Students explore the significance of the Louisiana Purchase and the journey of Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery. They read to explain a new topic and write to inform readers of the historic events they explored.

Fifth graders explore the concept of waste management. In this recycling instructional activity, 5th graders discover the history of waste management and discuss how the U.S. should respond to the issue of ever-increasing waste.

Students discuss literature about technology in the 20th century. In this book study lesson plan, students read I, Robot by Isaac Asimov and compare the fiction to technology in the 20th century.

Invite learners to determine which affix and base word combinations create new words. This activity allows pupils to play around and create words that match specific meanings.

Sixth graders watch the video "Great Wall of China". They use the template to design their own postage stamp to show something learned about the Great Wall. They determine a presumed price for the stamp in Chinese currency and ...

Learners examine the topic of subsistence farming. They research the future of subsistence agriculture, identify the types and locations of subsistence agriculture, and write about subsistence farming in regards to developing nations and...

Second graders explore the concept of cultural assimilation. They study the affects of prejudice on the authors of Curious George (Margret & H. A. Rey). They communicate ideas and opinions of the rights and responsibilities of...

Second graders explore information about carrier pigeons and other means of communication. They describe different types of communication and transportation and identify their advantages and disadvantages They develop a Communication...

Students become curators and museum reviewers for an online gallery using a selected group of primary sources on Mexican migrant workers. They share and reflect on their own and each other's ideas though participation in an on-line...

What is figurative language, and why do we use it? Introduce your high schoolers to some examples and discuss the importance of including this element in your writing. After studying a text and searching for examples, writers will...

First graders place some specific types of objects (e.g., shoes, favorite food) on concrete graphs and pictographs. They listen and respond to others in a variety of contexts (e.g., pay attention to the speaker; take turns speaking in a...

Do research projects at your school look like a class of eighth graders staring at a blank screen? Use the Big 6 research method to guide middle schoolers through the process of finding a topic, searching for and evaluating sources,...

Rather than waiting for the world to change, encourage your class members to become agents of change with a project that asks groups to select an issue found in Tyson Miller's Dream of a Nation: Inspiring Ideas for a Better America....

After researching an issue introduced in Tyson Miller's Dream of a Nation: Inspiring Ideas for a Better America, writers develop an original thesis statement and craft an analytic essay using evidence collected in their research.

Learners research the western movement in order to learn note taking strategies with nonfiction texts. They use the Internet to search for important information about the western movement using the Cornell Notes note-taking system. They...

Need an extra challenge for your best readers? Check out a unit that uses Hannah Webster Foster’s epistolary novel, The Coquette, published in 1797, as the anchor text. The resource is packed with project ideas; each with its...

Students watch a Powerpoint Presentation about turtles. They explain that there are 3 types of turtles and where each type lives. They describe a turtle's body and state some things that turtles eat.

Should junk food be banned in schools? Should the US open its borders to all immigrants? Should the US impose term limits for the House of Representatives and for the Senate? Using Tyson Miller's Dream of a Nation: Inspiring Ideas...

Class members choose a current social, political, environmental, or economic problem presented in Tyson Miller's Dream of a Nation: Inspiring Ideas for a Better America, research this problem and a variety of suggested solutions, before...

Students explore the traits of birds to uncover information about their eggs, feathers, beaks and other characteristics. The data is probed through a variety of exploration centers.

Students examine the history of the Holocaust through literature. Using different pieces of literature, they critique the items in terms of being historical accurate and its value in telling the stories of the Holocaust. They create a...

Students recall and write about a time in which they felt helpless, focusing on how they coped with the situation then and now.

Fifth graders discuss concepts of diversity, culture, and prejudice, gain understanding of harm caused by prejudice, and demonstrate ability to think critically and a desire to act morally.