Celebrate the arrival of winter with a reading of Jack Ezra Keats' book The Snowy Day. Engaging children by asking them about their own experiences in the snow, the teacher goes on to read the story...

Students compose songs about recycling. In this ecology lesson, students use vocabulary and concepts related to recycling to generate lyrics for an original song. Students construct musical instruments out of discarded materials.

Students examine the need for a national library. In this Library of Congress instructional activity, students analyze primary sources to investigate the persuasive techniques that Thomas Jefferson used in a letter meant...

Haikus by Basho, Buson, Issa, and Shiki are used as models for a brief lecture on the importance of poetry in Japan's history and the structure of this poetic form. Students then go on a nature walk, record impressions, and return to the...

Kids explore primary and secondary colors, as well as the concepts of tints and shade in a series of color lessons. The packet includes detailed directions for how to use BrainPOP Jr. resources to create learning...

Study and research the American Civil War in this explanatory writing lesson. Middle schoolers complete six activities to learn about the American Civil War and soldiers' views of the war. The lesson includes several options to complete...

Fifth grade reader/writers create an alternate ending to an episode in Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach in which our protagonist "loses" the chance to magically solve all his problems. Prompts students not only to write creatively...

Give your young learners the chance to discover more about countries in their world community with a research project. Class members write reports on an assigned country and include such major features as geography, important historical...

Newspapers aren't only for reading—they're for learning skills, too! A journalism unit provides three lessons each for primary, intermediate, and secondary grades. Lessons include objectives, materials, vocabulary, and procedure, and...

Explore film adaptation of literature with this lesson, which focuses on the world of film advertisements. Middle schoolers discuss various films (including The Lord of the Rings) and create advertisements for a pretend film based on a...

Fourth graders are introduced to primary and secondary sources. Using examples of each type of source, they work together to identify which are primary and which are secondary sources. They end the lesson plan by reviewing the...

Students examine and interpret conflicting primary sources.

Fifth graders research the Civil War through the use of primary documents. In this historical events of the Civil War lesson, 5th graders write about the information gotten from the primary document. Students answer critical thinking...

Students explore primary and secondary sources. In this primary and secondary source lesson, students investigate a crime scene. Students search for evidence around the classroom and evaluate their findings. Students write a crime report...

Students study the American immigration experience. In this Ellis Island lesson plan, students research primary documents from the immigration station, take a tour of the station, and then prepare and perform dramatic presentations based...

Students take a closer look at historical maps. In this primary source analysis lesson plan, students examine the first world map produced by Martin Waldseemuller. Students complete the included map analysis worksheet and then write...

Students investigate why the soil is important to our lives. In this natural resources lesson, students have a farmer as a guest speaker. Students begin to understand how farmers use and protect our natural resource. Students write...

Middle schoolers explore the contributions of George Washington. In this early American history lesson, students analyze the provided eulogy for George Washington written by Henry Lee and then write their eulogies for the first president.

In this credit cards worksheet, students read the article, answer true and false questions, complete synonym matching, complete phrase matching, complete a gap fill, answer short answer questions, answer discussion questions, write, and...

Fourth graders practice writing outlines. Using worksheets imbedded students get lots of practice enhancing their skills writing outlines

Here is a phenomenal lesson on place value to the thousands place.  Learners construct numbers and identify the value of each digit, investigate building numbers using craft sticks and paper plates, and complete other meaningful...

First graders are introduced to using a database as a primary source. Using the internet, they choose a site of artifacts and practice navigating through the site. They identify an artifact and draw them on a large piece of white...

Tenth graders, in teams, analyze, evaluate and describe primary sources pertaining to industrialization at the turn of the century. They examine the sources and answer questions about each.

Students will use the internet to access information about artifacts to justify their use as primary sources of information. The activities can be done as a whole class or in groups. The differences between primary and secondary sources...