The I-STOP law was designed to regulate the distribution and tracking of prescription drugs. After reading an article about its signing and implementation, middle and high schoolers work together to come up with their own ideas for an...

The first part of this article by PBS on the Miss America pageants can be used in a health class when it's time to talk about body image. There are links to related articles. There are some great questions for discussion. There are ideas...

Twelfth graders learn art is an effective way to convey a political message. They learn how political messages are created to convey a message. They analyze a piece of artwork and then write a short paragraph from the point of view of...

Twelfth graders consider art as a medium to convey information and opinions on social conflict and issues. They analyze images from the Crocker Art Museum, discuss their effectiveness in raising awareness of an issue, and create a...

Help develop assertive, critical-thinking skills that enhance growth and change while teaching economics. In groups, select a topic from a list and then discuss the pros and cons of each topic. Debate why advertising is necessary to our...

Students practice critical thinking skills by defending their beliefs orally in a "hot seat". In addition, they communicate their feelings about an inssue in writing.

Who is the al Qaeda and what happened on September 11? Older students will explore the political objectives of al Qaeda and possible reasons for the September 11 terrorist attacks by watching a video program and working through evidence...

Talk about intrinsic motivation! Begin where your students' natural interests lie  -- with themselves -- and launch a variety of projects with this activity. Class members research important events that took place on their...

Students research an artist of their choice on the internet. They are provided with questions (worksheets included with the lesson) as a guide for their research. Students choose an artwork by their artist to critique.

Mark Twain's life, politics, writing, and role as a mirror of pre- and post-Civil War American culture are the focus 11th and 12th graders in this section from an expansive author study. A critical writing assignment comparing Twain...

Discover how government and the European Union works with this interactive activity. Small groups form to represent a country and create a profile. The instructor presents an issue to discuss and potential politicians then develop...

Set in Oklahoma in the 1930s, The Grapes of Wrath presents a powerful view of life during the Great Depression. An insightful lesson plan takes a closer look at the characters in John Steinbeck's classic novel, combining the...

Two lessons explore the possibility of living on the moon. First, scholars read various scenarios to identify which careers would best transfer to life in space. Finally, pupils examine a website to locate items made for outer space,...

Young scholars study Ireland and its distinctive culture.  In this exploring Ireland instructional activity students view a program on Ireland, answer questions then divide into groups and research the Irish connection. 

Students . In this organization lesson, students have a general discussion about sports cards and make a chart to answer the questions. Students read the baseball card story from USA Today. Students watch a web video about sports in New...

Students explore the concept of inflation. In this inflation lesson plan, students compile a list of necessities they would need to take with them if they were moving to a new state next month. Students compare their list with that of...

Seventh graders explore the term community.  For this Social Studies lesson, 7th graders develop a definition of the term community.  Students create a sculpture that is related to their community.

Pupils investigate instances of genocide and role play as reporters writing news stories and editorials.

Middle schoolers explore the accomplishments of Milton Hershey. In this historical analysis lesson, students research Hershey's life and the historical events that occurred during his life. Middle schoolers create timelines that feature...

Students explore the concept of fractions, decimals, and percents.  In this number sense instructional activity, students use a worksheet to guide them through the exploration of the relationship between fractions, decimals, and...

Have fun while your class creates a timeline of their lives. They record events before and after they were born on a line with 10 integer pairs consisting of one integer on each side of zero. Many extension activities can be done in...

Students use the internet to research Archimedes' principle of buoyancy. In groups, they summarize the principle and share it with the class. They also participate in experiments in which they test the principle and share their results...

Third graders practice writing resumes. In this resume activity, 3rd graders discover the attributes of resumes, complete an activity that exhibits their likes, and write their own resume as they follow the model provided in a PowerPoint...

Young scholars learn interview skills by formulating questions and videotaping an interview with a veteran.