In the tenth instructional activity of this unit, young scholars learn to categorize information as they continue researching their colonial trade. During guided practice, the teacher models how to read informational text slowly while...

Building on the previous activity in this unit on colonial trade, the ninth activity has young experts continuing their research and writing summaries of the information they find. To begin, children participate in guided practice where...

Go on a traveling adventure throughout Australia, Oceana, and Antarctica! This textbook excerpt offers a full unit of study that can easily be supplemented by extra projects or research materials. Learners study maps, read about...

Young historians research the rationales for fighting the Vietnam War, and the controversies surrounding it. They watch film clips, examine photographs, and read Lyndon B. Johnson's message to Congress to gather information for a...

Learn about the government's role in everyday life in a guided reading activity. Groups create a KWL chart concerning the government's impact on the community.

A New York Time article on a major music and arts event can be a good way to get kids interested in the daily news. They read an article about Coachella, and then answer eight comprehension questions, in either blog or print form. Note:...

Students explore Greek mythology. In this ancient culture and introduction to The Odyssey literacy lesson, students complete a worksheet accessing their prior knowledge about Greek mythology. Students listen to a passage about the Trojan...

Two slide shows, viewed side-by-side, permit middle schoolers to compare and contrast the lives of the Pilgrims of the Plimoth colony and the Wampanoags. Four videos take learners on virtual field trips to the Plymouth plantation. And an...

Who were the absolute monarchs of Europe and what effect did they have on their countries? Young historians begin by naming qualities they believe are important for a monarch to possess. They then take notes on four key factors...

Humans have been developing number systems for thousands of years, and while they can be very different from one another, they can also share surprising similarities. Take your young mathematicians on a journey through the history...

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick refused to stand for the National Anthem in 2016 as a form of protest. Were his actions appropriate? Using the provided website, pupils attempt to decide for themselves by reading the main...

Students explore the Navajo culture. In this Navajo Indians lesson, students gain information about their weaving and dancing. Students note the patterns in the weaving. Students create a dance that corresponds with the patterns they see...

Scholars learn all about the Puritans in the third installment of a 16-part lesson series. After watching a video, they read and discuss biographies of Puritans and Quakers from American history, write journal entries and poetry, and...

Young scholars investigate Wales. In this Wales lesson, students do Internet research for facts about Wales. Young scholars are given a list sentences about Wales and decide if they are true or false. Students listen to an audio file and...

A four-paragraph informational text details the life of the famous baseball player, Jackie Robinson. A prompt challenges scholars to write or discuss a time in their life when they were not included and how that made them feel. 

Scholars examine the first Thanksgiving through books and interviews while they complete a KWL chart. Pretending they are part of the feast, learners craft a scrapbook page that features images related to their experience. Pupils reflect...

Here you'll find a nice guided notes worksheet on Otto von Bismarck, which details Bismarck's plan to unify Germany, as well as asks learners to analyze his motivations and overall impact.

Eighth graders complete a KWL chart on the Plains Indians. After watching a video, they state the difference between legends and facts about the importance of the buffalo to Native Americans. They also practice their note-taking skills...

Learners engage in a activity that is concerned with the concept of self-improvement while reading an article to create the context of discovery. They read about life lists and then use the samples in order to create one's own list.

In instructional activity 13 of this unit on colonial trade, young researchers learn about apprentices as they prepare to write help-wanted ads for the specific trade they have been researching. To begin, the class listens closely as the...

What is considered news vs. propaganda? Learners will discuss objectivity and press responsibility while exploring these two concepts. They work in small groups to explore the article in-depth, guided by reading comprehension and...

As part of a study of World War I, class members read newspaper articles from the time that urge American involvement, non-involvement, or neutrality. Using the provided worksheet, groups analyze the articles noting the central argument...

What a fantastic collection of activities for celebrating Groundhog Day! This resource includes a variety of holiday reading selections, groundhog facts, links to printables, story comprehension lessons, and much more!

Gear up for Halloween by studying the horror genre with your class and analyzing films and texts to uncover the genre's traditional conventions.