Students investigate pattern books. In this literature instructional activity, students read the book Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? and use echo and choral reading strategies. Students identify the pattern in the text and write...

Students define discrimination and relate it to their own experiences. In this discrimination lesson, students discuss feeling like a stranger and complete a personal experiences worksheet. Students then find strategies to reduce or...

Young scholars explore the concept of philanthropy. In this service learning lesson plan, students use iMovie to create a video highlighting their middle school in order to share with incoming young scholars.

Middle schoolers investigate how democracy in the United States makes civic virtue possible. They examine the rights and responsibilities associated with democracy. In small groups, they create public service posters that highlight these...

Pupils participate in a cross-age reading program. In this language arts lesson, students choose a class of younger children and read them the book The Legend of the Bluebonnet. Pupils reflect upon their service project in a journal.

Students explore fire safety. In this fire prevention and safety instructional activity, students discuss and brainstorm ideas about what to do if there is a fire. Students practice stating information that should be given when calling...

Young scholars create a descriptive paragraph about their past or their heritage and provide a picture to go along with it. In this past and heritage lesson plan, students share their paragraph with the class.

Students create and original multimedia presentation on the Incas, Mayans, or Aztecs. In this Meso-American civilization lesson, students research and then compare and contrast the civilizations of the Incas, Mayan and the Aztecs....

Students analyze messages and values associated with civic engagement present in the media. They analyze the local community's promotion of values associated with civic engagement by conducting investigative research. They hypothesize...

Eighth graders research the three branches of government and examine the effect that the separation of powers has on the presidency. They explain the importance of the rule of law in establishing limits on both those who govern and the...

Students explore a career in journalism while using various forms of technology; such as, distance learning via the Iowa Communications Network (ICN) and the Internet. They have the opportunity to create a final project that is based...

Middle schoolers explore the concept of philanthropy. In this service learning lesson, students discover what philanthropy is and identify people who benefit from philanthropy. Middle schoolers read selected newspaper articles regarding...

Young scholars research philanthropy in three genres: a play, a fable, and a parable. Students read an Aesop fable and answer questions in groups. Young scholars complete steps in two worksheets from 'The Good San Franciscan' and...

Students research discrimination and how people fought against for the common good. In this discrimination instructional activity, students watch a movie about Alfred Blalock and Vivien Thomas. Students generate a list of words about...

Students explore the lives of famous Americans. In this biography instructional activity, students read biographies about famous Americans and keep reading journals as they read about setting, main events, and character sketches.

Fourth graders explore world culture by creating an arts and crafts project in class. In this weaving lesson, 4th graders identify the Kente culture and their uses for straw and other natural elements in their communities. Students...

Students compare and contrast five different religions and the views that their leaders have in regard to civic responsibility and philanthropy. They choose one of the five leaders and write a letter outlining their perception of that...

Students analyze, synthesize, and use the elements of various US cultural folk tales to describe the elements of fiction in general and in folk tales specifically.

Students divide careers into clusters.  In this vocational technology lesson, students prepare a PowerPoint presentation of one of the six career clusters.  Working in small groups, students organize a variety of careers into...

Students record their personal medical history. In this medical history activity, students practice completing a medical history form. Students write with a purpose in this lesson.

Learners solve an environmental problem on a local river. They use their knowledge of river ecology to develop an action plan. They use river-monitoring equipment to collect river- monitoring data, including biological, physical, and...

Fifth graders are introduced to poetry and many authors who create it. In this language arts lesson, 5th graders create a class poetry book. Each student submits an original poem, along with an illustration.

Young scholars engage in a lesson that involves the use of imagery in poetry. They select words from poems that are used for imagery. The words are put onto magnets and then used to create new poems filled with imagery. The hands on...

Students create greeting cards. They listen to verses from various cards and evaluate each one. They research websites of greeting card makers and complete a chart. They discuss themes and ideas in greeting cards and edit their free...