Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Companies Racing to Build Electric Car

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students examine how they use batteries, then read a news article about how cars are being designed to use batteries. In this current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a discussion and vocabulary activity, then...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Football a Big Success in Small Alaska City

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students read about the creation of a football program at a small-town school in Alaska. In this current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a map and vocabulary activity, then students read the news report and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Kids Build Pumpkin-Tossing Catapult

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Young scholars read a news article about the creation of a catapult that will throw pumpkins. In this current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a discussion of catapults and a vocabulary activity, then students read...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

U.S. Penny to Get Four New Designs

For Teachers 3rd - 7th
Students look at U.S. currency and read about plans to change the back of U.S. pennies. In this current events instructional activity, the teacher introduces a news article with a discussion of money and a vocabulary activity, then...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Farmers Use Falcons to Protect Berries

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students share information about falcons, then read about how farmers are using falcons. In this falcon lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a discussion and vocabulary activity, then students read the news report and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Family Sells House to Help the Hungry

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students compare their wants and needs, then read a news article about a family that downsized their home to help African villagers. In this current events and poverty in Africa activity, the teacher introduces the article with a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bike-Sharing Catches On

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students discuss how people are reducing their fuel consumption, then read a news article about a new bike-sharing program in Washington, D.C. In this current events and alternative transportation lesson plan, the teacher introduces the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Drought Threatens Huge Man-Made Lake

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students locate Lake Mead, then read a news article about Lake Mead drying up and how that would effect water and power supplies to the region. In this current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a map and vocabulary...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Parents Hand Out Unusual Punishments

For Teachers 2nd - 7th
Students discuss how they are disciplined at home, then read a news article about some unusual punishments given to children. In this current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a discussion and vocabulary activity,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Were Rivets to Blame for Titanic Sinking?

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students answer questions about the Titanic, then read a news article about possible causes of the disaster. In this current events instructional activity, the teacher introduces the article with a discussion and vocabulary activity,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Recycled Vegetable Oil Powers Vans, Cars

For Teachers 2nd - 7th
Students share their knowledge about fuel sources, then read a news article about vegetable oil as a cleaner alternative to gasoline. In this current events and environmental science lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Scientists Discover Giant Frog Fossil

For Teachers 2nd - 8th
Students examine a world map and read a news article about the discovery of a giant frog fossil. In this earth science and current event lesson, the teacher introduces an article with a discussion about continental drift and a vocabulary...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Will Smog be a Problem at the Olympic Games?

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Learners locate China on a world map, then read a news article about pollution in Beijing. In this current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a discussion about smog and a vocabulary activity, then students read the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

'No Cussing' Clubs Catching on with Kids

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students read a news article about a boy in California who wants to encourage his peers to use good language. In this current events instructional activity, the teacher introduces the article with a short rap, discussion, and vocabulary...
Lesson Plan
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Underground Vault Protects World's Seeds

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students share ideas about keeping things safe, then read a news article about a huge vault built to store billions of seeds. In this current events lesson plan, the teacher introduces the article with a discussion and vocabulary...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Students Slide to School on Air-Powered Sled

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Learners locate the Great Lakes on a US map, then read a news article about a sled being used as a wintertime school bus in Wisconsin. In this current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a map and vocabulary activity,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Grab a Winning Book to Read on March 3

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students identify periods of history and read a news article about a librarian who wrote an award winning book. In this current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a class challenge and a vocabulary activity, then...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Grocery Store Bans Plastic Bags

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students participate in the paper vs. plastic bag debate, then read a news article about one grocery store that is banning plastic bags. In this current events lesson, the teacher introduces the news article with a debate and a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rising Temperatures Threaten Penguins

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Young scholars examine the continent of Antarctica, then read a news article about the decline in the Antarctic penguin population. In this current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a discussion and vocabulary...
Lesson Plan
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Wind Provides Electricity for Homes, Schools

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students complete a KWL chart, then read a news article about the comeback of windmills. In this current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a KWL chart and vocabulary activity, then students read the news report and...
Lesson Plan
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Scientists Study Dinosaur "Mummy"

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students share ideas about how scientists know about dinosaurs, then read a news article about the recently found remains of a hadrosaur. In this dinosaur lesson plan, the teacher introduces the article with a class discussion and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

New Food Saves Lives, Could End Hunger

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students locate the country of Niger, then read a news article about a new type of food that is being used to fight childhood hunger in Africa. In this current events instructional activity, the teacher introduces the article with map...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Archaeologists Reveal King Tut's Mummy

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students look at pictures of a sarcophagus, then read a news article about King Tut's mummy. In this current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a discussion, pictures, and a vocabulary activity, then students read the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Presidential Election One Year Away

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students identify political parties, then read a news article about the 2008 election. For this current events lesson (written prior to the 2008 election), the teacher introduces the article with a discussion and vocabulary activity,...