How can you tell what an owl has eaten? Study the food chain and flow of energy in an ecosystem by dissecting an owl pellet and noting the bones found inside. Additionally, the activity includes a game about consumers and producers with...

Has your class ever been astounded by the complexity of DNA analysis? Have they ever asked why genetic engineering has become so important to our daily lives? Young scientists perform DNA extraction on strawberries and explore how the...

In this geography activity, learners read an excerpt on what directions tell someone. They respond to 6 short answer questions related to the neighborhood illustration found on the second page of the activity.

Students reflect on field trips in writing. For this journal writing lesson, students write about a recent experience by using 4 of their senses to tell what they remember. They turn these into poetry. 

Help your class find the the magnetic field of a toroid, a solenoid bent into a circle with an activity that allows the class to see how a loop of wire carrying an electrical charge behaves much like a magnet. The resource provides...

Studying Australia? Be guided on a virtual field trip exploring this country’s history, culture, native people, language, music, animals, and more. Use as an introduction to a unit on Australia or to prompt a writing assignment or class...

Students, in groups, take samples from a creek and keep a field journal on their samples. They also perform tests on their samples.

How did the founding of the American colonies lead to a revolution? Use the essential question and sample activities to guide learners through a series of history lessons. Additionally, the packet includes effective strategies to...

Unauthorized immigration is a complex and hotly debated topic. Class members read an article that examines the issues that motivate unauthorized immigration. Teams then assume the role of special interest groups and present their...

How can a federal debt accumulate over time? The Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED) dashboard allows scholars to actively research each aspect of the federal budget. In pairs, they analyze economic data to determine the best way to...

A lesson challenges scholars to think critically about the world in which they live. Learners begin by role-playing a character, answering questions, and taking part in a whole-class discussion. They then brainstorm ways they can help...

A courtroom can be a scary place for the uninitiated. Get familiar with the process using a helpful overview of the activities that take place prior to both civil and criminal cases.  The lesson explains the differences between...

Whether out of choice or necessity, people want to know what will happen on a typical day in court. A helpful lesson walks scholars in the field of criminology through the trial process from opening statements to the final verdict. 

Courtrooms are complicated. In addition to the many rules, there are a number of people whose jobs are not very clear to the casual courtroom observer. With the resource, individuals identify some of these roles and review more...

Young scholars examine the habitat and community structure of a pond that could support Ospreys through games and worksheets. They then go on a field trip to a pond to evaluate the suitability of the pond as an Osprey habitat.

Introduce your class to one of the ways that technology is benefiting humanity. The Global Precipitation Measurement Mission involves the data collected by nine satellites from different countries with a united focus on studying world...

Students explore DNA restriction mapping. They cut pieces of paper into lengths representing those produced when specific enzymes are used to cut a strand of DNA.

Film analysis takes critical thinking, connections, and context. Upper graders look at the film installation, Crystal Palace in terms of the film makers choices, presentation, and perspective of truth. After an analytical discussion...

A fabulous lesson plan on the life of Clara Barton awaits your class. They describe how Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross, and the role it played in organizing help for those in need. Additionally, young historians explain how...

Young scholars study techniques for conducting a local environmental assessment in an ecologically sensitive area. Identification of native plants and methodologies for sampling is taught in the classroom and then reinforced in the...

It is best to know all about the skeletons in the closet. The third segment in a five-part series focuses on bone structure, development and growth, and functions. Class members connect what they learn to their study of...

Anthropologists ask the question that everyone wants answered: what does it mean to be human? An online handout provides a brief introduction to the study of anthropology and outlines three common types of anthropology writing...

Going on a scavenger hunt sounds like a great way to spice up any lesson plan. To better understand how beneficial insects are, the class goes outdoors to search for and observe a bug that has big benefits. Included in the lesson are...

Inspire young marine biologists to study animals in the wild with this assignment. Pupils view an eight-minute video and read an article in the New York Times about Denise Herzing's 25-year long study of dolphins in their own...