The final lessons in this section of the Standing Up for Democracy unit ask class members to consider ways they can help create a "more humane, fair, and compassionate environment" in their communities. For context, learners study how...

Use whatever material floats your boat. Working in groups, scholars decide on a type of metal and a type of coating to use for building a boat. They test their creations by leaving their boats in a pool of water for several days before...

When to negotiate and when not to negotiate, that is the question at the heart of this conflict resolution lesson plan. Class members watch a short video about negotiation tools, read an article about negotiation tips, and engage in role...

A tasty treat lends its curious substance to space exploration. Mimicking the discoveries of Albert Einstein, young astronomers beginning by making a batch of Jello-O, then four hours later, scholars place edible objects that act like...

Take heart! Here's a lesson that will encourage learners to notice details. After listening to Sarah Vaughan singing "My Funny Valentine" and noting how the word heart relates to Valentine's Day, scholars observe a human heart image....

The ninth instructional activity in the Health Smart series is designed to get high schoolers to understand the factors that make them feel the way they do about themselves, their bodies, and their self-worth. Pupils watch a video about...

An alien-themed learning game boosts addition skills. Scholars solve the addition problem coming down from an invading spaceship before it lands.

Make a Winogradsky Column to discover how microbes live within the digestive tract. First, participants take a tour of the stomach. Then, gather supplies and start building using a variety of materials. Over eight to 10 weeks,...

Check out climate anomalies just like NASA climatologists! Investigators use a GISTEMP map from NASA to analyze one month of climate anomalies. Scientists look for data extremes and generate possible explanations for observable...

What makes an event newsworthy, worth a reference in a news magazine or textbook? Who decides? These are questions Marilyn Nelson asks readers of her poem "Making History" to consider. To begin, class members list details they notice in...

Through thoughtful discussion and a read-aloud, scholars challenge gender role stereotypes. Pupils examine pictures and collaborate with their small groups to debunk stereotypes. They explain what gender role stereotypes they know of and...

What do you picture when you hear the word scientist? Challenge scholars to put pencil to paper, draw a scientist, and then reflect on the patterns they observe. Learners read an article about a female scientist and write a story about a...

Are spiders related to crabs? Study the order of arthropods with a reading selection about animal diversity. It provides details about each class within the order, as well as vivid pictures and explanatory charts. 

Do all liquids evaporate at the same rate? Young scientists observe the evaporation rate of three different liquids. They measure the time, the temperature, and the change in energy. After comparing the chemical formulas, scholars...

Hearken! and observe how well a literary analysis unit can help ninth graders read closely and connect text structure to a central idea. Focusing on Edgar Allan Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart," learners take notes and track the development...

Students examine two images of rocks, make their own observations of individual rocks through drawing, and explain how the same observation skills can be used in the study of geology.

Students observe a plywood box with mirrors. For this mirror and light lesson, students make informal, individual investigations with a plywood box that has been fitted with mirror squares. They use observation skills and investigate...

Young scholars work on the development of observation skills and seeing how they can be used in different contexts. The lesson is good for helping the beginner and novice, along with encouraging and reminding the expert observer of right...

Students strengthen observational skills by searching for insects in their home and classroom. In this observation lesson, students use magnifying glasses to classify what kinds of bugs were found. Students then create a bar graph to...

Students explore the idea of scientific observation and the use of a journal to record their observations. They examine the proper vocabulary used when describing scientific inquiry. Students observe a science experiment and they discuss...

Students observe, measure, and graph a model of slow down slope movement representing soil creep. This task assesses students' abilities to collect, record, and organize data, set up graph axes, plot data points, draw line graphs, apply...

Students investigate crickets. In this series of cricket activities, students observe and chart crickets.  Students discuss the differences between male and female crickets, record findings in a journal, handle crickets, and read a...

Second graders investigate the life cycle of the caterpillar. They create a caterpillar habitat and care for it. Students make daily observations that are recorded in a writing journal. During the process of observation the students...

Learners examine the properties of a liquid that contains water and food coloring and a liquid that contains water, food coloring and a liquid detergent. They interpret their data, describe properties, and make reasonable explanations...