"Promises Denied," the second instructional activity in a unit that asks learners to consider the responsibilities individuals have to uphold human rights, looks at documents that illustrate the difficulty the US has had trying to live...

A happy discovery occurred in Arkansas in 2004: a woodpecker, believed to be extinct since the 1940s, reappeared! Or did it? Middle to high school ecologists examine scientific evidence and use critical-thinking skills to determine...

Young scholars explore controversial current events. In this Bill of Rights lesson, students research selected issues and examine the issues from different perspectives. Young scholars script and record news stories that feature their...

Students reflect and discuss the major events that happened in the United States in the 1950's and 1960's.  In this U.S. History lesson, students read and analyze the famous speeches during this time frame, then complete a worksheet...

Assign parts to read aloud Millions of Cats by Wanda Gag and have your young mimes act out their roles. This story focus on how beauty within is more important than outward appearance. Conclude by having your class provide an illustrated...

Students examine primary documents to determine whether or not George Washington was an honest leader. In this presidential history lesson, students evaluate Washington's leadership prior to and during his presidency. Guided reading...

Following the method used by Truman Capote, class members research a major character from his novel, In Cold Blood, and then conduct an interview with that character. The resulting research is used to craft a newspaper article about the...

Transition words in writing are the focus of the language arts lesson presented here. In it, learners cut out the word-sort cards (embedded in the plan), and put them into four categories: time, examples, space, and summary. They find a...

Cruise ships offer many engaging opportunities for real-world math adventures. These large, floating cities use resources with numbers into the thousands place. Young mathematicians are asked to calculate numerical information...

Use Tuck Everlasting as a springboard for a debate on big ideas about immortality and the death penalty. Take a week for research and debate by following the steps outlined in this plan. Tapping into technology for help, small groups...

Future weather forecasters collect daily temperatures over a period of time. Afterward, they compare their data with monthly averages, as researched on national weather websites, in order to grasp the difference between weather and...

While the European Union has been a part of economic landscape for decades, it grew out of a period of economic integration after World War II. Using a round table method, class members analyze and discuss the events leading up to the...

Continue working through Esperanza Rising, by Pam Munoz Ryan, by looking into language choices and discussing text-dependent questions. Pupils converse in small groups and as a class about plot, setting, and figurative language. Using...

Help your learners work with difficult or archaic words. A continuation of lesson two of this module, the plan here focuses on deciphering the Inventory of John Allen, in particular the unfamiliar words that make up much of the list. Add...

Students conduct weekly research on three to five current events. As a ball is tossed around the room, the student holding the ball presents to the class the who, what, where, when, why, and how details of their selected current event.

Students compose plans for their futures.  In this writing lesson, students create life maps of past events and predict future events.  They brainstorm events of their lives and decide which ones are most pertinent to the...

Pupils analyze current events and write and deliver extemporaneous speeches to the class. They define and discuss extemporaneous speeches, conduct research and deliver their speech, and participate in a peer evaluation of students'...

Students explore the impact of world events on past Olympics as a springboard for understanding the cultural, political, and social climate surrounding the 2002 Winter Olympics after the events of September 11, 2001.

Students examine current events and create an artistic image that portrays the feelings brought forth by these readings.

Students watch a video about one woman who planned to commit murder because of a cheerleading scandal.

Students, in groups, research an issue they feel is significant in today's world. They present and justify specific actions for the audience to take that would help to better the issue of public concern.

Students respond to the text, A Day in the Life of Me. In this literature activity, students discuss the sequence of events in the story and write simple sentences with a sketch of each important event.

 Students explore the likelihood of events.  In this logical thinking lesson, 3rd graders are given several scenarios and determine whether the possibility of the described event actually happening is likely, unlikely, or...

Learners research volcanoes, storms, atmospheric conditions, etc., find information and collect facts, create a simulation of a science news broadcast, watch a video clip of an avalanche, and create an artistic rendering of one naturally...