Students explore ocean biology by participating in a plant growing activity. In this seaweed lesson, students identify the importance and uses of seaweed in the ocean and examine different seaweed samples. Students utilize an aquarium,...

Henry David Thoreau and Linda Ronstadt? Ann Tyler and Pete Townshend? Joyce Carol Oates and Pearl Jam? This richly detailed plan pairs classic literature with contemporary music and asks learners to analyze how the theme of conformity is...

Introduce young musicians to the history of and different styles of music with an inquiry-based learning activity that asks them to play detectives to determine the similarities and differences among the sheet music found at a series of...

Explore the history of immigration through photographs. Scholars will view and discuss photographs depicting the culture and lifestyle of late 19th and early 20th century immigrants. They take pictures of current examples of culture in...

Students examine primary sources in order to draw conclusions about the influence of Greek classical art and philosophy on the French Revolution. They compare the goals of the French Revolution to those of Neoclassical artists.

Does your class love reading cartoons? Use their talents and interests to examine the process of writing a story they wish to tell through a cartoon. They develop the beginning, middle, and end of a story based on their original...

Ideas like this are highly effective for helping build better reading comprehension. The class listens to an excerpt from a grade-appropriate text, and they discuss what clues or words helped them visualize the scene. They then read a...

Students analyze a piece of artwork to draw conclusions about life in Victorian Britain. For this British history lesson plan, students use a painting to determine who could have lived in the house, why the house was built in its...

Students investigate simple machines and their uses in everyday life.  In this scientific method lesson, students examine physical tools such as wedges, screws, and levers using a "how does it work" approach.  Students complete...

Students examine several types of old photographs and compare them to photography today. Students search for historical photographs and draw conclusions about the time period from the subject matter. Students explain how a camera...

Students apply prior knowledge of living things, structures of living things and how living things sense and respond to their environment. For this habitat lesson, students review the basic needs of organisms to survive. Students create...

As part of a study of how visual metaphors are used in set design, class members examine an image of designer Josef Svoboda's 3-D scale model for the opera Idomeneo, re` di Creta. They then find another example that employs a visual...

Students study Native Americans of Virginia. In this Virginia history lesson, students take on the role of archaeologists as they analyze a site and its artifacts. Students use the information to draw conclusions about the natives who...

Young scholars examine the grid in terms of a method of organization in our society as well as graphic design. In this "Making and Breaking the Grid" lesson plan, students design solutions to common problems and draw conclusions about...

Pupils examine the importance of trade in West Africa. Using a virtual time capsule, they travel back to ancient times and travel along with a caravan. They answer specific questions related to the journey and items they are trading. ...

Fourth graders experiment with different varieties of plants and draw conclusions after performing a series of lab activities. A very helpful student worksheet is given. This is a nicely done introductory lesson for life science.

Learners demonstrate how to retell a story in sequential order. In this reading comprehension lesson, students listen to a suggested read aloud, such as Little Boy Blue. Additionally, learners practice retelling the story by using...

Students explore the concept of Jan Brett.  In this author study instructional activity, students are introduced to several Jan Brett books with visuals, listening centers, and video.  Students browse the internet in search of...

Imagine being a war photographer embedded in World War I. How do you see your role? How might your photos influence that study of the war? Of history? Class members select a photograph, adopt the perspective of the photographer, and...

Is the circus a form of theater? Read "A City of Clowns? What Else Is New?" to sway your class that a circus, is indeed, a theatrical performance. Critical thinkers compare/contrast various forms of theater and identify what makes the...

Students listen to pitches and determine if they are in tune, flat or sharp. Using Aurelia computer software and playing as a band, students practice pitch theory, and play two-octave major scales. They practice and discuss how to tune...

Students build and compare models of both an energy inefficient and efficient classroom. In this energy efficiency instructional activity, students creatively use recycled materials to build two separate classroom models. They factor in...

Introduce your middle schoolers to the lives of past Native Americans. First, learners work together to put photographs in a sequence. Then, using their sequence, they create stories to share with the whole class. No matter how old your...

Learners explore environmental care by participating in a litter identification activity. In this food trash instructional activity, students discuss the destruction litter causes in our environment and ways we can avoid littering...