California Academy of Science
Using Empirical Data in the Classroom: Raptor Migrations!
Raptor flight patterns align with seasonal changes in net primary productivity. Here is a thought-provoking lesson that uses empirical data from a video to help scholars understand raptor migrations, producers/consumers, and ecosystems....
National Endowment for the Humanities
A Debate Against Slavery
Slavery is a serious topic that can be challenging for middle schoolers to study. Young scholars can see firsthand through primary sources what occurred during that time period in the United States. The third of five lessons provides...
Curated OER
Nutritional Relationships Chart
Producers, Herbivores, Carnivores, Decomposers, oh my! Help organize the intricacies between these four types of eaters with this biology worksheet. Scientists display nutritional relationships in a graphic organizer. They place 15 terms...
Curated OER
Where's Dinner?
Upcoming marine biologists consider a list of organisms residing near the Lost City hydrothermal vents and construct a food web. They compare the food web to that of a cold seep community, of which they should have previous knowledge....
Curated OER
The Great Gatsby: Primary Sources from the Roaring Twenties
Students research the Roaring Twenties. In this 1920's America lesson, students analyze primary sources to develop an understanding of lifestyles and values of the era as they read F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby.
Curated OER
Biodiversity in an Estuary
High schoolers investigate the biodiversity in estuaries. In this estuary lesson plan, students use Google Earth to explore the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. They produce a biodiversity concept map and portray the life...
Curated OER
Primary Source: Lucy
In this primary source learning exercise, students read a selection about Lucy, a skeleton discovered in 1974, then complete a set of 4 document-based questions.
Curated OER
Worksheet for Analysis of a Poster
In this primary source analysis worksheet, students respond to 25 short answer questions that require them to analyze the provided poster from the Tennessee State Library and Archives.
Curated OER
Food Web
In this food web worksheet, students label the organisms shown as a producer or consumer and as a carnivore, herbivore or omnivore. Students create their own food web with a list of given animals.
Curated OER
Flow of Energy Through An Ecosystem
In this flow of energy in an ecosystem, students complete a graphic organizer and show the flow of energy from the sun to producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, tertiary consumers and then decomposers. Students define each of...
Curated OER
African Americans in Aviation: The 1940s- A Decade of Change
Students investigate African Americans in aviation. In this primary resources instructional activity, students examine primary resources to research the history of African American in aviation. Students answer two research questions and...
Curated OER
Using Old Maps as Tools to Explore Our World
Learners explore historical maps. In this primary source analysis instructional activity, students uncover the meanings in selected historical maps as they use them to enhance lessons on historical events. Samples for classroom use are...
Curated OER
Immigrating to America
Students study the American immigration experience. In this Ellis Island lesson, students research primary documents from the immigration station, take a tour of the station, and then prepare and perform dramatic presentations based on...
Curated OER
Waldseemüller’s Map: World 1507
Students take a closer look at historical maps. In this primary source analysis lesson, students examine the first world map produced by Martin Waldseemuller. Students complete the included map analysis worksheet and then write letters...
Curated OER
Giving'Em The Business
Learners work in groups of 4-5 to form a business, create, market & sell their product, and track their expenses and profits. They experience the roles of producer, distributor, and consumer of goods. They collect, organize and...
Biology Junction
Energy Flow Through an Ecosystem: Food Chains, Food Webs, and Energy Pyramids
When a minnow eats a piece of plastic, that garbage often tracks through multiple animals, causing harm to each as it passes through the food chain. Scholars learn about food chains, food webs, and energy pyramids with a presentation. It...
NOAA
An Ocean of Energy
Young biologists trace the path of the sun's energy through marine ecosystems in the second part of this four-lesson plan series. Building on prior knowledge about producers, consumers, and decomposers students are introduced to the...
Curated OER
Can History Be Rewritten?
Can history be rewritten? Or, more precisely, is history documented accurately? High school juniors and seniors compare primary source material with secondary sources. For example, they compare President Roosevelt's December 29, 1940...
K12 Reader
What’s Eating You?
Introduce your class to producers, consumers, and pollinators with a reading passage. Class members read the text and respond to five related questions.
NOAA
Understanding Food Chains and Food Webs
Jump into an exploration of marine ecosystems with the first lesson in this four-part series. After first learning about crustaceans, mollusks, and other forms of sea life, young marine biologists view a PowerPoint presentation that...
Library of Congress
Industrial Revolution
Could you live without your phone? What about cars, steel, or clothing? Class groups collaborate to produce presentations that argue that either the telephone, the gramophone, the automobile, the textile industry, or the steel industry...
Virginia Department of Education
A Salt Marsh Ecosystem
What a web we weave. Pupils use yarn as the primary resource to create a web depicting the intricacies of a salt marsh ecosystem. They participate in a question and answer session, which leads to an in-depth facilitated discussion about...
Science Matters
Energy Flow
Budding scientists work collaboratively to reenact energy flow in a food chain. Scholars take on roles such as producer and consumer and perform tasks that symbolize energy flow in order to provide evidence of how much energy passes...
Carnegie Library
Creative Writing: Middle School Lesson Plan
Enhance a unit on historical fiction with an engaging writing lesson. Learners bring the Industrial Era to life as they compose their own historical fiction pieces based on primary source images of Pittsburgh steel workers.