Fourth graders research the culture of Los Californios through primary sources. They examine maps and draw timelines of California historical dates. They investigate deeds and s of ranches and simulate property transactions.

Fourth graders research three topics from the book, either Village Life, Sea Life, or San Nicholas Island. They research independently and meet in a jigsaw format to share what they learned. As group they create a poster for class...

Learners research the impact of European voyages of discovery and colonial influence on different aspects of American culture. They access a number of online sources and reference maps to trace the influences of England, France, Holland,...

Fourth graders read excerpts from Juan Bautista de Anza's diaries. They analyze the impact of primary sources. They write journal entries for characters in stories they have read during the year.

Students examine the role of agriculture in the American economy. They interview a person in the agriculture business and create original questions to ask. They present their findings to the class and write thank you letters to the...

Students demonstrate a knowledge of a historic period (Shang Dynasty) and an appreciation of a different culture (Chinese) by making a ceramic container that is meant to hold something of value.

Students examine Apollo 16 and its significance.  In this Apollo 16 lesson students work in groups, answer questions and complete a worksheet. 

Learners examine the concepts of forces and motion. They work together to design protective devices for their egg rovers as they are dropped from a specific height. They record their observations and discuss.

Learners examine the effects of pests on other organisms, crops, and the environment. they construct an insect observation chamber and discover how some insects can be pests in some situations and beneficial in others. They write "pest...

Young scholars build a scale model of the Solar System and determine the time other planets take to travel around the Sun in comparison to the time of the Earth's revolution. The velocity of the planets are also determined in this lesson.

Students simulate different spacecraft missions using materials provided. In this space science lesson, students observe and record a planetary model's features from a distance. They relate this activity to scientists' space exploration...

Students write an essay and create illustrations of Jewish culture. In this literature-response lesson plan, students read various Jewish folktales. As they read, students study the geographical, cultural, and historical background of...

High schoolers measure distances using parallax. In this math lesson, students explain how this method helped astronomers with their studies of the solar system. They determine the length of their arm using parallax and compare it with...

Students complete a worksheet while watching a video about how humans affect the ocean environment. They discover the need for a practice of balancing fisheries and their fishing practices. They examine how scientists use data to help...

Did you know that November is Novel Writing Month? In the first of a series of lessons, class members are introduced to the NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) project.

Students explore agriculture and the current technologies and research that continue to make Earth a viable planet. This four lessons unit introduce students to simple machines and the concepts of force and friction through a variety of...

Students study and are evaluated on the use of arc welding equipment. They demonstrate safety techniques by changing the lens and head gear on a welding helmet.

Students study about the Columbia crew and their mission, how space shuttles work, and explore the history of the shuttle program. By accessing many websites imbedded in this plan, students gain a deep understanding of the Space Shuttle...

Students visit the Rincon History Museum in California. They discover different periods in the state's history and discuss. They view the art and explain what can be learned from it.

Students role-play as soldiers rescuing lost mountain climbers. Working in teams, they interpret maps to locate the climbers and use flashlights to send and receive coded messages about the rescue. Their goal is to complete the task in...

Students, after viewing the program "Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior," explore all the aspects of China and the importance of family traditions. They assess the appreciation of the role grandparents play in a family as well. A variety of...

Students investigate the example of the burrowing owl to illustrate how human activities can control the fate of species. The research is focused on the ecosystem and examining the different species within it.

Students use the Internet to gather historical facts about the county in which they live. Using the information, they discover how to check it for accuracy and present their findings to the class. They write an essay about the history of...

Students share what they comprehend about the space shuttle program. They are given information about the first space shuttle mission. Students work in groups to investigate the different shuttle missions from April 1981 through January...