How many times have you traveled around the sun? Aspiring astronomers grasp what a year is and they differentiate between orbit and rotation by walking around the sun right within your classroom. Place a lamp in the center of the room to...

In collaborative groups, emerging engineers or environmental scientists plan and construct a water wheel or watermill that rotates for a total of three minutes. Everything you need to carry out this lesson is included: objectives,...

It can be frustrating for a child and teacher alike when a problem behavior arises over and over in a classroom. Analyze when, where, and why the behavior is occurring with a questionnaire, in which educators mark the percent of the time...

Your class might be surprised to learn that mirrors have been around since the first century AD! Young scientists explore reflection and refraction of light through a series of challenges. They use this knowledge to design their own...

Why did Vietnam POWs and their families receive more media attention than POWs in previous wars?  To answer this question, class members view artifacts, read articles, and engage in class discussion. Individuals then assume the...

How do poets convey emotion and represent their views of life? Pupils learn more about Whitman and Dickinson through the unit and analyze their bold reinvention of craft and style for poets to come. Looking at classic pieces such as...

Students develop reading strategies: inferring meaning from context. They work together in order to negotiate the meaning of the various vocabulary items. Students predict the personality of the main character in each of the books.

Second graders experiment to understand how force is effected by friction.  For this forces in action lesson, 2nd graders view a website to simulate what happens when the height of a ramp is changed. Students participate in an...

Students examine various foreign conflicts in which the United States intervened, focusing on the causes of the conflicts, the United States' justification for entering the conflicts, and the outcomes of these interventions.

Fourth graders read a selection describing 13 virtues from "The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin." They keep track of their behavior and whether or not they can keep up with 5 chosen virtues. They write a 5 paragraph essay on their...

Students participate in an election. They are asked to vote for one of four candidates without knowing who they are or what they stand for. Students gain an important lesson when voting to make sure that security of freedom and...

Learners create and conduct a survey in the community to evaluate the demographics of vegetarians in the community. They compile data, create graphs, calculate percentages, and draw conclusions about the survey data. Students create an...

Students explore the workings of FARC, a Marxist guerilla group in Colombia, as well as study the basics of Marxism. They examine the discrepancies between Marxist theory and Marxism as it is actually realized in Colombia and other parts...

Students explore fire safety rules through a variety of teacher-led activities. In this safety lesson, students choose appropriate felt board pieces as they listen to My Car by Byron Barton. Seat belt and car seat safety, as well as...

Second graders explore the Rain Forest. In this research lesson plan, 2nd graders go online to gather information about Rain Forest animals. Students print and use the information to write about the many parts of the Rain Forest....

What does it mean to grow? To germinate? For the plan detailed here, class members investigate the growth process of an oak tree while focusing on the beginning stages of planting and germination. They plant seeds and record observations...

Second graders practice their reading comprehension by analyzing stories they read in class. In this children's literature lesson, 2nd graders are assigned to read a book for 20 minutes each day in class and also reflect on it in their...

Student will track the growth of his/her bean sprout with sunlight and without sunlight over the course of 3 weeks. They will enter the results into an excel data base then graph the results of both variables to make the comparison.

Students recognize that achievements of human beings throughout human history can be considered part of the ongoing story of human evolution. They research settings such as the biosphere and Mars and write imaginative short stories using...

Fifth graders track how much sleep they get and list reasons sleep is important. In this health and math lesson, 5th graders keep up with their sleep times for a week and make notes about how they feel each day prior to the lesson. The...

Students keep a weather log. In this weather and temperature lesson, students discuss the information that can be obtained from a map and lead into a discussion about temperature. Students watch a video about temperature and...

Students design a track that keeps a ball in motion for 5 seconds or longer. In this designing lesson plan, students explore force, gravity, and cause and effect when it comes to science and building before building their own track.