Polk Bros Foundation
American Presidents
Emanuel Leutze's painting Washington Crossing the Delaware. Alexander Gardner's photograph of Abraham Lincoln. What do these works of art tell us about the character of these American Presidents? After examining the techniques the...
Curated OER
Fun with Phylogenetic Trees
Tenth graders differentiate angiosperms and gymnosperms. In this biology lesson, 10th graders construct a musical phylogenetic tree from information they gathered on resource websites. They present their project in class.
Curated OER
The Making of a Spy
Students study the life of a woman spy for the Union. They study archival photographs of Pauline Cushman and examine her life. They create a key with
symbols representing her activities (e.g., a baby bottle for her birth in 1833 in New...
Curated OER
A Breath of Fresh Air
Students explore the primary function of the respiratory system in multiple activities. In this respiratory system instructional activity, students build a model of the respiratory system to investigate how the lungs work.
Curated OER
Create a microbe
Students explore viruses and bacteria. They construct three dimensional models of microorganisms recognizing size relationships by comparing the size of viruses with the sizes of bacterial cells.
Curated OER
Estimating and Measuring Amounts
Third graders explore measurement. In this estimation and measurement lesson, 3rd graders examine visual examples using standard units to measure length. Students also practice solving problems that their instructors model.
Curated OER
Poetry Analysis Device: TPCASTT
Students analyze the key elements of poetry using a mnemonic device. The device: TPCASTT (title, paraphrase, connotation, attitude, shifts, title and theme).
Curated OER
Isolated Children and their Development
Students analyze a case study. In this child development lesson, students read case studies on children who are isolated and their development. Students break into groups, read the case study, and summarize their thoughts. Students then...
Curated OER
Planets in Balance
Young scholars study the solar system by researching the planets. In this exploratory lesson students divide into teams and create mobiles.
Curated OER
Composition of Functions
Students solve problems using the composition of functions. In this algebra lesson, students analyze the graph of a quadratic equation for its vertex and intercepts. they find the inverse of the function using addition, subtraction,...
Curated OER
Multi-Digit Multiplication
Fourth graders practice mastering the ability to multiply multi-digit numbers utilizing rectangular arrays and a variety of mental math strategies. They model and illustrate meanings of multiplication and division of whole numbers and...
Curated OER
Grocery Store Problem Solving
Learners use multiple math skills to complete grocery story problems. In this grocery math lesson, students study grocery ads to learn about the cost of foods. Learners investigate food types and the costs of processed versus raw foods....
Curated OER
Basic Sense
Fifth graders add fractions. After a class discussion on real life application of fractions, the teacher uses fractions strips to model adding fractions. In pairs, 5th graders model adding fractions by drawing diagrams. They justify...
Curated OER
Lunar Life Support
Students design and build models of nine life support systems which are crucial to our successful settlement of the Moon. Each team must define the requirements of their system, exploring how these requirements are currently being met on...
Curated OER
Glacial Geocaching
Eighth graders measure strike and dip of given land features and explain the difference between them. They also look at rock and mineral samples for indentification, along with calculating the density. Finally, information is analyzed...
Curated OER
Toothpick Breakdown
Fourth graders model the activity of an enzyme acting on a substrate and observe relationships. Have students place toothpicks in a pile. One member of the team should break as many toothpicks as possible, in 10 seconds.
Curated OER
Patterns
Fifth graders explore patterns. In groups, 5th graders participate in a "Pasta Pattern" activity. Given a bag of pasta, classmates sort pasta by shapes. They use pasta pieces to model different patterns. Students complete a bean...
EngageNY
Polynomial, Rational, and Radical Relationships
This assessment pair goes way beyond simple graphing, factoring and solving polynomial equations, really forcing learners to investigate the math ideas behind the calculations. Short and to-the-point questions build on one another,...
National Security Agency
Borrowing from Our Neighbors
Young mathematicians explore two-digit subtraction. They will investigate multiple ways to subtract numbers involving regrouping. Resources are provided.
Curated OER
Classifying Rocks
A well-designed lesson plan on rock classification awaits you. In it, fifth graders are divided into groups. Each group is given a box of rocks which they must sort into two categories. They use the "Rock 'n Roll Rule," in making their...
Curated OER
"Jack and Jill" Microsoft Word Picture ID Unit
Using Microsoft Word and the blank "Jack and Jill" templates provided, class members find picture files of themselves and create a written photo ID document to be printed and lamented for the classroom. The lesson is divided into 4...
Curated OER
"A Magic Trick" (Understanding Verbal Directions)
Students practice their listening skills by listening to the teacher give directions for a magic trick and trying to complete it successfully.
Curated OER
Graphs: All About Our Class
Students respond to survey questions, discuss results, brainstorm ways to represent survey information, and create table of class results. They find mean, range, and percentages, and create graph to display results.
Curated OER
Literary Response and Analysis
Students analyze the archetype of 'the fall' in Shakespeare's Macbeth. In this literary analysis lesson, students work in tiered learning groups to analyze the characters of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Students use the book of Genesis as...