Before sending your third graders to the library, help them build a solid foundation for their research with this plan. Following the "I do, we do, you do" method, the teacher starts by modeling how to create a research question and...

Take a look at the topic of violence as seen in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. Discuss together the values that Atticus holds and brainstorm ways to combat violence in a similar manner to what he portrays in the novel. Get your...

Should countries use their militaries to stop humanitarian crises in other countries? Learners make claims, organize their reasoning, and provide evidence for their arguments with this rich resource.

Young scholars study African American nonprofit organizations. In this nonprofit organizations activity, students discuss African American organizations. Young scholars research the NAACP and NUL website. Students design posters for both...

Middle schoolers explore the concept of philanthropy. In this service learning lesson, students discover philanthropy's role in 4 economic sectors. Middle schoolers examine how organizations responded to the Hurricane Katrina devastation...

Second graders identify the events in a story using story elements. In this story elements instructional activity, 2nd graders review the story elements and read Dav Pilkey's book, Dog Breath: The Horrible Trouble with Hally Tosis....

Does your class know what an editorial is? Introduce the genre to them with this plan. First, the teacher models how to read an editorial and compare and contrast. Next, the class has a chance to analyze editorials written by their own...

Determining an author's purpose can help readers understand a text more deeply. Using a PIES chart (persuade, inform, entertain, share) and poems from Leaf by Leaf: Autumn Poems by Barbara Rogasky, class members organize...

Use comic strip format to help organize and sequence events in a story. The lesson here focuses on The Story of Jackie Robinson: Bravest Man in Baseball; however, this strategy could be used for summarizing any text. Pupils must choose...

Great literature discussions are a consequence of carefully crafted questions, interpretative questions that permit more than one response, and responses supported by specific evidence from the text. The discussion questions in a guide...

High schoolers identify the three economic sectors found in the United States. They organize different foundations into these three categories. They examine why each sector is necessary in our society.

Students investigate the needs in emerging nations. In this emerging nations instructional activity, students research the conditions for needs in the given countries. Students are assigned to the country groups of Honduras, Nigeria,...

High schoolers research philanthropic organizations that helped after Hurricane Katrina. They organize a collection drive to contribute to the nonprofit organization. They reflect on their efforts.

Middle schoolers trace the origin and history of a nonprofit organization to help them explain the importance of philanthropy.

Young scholars identify nonprofit and profit organizations in their community. They discuss why it is important to have both types of organizations. They create a land use map of their community.

Introduce young learners to the important life skill of responsibly managing money and recording how much they spend and save. 

Young scholars discuss how one person's life can affect a community . In this Martin Luther King Jr. lesson, students read about Dr. King's life and contributions. They formulate ideas about how they can meet the needs of their own...

Students investigate Benjamin Franklin's contributions to society. In this history lesson, students read about Franklin's philanthropic behavior and play a bucket brigade game to re-enact how fires were put out during colonial times.

Young scholars write and present a speech. In this service lesson, students read an anecdote adapted from The Star Thrower and discuss their feelings about their ability to make a difference in the world. Young scholars make a short...