Lesson Plan
Art Institute of Chicago

Lesson Plan: A Writer’s Odyssey

For Students 11th - 12th Standards
Looking for a fresh approach to an end-of-unit project for The Odyssey? Check out a resource that has class members write their own hero's journey short story and then craft an illustration that depicts their tale. Apollonio di...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Three Dimensional Geology

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Here is a fine lesson plan on geology designed for high schoolers. Learners use rocks, fossils, and other geological clues to determine the geology of an area. Then, they make recommendations to a fictitious city council about the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Facts of Life

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore the different ways scientists gather information about extinct animals. They utilize these methods to create illustrated story books about a particular extinct animal.
Website
American Museum of Natural History

Climate Change

For Students 6th - 12th
It actually is possible to have too much of a good thing when it comes to climate change. A slide show lesson describes how burning fossil fuels contributes to climate change. Individuals read about the scientific process and the...
Website
American Museum of Natural History

Paleontology Books

For Students 6th - 12th
A list of 11 books about paleontology offers titles, authors, and a brief description of the tale.
Interactive
American Museum of Natural History

DNA Detective

For Students 6th - 12th
DNA is like the fingerprint of genetics. A quick lesson introduces the topic of DNA sequences with a mystery about an endangered species. The lesson shows how DNA extraction, replication, and sequencing often provide undeniable evidence...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

African Ceramic Portrait Vessel

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students create a piece of art inspired by traditional African pieces.
Interactive
American Museum of Natural History

Pterosaurs: The Card Game

For Students 6th - 12th
Piecing together the past is a challenging endeavor. Learners get a taste of that challenge as they play a game that incorporates several components such as trophic levels, geological time periods, and catastrophic events. Pairs work to...
Lesson Plan
Messenger Education

Snow Goggles and Limiting Sunlight

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
Why would someone need contact lenses that offer UV protection? With a 28-page packet full of instruction and worksheets, learners discuss solar radiation and its potential harm to eyes. They make snow goggles similar...
Activity
American Museum of Natural History

Create Your Own Time Capsule

For Students 4th - 12th
The corona virus pandemic is indeed a historic event. A time capsule activity permits young historians to document these days of social distancing, remote learning, and quarantine by collecting artifacts that capture what their lives are...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fossil Find

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students investigate the practice of digging for fossils. They participate in a mock dig of fossils using real bones and other artifacts. Then students dig through sand in order to go through the simulation. Students make observations...
Website
American Museum of Natural History

Around the World with DNA

For Students 6th - 12th
DNA analysis could be what saves some animals from extinction. An interactive lesson shows learners how DNA information proves variation among animals of the same species and how stakeholders use that information to make decisions. Easy...
Interactive
American Museum of Natural History

What's This? Leeches

For Students 6th - 12th
Who actually likes leeches? Meet a scientist that makes his living letting leeches feed on him. Pupils learn about the characteristics of leeches and different variations of the species. The lesson works as a remote learning resource or...
Interactive
American Museum of Natural History

What's This?: Mythic Creatures

For Students 6th - 12th
Fantastic beasts, and where to find them, are featured in a resource that offers images of real animals that just might have given rise to some of mythic creatures of legend.
Website
American Museum of Natural History

Journey to the Stars

For Students 6th - 12th
Fifteen detailed pictures and informative captions delve deep into the exploration of stars—their life cycle and importance in the universe. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Assessing and Making Maps

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students evaluate maps using the TODALSIGs basic map analysis system, explained on the worksheet. They create a map of Alaska using TODALSIGs. Students brainstorm the elements of maps.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Individual Responsibility and Resistance During the Holocaust

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students examine what obstacles hinder resistance, what types of resistance are possible and how different individuals resisted Nazi oppression. They examine primary source documents related to the Holocaust and analyze various sources...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Bug's Journey

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students research the art of John Baldessari. In this art history lesson plan, students examine Baldessari's drawing of a beetle and discuss the characteristics of these bugs. They write a story from a bug's perspective and create their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sizing Up the Supersize Croc

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars examine and compare traits of humans and crocodiles.  In this crocodile lesson plan students use a ratio to estimate the height of a person and compare that to a crocodile. 
Lesson Plan
Journey Through the Universe

Impact Craters: A Look at the Past

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
The Galle crater on Mars is also known as the Happy Face crater because of its appearance. First, scholars use pebbles and flour to simulate craters and study their properties. They then apply this knowledge to help decipher the history...
Lesson Planet Article
Curated OER

Way Down in the Deep Blue Sea

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Uncover the mysterious wonders of the ocean with activities that span the subjects!
PPT
Curated OER

Antebellum American Art

For Teachers 8th - 11th
Dividing the art of the Antebellum period into several different genres, this vibrant presentation is sure to get your students' attention. It takes your students on a walk through an art museum with famous paintings, architecture, and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mini Masks: Ceramics

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Masks have been used for many reasons throughout human history. They are also great subjects for art projects! Included here are instructions, background information, and all the supplies needed to create mini masks in your class. 
Worksheet
Curated OER

Problem Solving: Guess and Check

For Students 2nd - 4th
Sometimes guess and check is the best way to solve a word problem. Learners use the guess and check strategy to solve each of the 6 included story problems. Note: At times younger children have difficulty using estimation or the guess...