Bantam Books
The Martian Chronicles: K-W-H-L Activity
Prepare your class for a unit on Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles with an activity that works for pre-reading, during reading, and post-reading. Learners fill out a K-W-H-L chart to reflect on what they already know, what...
Alabama Department of Archives and History
Yellow Journalism
What role did yellow journalism play in bringing the United States into war with Spain? As part of their study of the Spanish-American War, class groups examine newspapers of the times and other texts and then produce their own...
Mesa Public Schools
Country Project
Give your young learners the chance to discover more about countries in their world community with a research project. Class members write reports on an assigned country and include such major features as geography, important historical...
Mrs. Sol's Class
Solar System Project
Finish or launch your unit on the solar system with a jigsaw project covering major celestial concepts such as the Milky Way Galaxy, asteroids, meteors, comets, Earth's moon, and, of course, all the planets. Learners start by...
Energy for Keeps
The Energy Times
Extra! Extra! Read all about past and present energy use in a classroom-made historical newspaper. Useful as a cross-curricular assignment between science, history, and language arts, the project is sure to get young journalists...
Curated OER
Digging for Dinosaur Information
Students explore how to locate dinosaur information. They read the book, Catch Me If You Can! and discuss the popularity of dinosaurs among children, identify various kinds of dinosaurs and select a dinosaur to research. TAs they...
Curated OER
Science Under Control
Students investigate and assess scientific issues for which government regulation has been or might be enacted. Using their research, students write letters to lawmakers supporting or contesting related legislative efforts.
Curated OER
Prairie Dog Prognosis
Students discuss the transmission of diseases from exotic pets to humans. They research different aspects of particular zoonotic diseases from the perspectives of the animal vector, the parasite, the infected human, and the carrier human.
Curated OER
Changing the Channel
Pupils explore the historic transfer of the Panama Canal from the United States to Panama, investigating how this shift might affect various aspects of Panama's economy, relations with other countries, and international trade.
Curated OER
Spaced Out
Young scholars explore the transit of Venus and the information that this minieclipse provides about the distance between the Earth and the sun. They create their own astronomical units.
Curated OER
A New "Spin" on Nuclear Energy
Students explain how the spin cycle of a washing machine operates. They explore other applications of the centrifuge by reading and discussing the article "Slender and Elegant, It Fuels the Bomb."
Curated OER
Under the Weather
Young scholars identify measurable characteristics about the weather and explore how they are monitored. They research and propose the construction of a weather monitoring station on their school grounds.
Curated OER
the Business of Good Ideas
Students consider economic factors in patenting a new invention. They research an already-patented health product and assess its profitability.
Curated OER
Shaken Up
Young scholars discuss the type of information that they expect to read in news coverage of earthquakes. They explore the devastating aftermath of an earthquake in South and Southeast Asia and research and write their own articles...
Curated OER
A Fish Tale
Students brainstorm a list of famous events that took place on the sea. They write a poem or short story from the fish's perspective about the famous event they have chosen. Students share their work with the class.
Curated OER
Watch Out
Students assess a time-related scenario at a railroad station. They study about the importance of a synchronized time system at Grand Central Terminal.They research various time measurement devices and develop "How It Works" posters...
Curated OER
Scientists and Inventors
Students explore human discovery by reading historical stories in class. In this inventors lesson, students define the terms scientist, invention, inventor and discovery before discussing the many differences between them. Students read...
Curated OER
Miracles of the Heart
Students watch a movie. In this cultures activity, students read A World Without Black People and then discuss segregation. Students watch the video Partners of the Heart or Something the Lord Made and then reflect on the video in...
Curated OER
The Wetlands
Complete a comparison of the wetlands found in New York and Louisiana. Using various research methods, gather data on the wetlands found in New York and Louisiana, the animals, conditions, etc. Data is used to create a brief report on...
Curated OER
Searching the States (or Provinces) Scavenger Hunt
Students examine information on a particular state or province. Groups of students use the internet to locate facts about an assigned state. They research information such as capital, state song, and major crops. students report their...
Curated OER
Step Into the Past: Change and Growth in Arkansas
The concept of change over time is presented in this history lesson. In it, learners discuss how some things stay the same over time, while other things change. Teams of students research and create a timeline of important events that...
Curated OER
A Book Is A Window To the World
Second graders listen to pieces of literature that take place in different regions of the world. Using a map, they identify and locate the continents and oceans mentioned in the story. They describe the physical and human characteristics...
Curated OER
Dictionary Work - Entry Words
Second graders examine the use of entry words in the dictionary. In this dictionary use instructional activity, learners look at guide words in a children's dictionary as the teacher/librarian describes the characteristics of each entry....
Curated OER
Synthesis of Information
Locating and synthesizing information is an essential part of the research process but can be overwhelming for many young writers. Eliminate some of the stress and confusion, this resource suggests, by separating these steps. To focus...