Curated OER
"Mind Reader" Math Trick
Students perform a math-based card trick and explain the concepts behind the trick. They video tape classmates performing the trick. Finally, they write a paragraph explaining the trick.
Curated OER
Family Fables, Facts, and Other True Stories
Students conduct an interview about their family with their parents and/or grandparents. They write a story based on interview facts and create a presentation for the class.
San Francisco Symphony
Going West
Now this sounds like a fun lesson! Youngsters learn about pioneer life and the Westward Movement. First, they listen to the Copland's "Appalachian Spring," and then they discuss the elements of music found in the piece. They...
Curated OER
The Cell Phone Age
What kid isn't interested in Cell phones? They are technical and to operate them you must read an informational text. Older elementary students read an informational text, match vocabulary words with their meanings, and create sentences...
Curated OER
Rights and Responsibilities: Grass Born to Be Stepped On
Students use the Internet and other resources to research an aspect of history that illustrates rights and responsibilities, including historical events, issues and ideas, and the people involved.
Curated OER
War Story Documentary
Students review research skills and determine an aspect of war to research. They research an aspect of a war experience and bring history to life through iMovie.
Curated OER
Campaign Ads That Subtract and Add
Learners explore media and media misrepresentation of prodcts. They create a video of a person (with both good and bad pictures.) Using creative titles, students download a slideshow. They add sound effects and other Adobe Premiere...
Curated OER
Independent Studies Movies
History comes alive as groups work cooperatively to create short iMovies about a specific historical period of their choice. Ideal for late elementary grades, the lesson includes a video demonstration and a short materials list.
Curated OER
What Makes a Cat a Cat?
Students investigate the lives of pets by videotaping them. In this animal life lesson, students videotape a cat and other pets using school cameras in a computer lab. Students review the footage from the cat and other...
Curated OER
Swing your Partner: The Basics of Square Dancing
Learners perform square dancing steps. In this square dancing lesson, students view a video to learn the basic steps. Learners discuss the history of the dance and perform with partners.
John F. Kennedy Center
Acting Up, A Melodrama: Performing Like Jo March and Her Sisters in Little Women
Lights, Camera, Action! Pupils read Little Women and create, act, and direct a melodrama that Jo March and her sisters would enjoy. The lesson plan comes complete with resources for the educator on melodrama as well as examples...
Curated OER
Interpreting Mythology Through Dance
Students use abstract movement to tell the story of Re's journey. In this ancient Egypt instructional activity, students choreograph locomotor and non-locomotor movements to describe ancient Egyptian journeys to the afterlife as...
Curated OER
Stories That Go with the Territory
Students investigate various expeditions throughout history to new and/or uncharted territories. They work in groups to develop and 'produce' television news magazine segments about some of these historic expeditions.
Curated OER
Cultures and Cuisines WebQuest
High schoolers create and present a powerpoint presentation. In this cultures and cuisines research lesson, students select a country, interview someone from that country and visit a restaurant from that country. High...
Curated OER
Shakespeare, the 900-pound Guerilla: or Performing Scenes for Unsuspecting Audiences
Students perform a scene from Shakespeare for an unsuspecting audience in a public setting. In this Shakespeare lesson plan, students create a Shakespearean "flash mob" or "guerilla theater" event. Students choose a...
Curated OER
Timelinging The Start of America
Learners engage in a lesson that covers the history of America from its beginnings. They create a timeline of the events covered in chronological order. The lesson also includes a timeline quiz that is saved in a Microsoft Word document.
Curated OER
Newscapade
Students work in teams to research specific eras of American history focusing on important events, sports, entertainment, music, games, books, famous firsts or quotes, science and technology or trivia. They prepare presentations for the...
Curated OER
Movie Project: "Living History...Saul, The King of Israel"
High schoolers create a movie about King Saul. They are evenly split into "production groups" composed of 5-6 students.
US Institute of Peace
Organizations Working for Peace
We're all in this together! Show young scholars that peace is a process and having the support of like-minded people can make it happen. 13th in a series of 15 peace building activities, groups conduct research on a peace organization,...
Nuffield Foundation
Investigating Factors Affecting the Breathing Rate of a Locust
Do animals breathe faster when given more oxygen or more carbon dioxide? Young scientists observe the respiration rates of locusts under a variety of gas concentrations to answer that very question. They collect data, analyze the...
Curated OER
Watershed Documentary
Students conduct research and collect data about a local watershed area. They create an iMovie showing the human and natural impacts on the creek and watershed areas.
Curated OER
Family Tree Community Project
Fifth graders answer questions such as: Where does my family come from? What was it like for my ancestors to grow up as America developed? What differences in society were present then? What was similar to today? students conduct...
Curated OER
Virtual Museum
Ninth graders explore various time-periods in American history. They select important events, people, places, and artifacts to explore. Students present their information to the class using PowerPoint.