This overview of Theodore Taylor's The Cay is designed as an introduction for teachers who are considering using Theodore Taylor's novel for whole-class and/or book circle study. 

The Scarlet Letter may be a classic, but keeping high schoolers engaged in the reading of Hawthorne's vocabulary, syntax, imagery, and historical references presents it own set of challenges. Here's a guide that offers readers...

Whether you're setting financial goals, educational goals, or physical goals, a helpful resource has it all. The packet comes with background information on how to implement goal-setting skills in the classroom, as well as a...

Use a handy concept analysis guide as you begin your unit on William Shakespeare's The Tempest. With character descriptions, literary themes, and anticipated affective issues, the guide can help those new to using The Tempest craft...

What occurs when a hydrate is heated? Lead your class in exploring the answer to this question as they investigate the properties of a hydrated compound. They heat copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate and evaporate the water...

How do computers store and send images? Here's an activity that explains one way a computer can compress image information. Pupils decode run-length coding to produce a black and white image. Pairs then work together to code and...

Computers need precise directions to complete a task. Class members experience what it is like to program a computer with an activity that asks one pupil to describe an image while classmates follow the directions to duplicate the picture.

Every year, the moon moves 3.8 cm farther from Earth. In the 11th part of 22, classes use the distance formula. They determine the distance to the moon based upon given data and then graph Galileo spacecraft data to determine its movement.

Because of the work of John Dalton, we are able to write formulas for compounds. The hands-on experiment has scholars prepare a compound from its elements. Using mass data, individuals write the empirical formula for the compound.

Young scientists study the construction of a battery through experimentation. They engage in five experiments which combine to create a thorough study of the history of batteries beginning with a model of the first battery.

There's more to fluids than meet the eye—they include gases, liquids, and polymers, too! Scholars complete three hands-on activities exploring different properties of fluids. They explore viscosity by measuring the resistance, or...

A study of the history of the Channel Islands, located off the coast of southern California, continues as class members conduct a mock trial to determine which group of stakeholders should have the right to claim the remains of Juan...

Watch as your class makes the transition from pupils to researchers! A well-designed instructional activity has scholars pick a solar wind characteristic to research. They then collect and analyze official data from the LANL...

How do reverse transcriptase inhibitors work? Young virologists examine the function of azidothymidine, a drug doctors use to treat HIV patients, during a hands-on modeling activity. Groups create a strand of DNA from an HIV RNA strand...

Parades are a great way to celebrate. Get young historians into the festivities by asking them to create an informational float for a Freedom Parade. Picking a topic from the provided list or suggesting one of their own, class members...

Build unity in the dojo or the gym with an activity that not only teaches the importance of stretching and flexibility but also offers class members an opportunity to get to know one another. After warming up and engaging in a Medicine...

Examine the characters in Willa Cather's My Antonia with a group project. Small groups illustrate their chosen character on a large piece of paper and choose quotes from the text that tell about the character. Where students choose...

Mapmaking was a very important element in successfully planning attacks on enemies during the Civil War. Guide pupils through the process of pacing to find the average length of their steps, measure the distance between one object...

High school student love discussing controversial issues like those brought up in this fourth amendment case study. They examine the 1928 Olmstead vs. U.S. prohibition court case, applying the fourth amendment to determine whether...

Students are introduced to the art of Rene Magrritte and Marc Chagall. Using the internet, they discover the characteristics of Surrealist artists and write a paper. They share their findings with the class and answer discussion questions.

Students investigate the infrastructure of modern day society by researching concrete. In this construction lesson plan, students identify the many types of concrete and the different uses they have. Students utilize construction related...

Students explore the environment by identifying invasive species. In this ecosystem observation instructional activity, students identify the native species that exist in an exotic land such as Hawaii and the impact of invasive plants,...

Young scholars discuss rocks and other earth materials made up of minerals. They identify minerals by means of their more obvious physical properties such as hardness, luster, color, streak, cleavage and fracture. They arrange a given...

Students examine the 'opae 'ula. In this science lesson, students observe a live specimen and identify the major body parts. Students construct habitat jars and observe the 'opae 'ula behaviors.