Ever feel disengaged? Let's talk about it! Learning how to create podcast lessons in the classroom fully engages scholars and educators. Participants learn how to conduct simple podcast lessons, then evolve into creating more complex,...

Feel the rhythm! Pupils begin reading Act 2, Scene 1 of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream as they continue participating in a drama circle. With discussion, they examine Shakespeare's use of rhyme, rhythm, and meter, analyzing how...

Feeling stuck? Want to energize the class? Use activities such as quizzes and fill-in-the-blank worksheets to get class members' attention with a year's worth of holiday celebrations. From Mother's Day to Robert Burns's birthday,...

The debate over the Equal Rights Amendment continues. To better understand the controversy, class members research the history of attempts to get the amendment ratified. In addition, pairs engage in a structured academic conversation...

Make math class feel more real by using real-world data. Scholars research or collect data on several different topics, such as nutrition, the motion of moving objects, cooling curves, and daylight hours. They create scatter plots using...

Make math class feel like a day at the beach (minus all the sunburns, of course). Given information about a pail, a soup can, and a plastic pyramid mold, pupils calculate the volume of sand that can fit in each. They then design sand...

Challenge scholars to speak up about a topic by creating a public service announcement or social media blitz about an issue they feel passionate about. Have them research their issues, then decide the best way to take their messages to...

Scholars work in pairs to analyze the characters, plot, and setting of Katherine Paterson's novel, Lyddie. Next, they apply what they learned about the characters' feelings and motivation to perform a mini reader's theater. 

Conflicts happen, conflicts grow, it's how to handle them that middle schoolers need to know. Introduce tweens to a problem-solving approach for handling anger with a series of activities that has class members read articles, research...

Character analysis can help readers feel more connected to a literary text. Scholars explore the topic by writing an acrostic poem about the main character from Katherine Paterson's novel, Lyddie. Then, pupils watch a short video to help...

Readers of Pygmalion use Eliza Character Tracker Parts one and two to notice and wonder about character analysis. They read text excerpts and mark details that show how Eliza feels and why she acts in certain ways. To finish, they...

An eye-catching hook makes a smart analogy between ingredients for a food recipe and ingredients for quality relationships. Scholars discuss and list qualities they feel contribute to positive interactions. Pupils create a recipe card...

Develop social awareness with a lesson that challenges scholars to properly communicate with their peers. Standing in two lines, participants practice introducing themselves, asking how their partner is feeling, asks if they want to...

Change is inevitable. Kindergarteners discuss coping skills to properly manage changes that can occur outside the family.  Scholars reflect on their life changes after starting kindergarten. They discuss their feelings and draw a...

Class members read a handout to learn about using I-Messages—honest statements that begin with I to get their points of view across. Next, learners practice using I-Messages with partners to better communicate without hurting...

Anger, Sadness, Shame, Fear. A self-help booklet offers insight into how to manage these emotions. Included is information about helpful and unhelpful responses to these emotions, as well as worksheets that ask responders to reflect on...

Introduce young learners to the concept of a Universe of Obligation, a term coined by sociologist Helen Fein, with a instructional activity that asks learners to consider the extent to which they feel a responsibility for others. Class...

Go with your gut! Scholars read excerpts from The Jungle by Upton Sinclair and record their initial feeling from the reading as strong positive, positive, neutral, negative, or strong negative. They then discuss how their responses...

It would be lovely if we all had mirrors that told us were were fabulous. Alas, such devices designed to boost self-esteem have yet to be invented. However, there are activities that can prove effective. Two activities in a four-page...

The final activity in a series of five that focus on developing the interpersonal skills required to develop and maintain positive relationships asks class members to identify their best friend-making skill. Individuals share these...

Being aware of one's perceptions and biases is especially important when involved in a conflict. After watching an introductory video and four scenarios, viewers write out how they would feel or react to each situation. The subsequent...

Say hello to a healthy summer! Feel well-rested and rejuvenated. Get healthier and become more productive. Teens engage in two activities designed to encourage safe and healthy summer routines. First, individuals craft a speech that...

The increase in the number of restrictions placed on smoking represents a clear shift in the understanding of the dangers of both the short term and long term consequences of tobacco use. But people still light up. Three activities help...

Set the stage for discussion in a thought-provoking instructional activity on racism. An informative resource prepares scholars to discuss the history of race and racism with a quiz, vocabulary, and guidelines. Academics discuss topics...