Learners will have fun creating a parachute to collect data with. They will construct the parachute in small groups, measure the materials, and create an observation sheet. Then they drop the parachute and make predictions about how long...

Students discover how to determine the flavor of a jellybean using different key documents.  For this economics lesson, students discuss Virginia economics and begin an activity in which they will help decide on the what jellybean...

These slides will activate prior knowledge with real-life examples of natural selection. The predictions and outcomes for those examples are explained. Your students will like the information about the relevant chromosome tests that can...

Using the scientific method, and bubble gum, learners conduct a motivating experiment. After conducting a series of tests involving bubble gum, they graph and analyze their results. This is the type of activity everyone loves.

Lois Lowry's The Giver is one of the most engaging and thought-provoking works of literature in the middle school curriculum. Round out your novel unit with a collection of reading activities, comprehension questions, memoir and...

Use Mattie Stepanek’s Heartsongs book of poetry to inspire young poets to write about their own lives, experiences, and feelings. After reading the introduction to Mattie’s book, in which he talks about himself and his reasons for...

Middle-schoolers still enjoy playing with bubbles! In this series of eight laboratory activities, science learners explore convex and concave surfaces, angles, gas laws, buoyancy, density and more! 

In this data analysis worksheet, young scholars work with a partner to collect information for a survey. The information is then compiled into a graph. Students must indicate their survey question, the target audience, predict the...

Who would not want an opportunity to taste jellybeans in class?  During this investigation, life science learners hold their noses as they take a taste test and find that our perception of flavor is connected with our sense of...

Need a prereading activity in line with the Common Core Standards for Language? Although designed for grades 11 and 12, the procedure detailed in this resource could be used with most grade levels. Prior to reading, select 20 – 25 words...

“The tempter or the tempted, who sins most?” Prediction, verification, judgment, and extensions of thought are all part of a Directed ReadingThinking Activity (DRTA) developed for Measure for Measure. The rationale, assessments...

As an introductory activity to Mississippi Trial, 1955, class members use color-coded dots to respond anonymously to a series of statements about prejudice and responsibility to their fellow-man that are posted about the room. The...

No one will be saying "Not I" with a lesson that combines The Little Red Hen with the life cycle of a wheat stem! After reading the story in your class, pass out wheat stems to your learners and have them examine the plants closely,...

If the Lorax were to write a letter, what would he write? Introduce your class to systems and feedback loops through the whimsical stylings of Dr. Seuss. Learners take on the Lorax's point of view to write a letter, among other activities.

During this hands-on activity, young chemists build molecular models based on the Lewis dot structure before studying valence shell electron pair repulsion theory. 

New Horizons began its journey to Pluto in 2006. Ten years later, it continues its mission. In that time, scholars have surely grown, but how much more will they grow by the time New Horizons reaches its destination? Find out with an...

What can this rock be? Pupils pretend to be paleontologists by sketching fossils and making predictions about their types. To determine whether they can identify the type of dinosaur, class members compare their observations and...

Sixth graders learn that the moon orbits the Earth in a predictable cycle. Each learner engages in a two-week observation of the moon. They sketch its appearance, and take note of its position in relation to objects in their yard. Some...

Sixth graders create/use spreadsheets to solve real-world problems, explore patterns, make predictions, select/explain most appropriate types of graph to display data, use information to create product, and have basic understanding of...

Using plastic Easter eggs to represent parent phenotypes, genetics enthusiasts simulate the passing of alleles. They record the phenotype of each half of the egg, one representing the mother's and one representing the father's. They...

Examine the text structure of a memo with this worksheet. Eighth to twelfth graders decide if the purpose of a memo is to motivate an action or to provide information to the reader. They explore new vocabulary and make predictions prior...

Fourth graders investigate the affect of magnetism on various objects. They determine ways of sorting or classifying objects. Students examine what features of objects determine whether they are attracted to a magnet. They record their...

Second graders discuss benefits of keeping physically fit, predict effects of exercise on their bodies, perform various exercises correctly, including push-up, curl-up, and jumping jack, discuss and follow safety practices while...

Seventh graders design four biomes models and plant three types of seeds in them to observe growth. In groups for each type of biome, they predict the seeds' growth in each of the settings. Students follow the conditions on a biome chart...