Incorporate technology into a literature lesson with an innovative language arts lesson. Middle schoolers read an electronic version of original stories or fairy tales, and after determining the point of view, rewrite the tale from...

Do I stand or do I sit? The class plays a dice game where they must decide to either continue to stand and play or sit down and keep their points. After the game, groups discuss individuals' strategies and see connections to the...

Solve a real-world problem of discovering how many doctors and nurses can be hired within budget and building constraints. Using different colored pencils to shade each graph, they then find the intersection points and use these to solve...

Video games may not be so bad after all. As scholars read the text "The Many Benefits, for Kids, of Playing Video Games," they summarize the gist in their researchers' notebooks. Next, pupils draft supporting research questions based on...

For employers and recruiters, the first step in their quest to find good candidates is the paper screening process. They look at a candidate's application and resume and push forward the files of those who meet their requirements. Thus...

What strategies are employed when creating propaganda? Your young historians will learn about six different techniques utilized in the construction of political propaganda, particularly in the advertisements of World War I. The...

Discuss the separation of church and state as it relates to government entities. This is a great way to launch a discussion on the relationship between these groups. Learners analyze this relationship in governments throughout the world,...

You'd feel bad if someone called you by the wrong name — and equations are no different. Young mathematicians learn the vocabulary associated with equations and expressions identifying these components in sample equations.

Is the expansion of American corporations abroad a good or bad thing? After examining the global operations of Ford Motor Company, McDonald's, and Walmart, class members are asked to evaluate the impact of globalization and...

Learners listen to the story Bad Case of the Stripes.  In this respect lesson, students listen to the story and discuss bullying and how to respect others. They draw a picture of themselves covered in what they like to do. 

Use this with your English language learners or your English grammar classes. Bring your class to the computer lab, and access this website. First they read about the states of being and some common mistakes. Then they complete a short...

Students demonstrate empathy. In this character education instructional activity, students read the book Alexander and the Horrible No Good Very Bad Day and discuss examples of bad days they have experienced. Students are given happy...

Analyze the presence of negative stereotypes and biased reporting in news media, and how this affects one's understanding of other cultures. Learners read newspaper excerpts and quotes from famous personalities to discuss...

How important are sound effects in films? In stage plays? In radio programs? To gain an understanding of the impact of these special effects, class members watch a short video spoof of the sound in a scene from Star...

Is social media the best way to convey news in your school? Young journalists dig deep into the social media question in the second of 16 lessons from The Social Media Toolbox. After learning about the relationship between social media...

Turning 11 comes with a range of emotions. Explore those emotions by reading the short story "Eleven" by Sandra Cisneros. Readers analyze the main character's reactions to the events of her day. Then, they write an essay describing what...

The Learning Network is featuring an article about First Lady Michelle Obama and her quest to help reduce childhood obesity in America. The article talks about how she has talked with the top three suppliers of school lunches and has...

Students brainstorm a list of unacceptable things to do in a formal American business meeting. Using a list given to them by their teacher, they determine if the behaviors would be considered rude. They use their various cultures to...

Help kindergartners learn to identify the main events in fiction. They will review elements of fiction, retell information found in the text, and discuss their real-life daily experiences. All the while, they will be asking themselves...

When is civil disobedience acceptable? Class members read examples of Jim Crow laws, an excerpt from Dr. Martin Luther King's "Letter from a Birmingham Jail," and a newspaper article and then consider the factors that make a law just or...

Connect global examples of attempted genocide with a well-designed social studies activity. It includes an excellent informational text with background information on the Holocaust, as well as worksheets, book report guidelines, and...

Explore how language is used for comic effect. Middle schoolers determine which of the three formulas for jokes (double meanings, unexpected outcome, humorous mental image) make each of 18 classic, corny examples funny. They complete a...

Students list positive and negative aspects of a community.  In this Tower of Babel and Pentecost instructional activity, students find examples of pros and cons of communities as they discuss their own communities and the...

Imagine how the wolf would tell the tale of Little Red Riding Hood or The Three Little Pigs. Young writers re-imagine classic tales by adopting the point of view of another character in the story. After reading models like The True Story...