Fifth graders study the metric and customary systems of measuring length with rulers, meter / yardsticks, and tape measures. They determine area of polygons and surface area and volume of three-dimensional shapes. They list as many...

High schoolers brainstorm possible causes for motor vehicle accidents involving teen drivers. In this biology lesson, students study national data regarding teen driving behaviors. They create awareness materials to help promote safe...

Using a videoptaped segment of a Connecticut legilative session, young scholars role-play designated legislators, researching positions, and making presentations. They compare their class votes with the actual outcome.

High schoolers research the main points of the accusations against O.J. Simpson, the prosecution and defense strategies and the outcome of the infamous murder trial. They participate in a mock trial, view a film, read articles and...

Students discuss the advantages of a celebrity running for a public office. After reading an article, they examine the results of the California governor recall vote. In groups, they research the aspirations and career of a celebrity...

Students write a persuasive essay based on cleaning up the coast and other philanthropic values. In this writing lesson plan, students determine what is needed in order to keep the planet clean, and offer solutions to the International...

Students investigate call and response singing.  In this fine arts and U.S. history lesson, students listen to several call and response songs that were sung by African-American slaves during the period before the Civil War. ...

The intent of this lesson is to introduce young scientists to the steps of the scientific method. To this end, they consider the question, "Which brand of battery lasts longest?" In this case, the experiment is carried out as a class,...

The topic of trigonometric ratios is often covered with loads of rote memorization baked into the activity. This activity set, however, leans more on using similar triangles and discovery learning to help young geometers develop a deeper...

Pupils determine the theoretical probability of winning a game of marbles. Individuals compare the theoretical probability to experimental probability for the same game. They continue on to compare two different probability games.

Use simulations to determine the probabilities of events to make decisions. Class members are presented with several scenarios, some with known probabilities and others without. Groups run simulations to gather data that they then...

Class members are introduced to probability using terms such as impossible, unlikely, likely, and certain. Numbers between zero and one are associated with the descriptions of probability. Pupils find the likelihood of chance experiments...

Young computer scientists continue programming with while loops by creating a program to simulate coins flipping. 

Shuffle the resource into your instructional activity repertoire. Scholars use randomly-generated iPod Shuffle playlists to develop ideas about randomness. They use a new set of playlists to confirm their ideas, and then decide whether...

Scholars examine the jobs found in their community by way of surveying. After collecting data, pupils analyze their findings and share their observations with their peers. A video sparks interest. Two posters motivate participants to...

Random sampling is as easy as choosing numbers. Teams use random numbers to create a sample of book lengths from a population of 150 books. The groups continue by developing a technique to create samples to compare from two populations...

Introduce emerging engineers to the process of metal plating. This resource provides background reading on chemical engineering, plating, and corrosion. It concludes with a copper plating activity. The standards alignment list includes...

Adolescents explore self-esteem and the various factors that influence a person's sense of self in this four-part lesson series. Through a combination of whole class instruction, small group discussions, and independent work,...

The film version of Gone with the Wind is the focus of this learning guide that asks viewers to consider some of the issues that the Southern states faced prior to and during the Civil War.

Tie the unit together and see concepts click in your young mathematicians' minds. Scholars apply the properties of similar triangles to find heights of objects. They concentrate on the proportions built with known measures and solve to...

Introduce your classes to a new world of mathematics. Pupils learn to call trigonometric ratios by their given names: sine, cosine, and tangent. They find ratios and use known ratios to discover missing sides of similar...

How do 2-D properties relate in 3-D? Lead the class in a discussion on how to draw and see relationships of lines and planes in three dimensions. The ability to see these relationships is critical to the further study of volume and...

Right angles, acute angles, obtuse angles, central angles, inscribed angles: how many types of angles are there? Learners first investigate definitions of inscribed angles, central angles, and intercepted arcs. The majority of the...

What do you get when you cross a circle and a line? One, two, or maybe no solutions! Teach learners to find solutions of quadratic and linear systems. Connect the visual representation of the graph to the abstract algebraic methods.