If you plan to utilize the ABC miniseries, "The Path to 9/11" in your classroom, consider incorporating media literacy and research skills. After (or while) learners view the series, they discuss ways information can differ from source...

Students make informed decisions when selecting a career.

How many potatoes tall are you? Unearth this rich resource! A reading of John Coy’s Two Old Potatoes begins a cross-curricular exploration of potatoes. Class members read, write, weigh, measure, and experiment with potatoes. Additional...

Students participate in a scavenger hunt to locate the different sections of the media center and determine the purpose for each section. They build a jigsaw puzzle as they find each major section of the library such as the reference or...

Students complete a worksheet where they organize books on the book shelves. In this library lesson, students learn where each book belongs by using the order of numbers and letters. Students learn how to organize which is a life skill....

Students research distinctive homes and habitats of the past and present using electronic and library resources. They then design innovative new homes and habitats for the future, synthesizing information discovered from research.

Sixth graders investigate the Bahamas through presentations and charts.  For this ecology lesson, 6th graders utilize their library and Internet to research the life forms and species that inhabit the Bahamas.  Students observe...

What are employers looking for in prospective employees? Career-minded high schoolers examine their strongest technical skills as well as important 21st century skills, including leadership, empathy, clear communication, working well...

From crime to paternity, DNA fingerprinting has revolutionized how the world views inherited traits. Science sleuths investigate the facts about DNA profiling through a variety of activities. The Teacher's Guide includes printable...

Students think about what people did for entertainment many years ago. To answer this, they should not only do library-type research but find and interview a senior citizen.

So, you've just spotted an ad for the perfect job, now what? Get kids ready to enter the workforce by having them practice the first step, replying to a job ad. They scan the paper for a job, role-play responding to the ad via phone,...

Prepping pupils for the real world is a vital part of our job. This activity focuses on getting upper graders ready for their first post-collegiate job interview. They will prepare a resume, research a potential company to work for, and...

All of the people in your class would agree that life would be different without the invention of the telephone! Study Alexander Graham Bell's most famous and influential invention through the primary source document of his...

Students write a class letter to a local policeman asking him to come and talk to the class and create a list of safety tips as a class. Students research information on police dogs: type of dogs used, where they come form, how they are...

Prepare advanced English learners and low-level readers for the reading demands of post-secondary education with skill of chunking. Readers learn to make meaning from phrases rather than individual words, helping them to read more...

Fifth graders find the area and volume of buildings. In this architecture lesson, 5th graders look at the drawings of three historic Tennessee buildings. They use these to help find the area and volume of the building. 

Students explore various kinds of farming methods around the world.  For this history lesson, students view pictures of farming methods, then compare and contrast them in a class discussion with the methods of farming that are used...

"What do you want to be when you grow up?" is a question every kid has to answer quite often. Here is a lesson that will allow them to do some thinking about that very topic, and to learn about some professions they might consider...

Discover Oklahoma's first farmers. Read about 14 different agriculture workers and their contribution to Oklahoma's farming. After reading, have your class complete several activities such as researching an agriculturist, writing a...

It's the classic scene: Tom Sawyer is whitewashing a fence. Expose your learners to Mark Twain's humor while reinforcing reading comprehension. Eighth graders are encouraged to read and reread, achieving as much exposure to the text...

After viewing clips from a documentary on factory work in China and US outsourcing, learners have a fishbowl discussion. They work in groups to build both personal points of view and strong arguments on the effects of outsourcing in...

When we think of ocean exploration, many of us have visions of sunken pirate ships full of treasure or mysterious creatures of the deep. What really motivates deep-sea investigation? The first in a series of diverse six-part lessons...

Note-taking is an essential study skill, and it needs to be taught! In the context of a research project on energy sources, learners find multiple sources, evaluating, paraphrasing, and citing them correctly. Two lists with note-taking...

Applying photography basics they learn for this project, first graders take pictures of an adult at work focusing on the tools used, the work site, and job responsibilities. After making a career book that includes photos and...