Did you know that Pluto is smaller than the United States of America? It is difficult to conceptualize the size of planets and the distance between them, and the instructional activity addresses those exact issues. After a discussion,...

The Galle crater on Mars is also known as the Happy Face crater because of its appearance. First, scholars use pebbles and flour to simulate craters and study their properties. They then apply this knowledge to help decipher the history...

Students take a pre-test on presidential knowledge.  In this president and Washington, D.C. lesson, students read Arthur Meets the President and discuss it.  Students work in groups to brainstorm everything they know about the...

Students plan a sightseeing and shopping trip around Washington, DC taking into account train safety messages. They write about the experience in their jounals and must include five safety messages.

Ignore the full moon, it's just a phase. Young scholars observe and record the moon during a full cycle before learning to predict future phases. Then the instructor leads a discussion on the other solar system objects that...

Give me a home where electric buffalo roam and I'll show you an ohm on the range. Introduction your classes to potential and kinetic energy, electricity, and renewable resources with a resource that combines observation, direct...

Everyone takes a different journey through grief. A series of lesson plans for the novel Counting by 7s introduces readers to the main character who loses her parents in a car crash. Discussion questions and writing prompts combine...

As a class, scholars read the poems, Humpty Dumpty, Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater, and Jack and Jill, in order to identify words with the same ending sound. Using their rhyming skills, learners brainstorm additional words...

Pupils study Amelia Earhart and Eleanor Roosevelt. In this biographical lesson plan, students read Amelia and Eleanor Go For a Ride. Pupils write their own biography, create a timeline of events from the book, and write a story based on...

Thoroughly written, this plan walks you through every detail of having your high school astronomers design scale models of the solar system. Complete instructions on building to scale, lesson procedures, and associated worksheets are all...

Just like so many other birds, swans migrate during the cold winter months. Your class can gain a better understanding of migration and bird life as they act out some of the activities common to the tundra swan. They make a nest, sit on...

Plankton isn't just a tiny cartoon character, it's also a very important food source for animals around the world. Budding scientists discuss the types and functions of plankton, including where they are found, how they are caught, and...

Students investigate the reasons why people are homeless and how they can help.  In this community lesson, students identify what it means to be "homeless," and why it is important to help them now.  Students create a food...

Students determine the distances traveled by the members of the legislative branch of the US Government. In this travel distance lesson, students locate Washington, DC on a globe using the longitude and latitude of the city. They...

Eighth graders choose a landmark or monument to investigate (individually or with a partner). After agreeing on items to study they research the landmark/monument and prepare a presentation.

Class members participate in a discussion, read a newspaper article, and participate in activities meant to open their eyes to the problem of obesity in the US. There are resource links, electronic worksheets, and teacher's notes to help...

Study the impact of water pollution. A hands-on experiment and an interactive story about water pollution are the basis for the learning experience. 

Having fresh, clean drinking water is a privilege many people take for granted. Help raise awareness about the scarcity of water and the importance of conservation by discussing different ways water is used in everyday life. Brainstorm...

The earth only revolves around one thing — and it's not any of your pupils. The lesson includes two activities dealing with the distance to the sun and the moon. First, scholars create a pin hole camera and use the rules of similar...

Between the time scientists discovered Pluto and reclassified it as a dwarf planet, it did not even make one full revolution around the sun. In two activities, scholars investigate scale models and their properties. Pupils find that it...

Take your class on a journey through our solar system. Learners explore each planet, from Mercury to Pluto, and discuss various features that differentiate one from another. They complete activities related to the topics and discuss the...

Go over digraphs, vowel sounds, and affixes with a series of decoding and spelling lessons. Each lesson guides learners through a different reading and phonics skill, building on the lesson before, and challenging them with each step.

High schoolers explain why rain forests have great biodiversity, and list each layer of a rain forest and tell an organism that lives in each. They identify the cause of acid rain and its affect on a rain forest. Students hypothesize the...