Students work together to build their own spaghetti bridge. They test the bridge to see how much weight it can hold before breaking. They discover how engineers use this type of information to design bridges.

Young scholars brainstorm a list of symbols that represent our cultural values. They research symbols of China and Japan. Students create a timeline showing how symbols have evolved in these two countries. They view the video "Showing...

Students play a game in which they name geometric shapes. In this geometric shape lesson, students ask "yes and no" questions to determine which shape one of their classmates has chosen. They ask questions that lead them to the name of...

Pupils explore how to monitor their own behavior. They read a book about self-control and respecting others. Students answer questions about the book. They list strategies to assist in behavior improvement.

Fourth graders research how to select the most cost-effective snacks. In this consumer practices lesson, 4th graders compare packaging labels and come to conclusions on how cost effective the product is. Students discuss their findings.

Students explore a calendar. In this calendar and math instructional activity, students view a video clip about using a calendar. Students participate in a game in which a game board is used to identify days of the week, dates, and months.

Students are provided with drawings of planet surfaces in order to investigate different types of planetary terrain. They make observations for each planet and discuss the characteristics observed. The lesson includes background...

High schoolers engage in a lesson that is concerned with the concept of using the silent "e" in certain words. They practice using the rules while reading them in a review. The application of the rule is given in the lesson and can be...

Students compare the pressure of water at different depths and gain an understanding of how increased water might affect animals living in deeper waters. They participate in an experiment to show that depth, not volume, affects water...

The value in this PowerPoint about the five-paragraph expository essay comes from the clear explanations and specific examples provided to illustrate each aspect; however, a complete, model essay is not included. Beware the typos!

A website looks at how we know so much about Mars—telescopes, robots, and spacecraft—and the search for martian life. Following the informational text are three questions that quiz pupils about possible life on Mars. 

Using the prairie dog community as an example, middle school ecologists examine the food web. Pairs of learners take one species in the community and research its role in the ecosystem. They share their findings with the rest of the...

After matching words drawn from Kate Chopin’s novel, The Awakening, with their definitions, readers complete a magic square game. Included are instructions for how to develop magic squares.

Introducing your class to essay writing? The gentle tone, concise explanations, and clear examples provided by a 17-slide presentation introduces young writers to the expository essay format. All that's missing is a complete essay with...

Middle schoolers design and construct a paper rocket that can be launched with a drinking straw. They participate in a lecture and read an article about rocketry and how Newton's Third Law applies to rocket launches. Each student...

Emerging ecologists examine endangered species by visiting the US Environmental Protection Agency website. They consider human contribution to the decline of different species. They research an endangered animal and then craft a poster...

Students examine the concept of food mapping . For this agriculture lesson, students explore food and agriculture systems in the United States in the past and today. Students complete food mapping activities.

Students explain how moon phases occur. They describe and explain at least two common misconceptions that people have about the moon. Students explain what a star is. They explain 3 ways that the night sky has been used throughout history.

Students, through hands on games and activities, discover how bats live and how bats benefit ecosystems. They play a game designed to show them how echolocation works and another to show how mother bats locate their young through their...

In this comparing places learning exercise, students answer questions regarding a girl who has lived in two very different places. Information about the two places is provided.

Students examine the importance of good quality safety gear. In this investigative lesson, students will tests various polymers, collect data, and analyze the data to determine which polymer is best for safety helmets. They will design a...

Fifth graders examine text features and create a PowerPoint presentation. In this text features lesson, 5th graders go over Kagan Cooperative Learning Structures and text features before they choose one to include in a book and...

Students consider the reasons why people relocate from one area to another.  In this relocation lesson, students read an article that includes research and statistics on which age, education level, etc., of the population moves the...

In this agriculture worksheet, students read the pages related to the discovery and practice of alternative ways of producing new crops. Then the graphic organizer is filled out for each idea.