Creative Visions Foundation
Developing a Structure for Documentaries
Provide some group brainstorming and story-planning time with the fifth instructional activity in a series on examining and creating documentaries. After you've explained the purpose of each section of a documentary, groups meet to plan...
Creative Visions Foundation
Finalizing Films and Writing a Reflection
Wrap up a documentary creation project with the final lesson in this series. Class members reflect on their learning and compose responses to four questions relating to what they learned, whey they would do differently, and how the group...
Curated OER
The Wyeth Family of Artists
Students work in expert teams to research the life and work of N.C. Wyeth, Andrew Wyeth, and James Wyeth. N.C.'s daughters, Carolyn and Henriette, were also artists. Their visual images of work in print or on the Internet are...
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The Shadow Knows - Creating Shadows
Young learners recognize a shadow and witness how shadows occur when light is blocked. They access streamed video, standard video, and websites in order to engage in their study of how light is naturally blocked to create shadows. An...
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Hardware Sort
Students work in groups to sort and classify a variety of hardware materials commonly found in the store. Students discuss attributes and explain their reasoning for different classifications.
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Create a Research Book
Students use the internet to research the production of manuscripts and books. Using this information, they create a research book full of tips to research effectively. They share their new book with the class after organizing the material.
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Team Apollo
Seventh graders brainstorm about problems with a school track. They research different possibilities for a solution. They test different track materials with erosion, durability, abrasiveness and resiliency. They determine the area,...
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Scarcity of Water Throughout the World
Students identify the various forms of fresh water on the earth. They observe a demonstration aand read articles that show them the importance of water conservation. They write a journal about their opinion regarding paying for water.
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Writing Through Art
Examine the works of visual and performing artists with upper graders. Using the works, they identify the comparisons among the techniques used. They will also review the six traits of effective writing and keep a writing journal...
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Voter Fraud: Are Ghosts Going To The Polls
High schoolers research background material about voting in their community. They interview local/county election officials to see what is going on in the community. They also interview teachers, and students to determine if they are...
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"Herstory" in Michigan - Great Women of our Great State
Students discover the struggles and achievements of women throughout Michigan's history, the changes that have taken place in women's roles, and the difference one person can make. This lesson focuses on the impact women have made on the...
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Virtual Field Trip
Are we there yet? Young trip planners learn about their state and plan a trip. They will select sites to see in three cities in their state, and record associated costs in a spreadsheet. While this was originally designed as a...
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Magazine Mania
Seventh graders examine the components and structure of magazines. In groups they develop a magazine based on the novel of their choice. Comic strips and promotional advertisements about the novels are included in the magazine. Students...
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Novel Ideas: History of the American Novel
Explore the history of the American novel in the contexts of literature and US history. How does a novel or piece of writing from a particular time showcase the mood during that historical period? After conducting research and discussing...
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The Amazing Race -- Africa
Students conduct research and gather information regarding various cities in Africa. They discover what it would take to travel to and through Africa and plan a trip through various regions of the continent. They present their itinerary,...
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Let's Meet The Presidents
Create a digital movie documenting research about an American President. Using internet sources, students with special needs gather information about their chosen president. Working in groups, they use this information to create a...
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Create a Wildlife Montage
Students find and cut out pictures of American wildlife animals and draw separate American wildlife habitats. They sort their pictures by habitat and then glue each animal onto the correct habitat. They label each picture with the name...
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Passive Solar Design
Learners study what passive solar design is for buildings and structures. In this solar design lesson students identify passive solar design techniques.
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Dictionary Work - Entry Words
Second graders examine the use of entry words in the dictionary. In this dictionary use lesson, learners look at guide words in a children's dictionary as the teacher/librarian describes the characteristics of each entry. They complete...
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Columbian Folklore
Students learn about Columbian Folklore and make a mini documentary based on their own cultural background. In this culture lesson plan, students include Canadian cultural diversity in their presentation.
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Cardboard Radial Weaving
Students explore cultural history by participating in an arts and crafts activity. In this weaving lesson, students identify the many cultures that used weaving methods and local plant life to create baskets and other useful tools....
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Sound Waves
Using a karaoke machine, a guitar, and other devices, learners explore the way sound waves travel. Using this hands on approach, learners can get a better understanding of wavelength, frequency, and more.
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How to Locate and Evaluate Information, Part III - Internet Sites
This is the third in a series of lessons scaffolding the research paper. It purports to teach researchers how to evaluate internet sites, but the lack of links, specific criteria, or site evaluation rubrics would require additional...
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Cornell Notes with I Tunes
Note taking is an invaluable skill and requires practice. This instructional activity incorporates the Cornell Notes format, however the plan itself could be implemented to teach any style. The basic idea here is to use university...