events and reflect on the value of free speech and the role audience members play in...

Students examine the role Martin Luther King Jr. played in America's history and what life was like in the 1960's. They watch and discuss an online video about the childhood of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the holiday enacted in his...

Young scholars explore the Civil War and the many emotions that emerged during this era. The teacher arranges students in groups of families and prepares them to simulate typical responses during this era. The Civil War and Gettysburg...

Young scholars play a game about taxation where they have tax collectors that simulate the feelings and reasons that led to the American Revolution. In this taxation lesson plan, students learn about why the people in the colonies were...

Students study early Native American-European trade. They play bartering games to discover trade as an economic funtion, as well as other implications of trading one good for another.

Sixth graders examine the contributions of Desmond Tutu and the history of apartheid in South Africa. They listen to the book "The Story of Ruby Bridges," listen to a lecture and analyze a timeline, conduct an interview, and participate...

Students study the role of the beaver in Illinois during the 1800's and how overtrapping cause the near extinction of the beaver colonies in Illinois by 1900. Students role play various people in 1945 who have an opinion about the...

You walk each day over 20 blocks to school as a 9-year old because the color of your skin does not allow you to attend a school in your own neighborhood. Scholars use the 1954 Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education to investigate...

Students act out lines from King Lear to show a character's folly.  In this English literature lesson, students identify the 'folly' of a given character by choosing a passage from King Lear to demonstrate a time when the...

Students investigate Benjamin Franklin's contributions to society. In this history lesson, students read about Franklin's philanthropic behavior and play a bucket brigade game to re-enact how fires were put out during colonial times.

Students commemorate black history month. Using the Internet, information books and printed web pages, students research the events of Mary Seacole's life. Students role play Mary Seacole being interviewed for a job.

Learners study the effect of trapping in the Illinois Territory in 1805 and compare it to trapping today. They participate in a role playing activity in which they discover how practices in early Illinois Territory led to wildlife...

High schoolers research the development of satellite technology over the last 50 years students explain how the enactment of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 changed the rules for corporate ownership of multiple media outlets.

Students explore Chinese culture by reading a story with their class. In this Chinese economics lesson plan, students read a chapter from the story The Fastest Pig in the West and define the chopstick tax that was enacted in China....

Sixth graders present a Greek festival. In this Greek festival lesson, 6th graders experience many facets of an ancient Greek festival. Students in sixth grade present the Greek festival to second grade students.

People won't let me finish talking!...I hate the lunch room...Leave my name alone! Explore a variety of problems learners can face on a daily basis, and use this game to have pupils determine the best ways to answer those situations.

Students are introduced to and practice high-frequency patterns of language that will help them perform in real life situations. They enact in a role play situation with the teacher and then with partners.

Students discover the "dumb show," a scene that enacts a story silently while focusing on an example from Hamlet. Divided into groups, they act out the silent scene from the play. Again, in groups, they create a "dumb show" from Julius...

Students complete a full retelling of a play they have read in class. After reading each act of the play, students retell and summarize the major plot points of the play in small groups. Groups complete their review until they have...

Students examine ways to deal with unsafe fire situations. They determine what to do when someone else is casing a dangerous fire situation such as playing with a lighter, burning candles near curtains, or smoking in bed. Working with a...

Pupils examine the Brown v. Board of Education case that ended segregation. They role play to re-enact the case and discuss why it was important. They discover its impact on public education.

Young scholars discover how to change units of measurement by multiplication and division applications. They play math bingo solving multiplication and division problems. Students review their anwers by checking them in class.

Learners discuss the issues at hand when legislators are trying to agree on policy. In groups, they role-play different roles within a sub-committee when trying to balance the budget. They present their findings to the class and...