Curated OER
Nature and Place Names in Arkansas
Middle schoolers examine the way that many place names in Arkansas came to be. By looking at Arkansas highway maps, they find names that come from the characteristics of each of the state's six geographical divisions. This interesting...
Teach Engineering
Weather Forecasting
According to the Farmers' Almanac, the weather will be nice today. Class members examine how weather forecasting plays a part in their lives with a resource that provides information on the history of forecasting, from using cloud...
Curated OER
Underwater Mountains & Trenches
Students determine Earth's deepest trench, outline continents, major ocean mountains, and trenches on color-key map using Crayola Erasable Colored Pencils, identify oceans' geographic features, locate significant oceanic features around...
West Contra Costa Unified School District
Exploring Quadratics and Graphs
Young mathematicians first graph a series of quadratic equations, and then investigate how various parts of the equation change the graph of the function in a predictable way.
Federal Reserve Bank
What Really Caused the Great Depression?
Falling wages. Rising unemployment. Falling prices. Sound familiar? Young economists look at the role the US banking system had in causing the Great Depression.
Teach Engineering
Projections and Coordinates: Turning a 3D Earth into Flatlands
Introduce your class to map projections and coordinates, the basics for the work done in a GIS, with an activity that uses Google Earth to challenge learners to think about the earth's shape.
Curated OER
Characterization in Literature
Students discover characterization techniques and methods. In this characterization lesson plan, students choose favorite fiction characters and discuss what makes a character come alive. Students then describe a family member or a...
Curated OER
Google Earth Geology Field Trip
Students take a virtual field trip around California using Google Earth. In this geology field trip lesson, students explore landforms and a variety of rocks located in California. Students compare environments where rocks are...
Curated OER
Natural Disaster
Describe how plate tectonics account for various land formations. Learners discuss different marine sanctuaries and create a poster about tectonic activity in these areas. They share their posters with the class.
Curated OER
Biography
Transform a written biography into a video biography! Introduce your learners to the biography format by reading them a few examples (some suggestions are included). Then discuss the factors that make a good biography. What information...
Encyclopedia Britannica
Candidate Position Research
As part of their study of the US Presidential election process, class members research a presidential candidate's position on a specific topic or topics. Formatting their research as a pro/con question ("Should the Death Penalty Be...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Oyez! Oyez! Oyez!: Simulating the Supreme Court
Students have freedom of speech—or do they? Using an actual court case and research materials on the Supreme Court, young legal scholars examine the Supreme Court's role and history. Then, they argue a case the court declined to hear and...
Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation
Culminating Writing Project - Reporting on Angel Island
The unit study of Angel Island Immigration Station concludes with scholars using information from the previous lessons to craft a news story about the Angel Island program.
Bonneville
Renewable Energy Panel
Plan a panel on public policy. On the first day of lessons, scholars identify local government planners and create questions to ask regarding renewable energy and infrastructure. On the second day, they conduct the panel and learn about...
C3 Teachers
Emancipation: Does It Matter Who Freed the Slaves?
Scholars generally agree on the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States. This inquiry-based lesson asks high schoolers to consider more than the claims of who freed the enslaved people but the significance of the issues...
National Endowment for the Humanities
"From Citizen, VI [On the Train the Woman Standing]," Claudia Rankine
Claudia Rankine's poem "From Citizen, VI [On the Train the Woman Standing]," asks readers to consider direct and more subtle forms of prejudice. After discussing the format of the poem, its tone, and the emotions expressed, class members...
Curated OER
My Secret War: Lesson 15
Fifth graders discuss civic responsibility. In this social studies instructional activity, student read about World War II. Students compose "I Am an American" poems and share with the class.
Curated OER
Pinky and Rex and the Just Right Pet
Young scholars engage in reading comprehension activities for the story "Pinky and Rex and the Just Right Pet". In this reading comprehension lesson, students make prediction drawings before reading the story, create new illustrations...
Curated OER
Introductory Excel Lesson involving Problem Solving
Sixth graders analyze an introductory lesson for Microsoft Excel. They go step by step through the creation of a basic spreadsheet and the use of simple formulas in a problem solving format.
Curated OER
Igneous Rock Formation
Fifth graders use the computer lab to search for answers to questions on their workshet. They discuss the creation of igneouss rocks and listen as the teacher lectures about lava. Students follow directions to mix a batch of salt dough...
Curated OER
Analyzing Textbook Formats
Students explore the characteristics of a non-fiction text. In this comprehension instructional activity, students are led on a guided tour of each text and identify the features of a non-fiction text. Students continue to practice...
Curated OER
Self Advocacy
Students develop the skills necessary to advocate for themselves through adulthood. Through class discussion and creative projects, students create a portrait of themselves as adults. They develop an action plan for their adult years and...
Curated OER
Rain Formation
First graders investigate the different water formations by conducting an experiment. For this water properties lesson, 1st graders examine jars filled with ice, rain water, air and snow in their class. Students predict what...
Curated OER
Where We Come From - A Culturally Responsive Writing Lesson
Students create a group poem. In this poetry lesson, students make a cultural poem titled "We Come From." They share their poems using the document camera and SMARTboard.