Young scholars work with a partner from a different grade level to brainstorm, draft, edit, illustrate and publish alphabet-themed books. They take turns reading the books to each other and conference with a teacher to review their work.

Students investigate the importance of separation of powers, checks, balances, and judicial review. They also investigate how national and state governments are linked.

Young scholars maintain a compost bin and build a worm observatory. They design experiments relating to worms and record observations in a worm journal.

Students investigate dinosaurs through books. In this lesson about dinosaurs, students read a variety of books about dinosaurs. Students become familiar with dinosaurs through reading about them. Students learn that reading is...

First graders learn vocabulary in regards to laws, courts, and policeman. They read and discuss the book, The Value of Respect: The Story of Abraham Lincoln. An attorney visits the classroom and discusses the roles of judges and juries.

Students understand the importance of tone in a piece of artwork. They become more aware of purpose before they evaluate any form of art. Students use tone to help establish the success of a written story.

High schoolers examine the importance of nonprofit organizations when it comes to the environment. They discover how to evaluate different organizations. They research different organizations and present their findings to the class.

Pupils use the Internet to research an article. When they find an article they like, it be printed and they highlight the important information and present to the class.

Students explore different types of homes and how the environment effects the types of houses people construct. For this houses lesson plan, students learn about environmental factors and cultural factors that play in to why people build...

Young scholars engage in a fact file exercise. In this reading comprehension lesson, students read an article, complete a worksheet, and explore suggested websites.

Sixth graders understand the patterns of change observable on Earth as a result of the movement of the different bodies in the solar system. They identify the physical characteristics of the different components of the solar system.

Pupils recreate characters from the story, "The Fairytale Cake." In this fairy tale characterization lesson, students first listen to fairy tales read aloud. They then use play dough and plastic bowls as pretend "cakes and icing", and...

Students explore the life and contributions of Martin Luther King Jr.

Learners pick an endangered animal to research and report their findings to the class.

Students discuss the right and wrong actions of a young Navajo boy. Using that information, they compare and contrast his culture to their own. In groups, they create a newspaper or poster showing the cultural contributions of the...

Fifth graders engage in a "layered" unit of discovery. There are three levels of potential learning opportunities, in the spirit of the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver (bronze, silver, gold). The lesson is based upon fractions.

Students engage in a lesson plan that is concerned with the steps needed to put together a teaching portfolio. They collect artifacts to accompany the portfolio and then present them as a part of a cumulative project grade. Some students...

This site offers extensive resources for teaching poetry. Find interviews with poets, ideas for poetry lessons, book lists, and ways to use poetry across the curriculum. There are also resources specifically for National Poetry Month....

Smithsonian in the Classroom presents The Music in Poetry. Teachers can download this comprehensive teaching package for exploring the rhythms in poetry. Includes background information, lesson extensions, student handouts, examples of...

Smithsonian in the Classroom presents The Music in Poetry. Teachers can download this comprehensive teaching package for exploring the rhythms in poetry. Includes background information, lesson extensions, student handouts, examples of...

Alphabetical listing of the complete Robert Louis Stevenson poems.

This is a comprehensive article about what descriptive writing including what it is, why to teach it and strategies to teach it. It also features two videos Five Senses Graphic Organizer and Writing Poems as well as an annotated list of...

Using the structure of a list poem, students combine creative expression with poetic techniques and language exploration in order to write group poems about what really matters in their lives.

A bunch of great poetry resources and lessons! Each lesson lists grade appropriateness. Although this site was created with national poetry month in mind, most of the lessons can be used any time of year.