Lesson Plan
MENSA Education & Research Foundation

Intensities in the Classroom

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Everyone learns and experiences life differently. A set of lessons about character intensities encourages middle and high schoolers to analyze themselves, their peers, and characters from a book based on the five listed intensities:...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Desalination: Creating a Solar Still

For Teachers 4th - 6th
To better understand how solar power can aid in creating desalinated drinking water, the class creates a model still. They will build a model of a solar still, make observations, and discuss how the process works. While the idea behind...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Simple Circuit: Electric Currents and Circuits

For Teachers 4th
Through inquiry and exploration, 4th graders will learn and understand the functions of open and closed circuits. They will break into 2 groups, define vocabulary, hypothesize how to light a bulb, then test their hypothesis 4 different...
Lesson Plan
Phys Ed Review

Physical Education Lesson Plan

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Get active by dribbling a ball. Begin with a game of banana bunch and high five beanbag grab. Then, practice dribbling a ball, and identifying the part of the hand with which your active learners dribble. Finally, conclude with...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Wynton's Tune

For Teachers K - 8th
Students examine the serigraph, "Wynton's Tune," by artist Faith Ringgold. They discuss the painting, listen to jazz music, create a drawing that tells a story inspired by their favorite music, and write sentences describing their artwork.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How climate enters our world

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students recognize the different climatic zones. They describe what aspects differentiate the climatic zones. Students offer explanations as to what climate is and the role that it plays on creating regions. They rationalize why the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Does 1 + 1 always = 2

For Teachers 4th - 5th
What a great way to explore the scientific process! Learners conduct an experiment in which they use sugar and water to illustrate the concept of solutes and solvents. With this hands on approach, they are bound to remember what they...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sound and Frequency

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Pupils pose their hypothesis, they ready their instruments, then record their observations. This is the science of sound lesson. They move through 5 stations, each focused on a different element of aspect of sound. Check this lesson out,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Importance of American Flag in American Literature

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Betsy Ross - fact and myth. As an introduction to American Literature, class members become detectives and search web sites to find information about the flag, prominent places it has been displayed (on the moon, at ground zero, in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Speedball - Lesson 3 - Drop Kick

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Day 3 of the speedball unit covers the drop kick. Teach these youngsters the art of performing a drop kick with a soccer ball. Remember the ball needs to hit the ground and bounce to be a drop kick. If the ball doesn't hit the ground...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Speedball - Day 6 - Skills Assessment

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Speedball - Lesson 6 is about the assessment of skills learned by the class. They will be assessed on their performance of passing touchdowns, field goals, and drop kicks. Then the class will be divided into teams and demonstrate their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Migration Activation

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students play the role of migrating birds. As a class, they simulate a migration of birds to one place and back again. They relate their habitat size and changes to their current population numbers. They discover the many dangers of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Slavery issue and view North versus South around 1850s

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students critique actions based on information from both sides of the argument. They analyze impact of slavery on both sides. Students recognize governmental attempts at pacifying the situation. They examine sources and critique them and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Wonderful World of Slugs

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Examine a slug? Of course, what else would a 2nd grader do with it? Pupils use clues and go on a slug hunt, read a slug story, or make a cooperative group mural of a slug's habitat. While older learners catalog slugs, go on a slug hunt,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Alice Magic Cake

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Using a famous children's story as the hook, learners explore the concept of changes in matter. First, they make a cake similar to the one made by Alice in the story Alice's Adventure in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. Next, they let their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Food & Science - How Healthy is Your Diet?

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Learners experiment with various foods to determine fat and starch content. They rub jam, peanut butter, bananas, and other foods in a small circle on a piece of paper, and observe the results. If there is a high fat content in the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Art of Science: Gravity

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Through a series of experiments and demonstrations, fifth graders will learn about gravity. They will make predictions, drop various objects, write down their observations, and try to understand gravity through balance. This lesson seems...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Ocean

For Teachers 3rd
Plant and animal life of the ocean is the focus of this science lesson. Young scientists sort a variety of seashells and explore why many sea animals have shells. They examine the shells, write journal entries highlighting the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sound Waves

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Using a karaoke machine, a guitar, and other devices, learners explore the way sound waves travel. Using this hands on approach, learners can get a better understanding of wavelength, frequency, and more.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Compass Reading

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Here's a basic lesson on reading a compass. Learn the names of the parts of a compass. Learn how to read a bearing in degrees. Then go outside and follow a course of cones set up on the grass or in a clear area. Starting at one cone,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Physical Education Lesson Plan - Medicine Ball

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Use the medicine ball to help young learners develop strength in the core muscle groups. The Russian twists develop oblique strength, push-ups develop triceps strength, sit-ups work on abdominal strength, and squats develop quadriceps...
Activity3:32
Curated OER

Volleyball Unit Plan

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
From battle ball and around-the-world sit-ups to multiple variations of setting and wall-serve drills, check out this list of 29 drills, warm ups, and modified games for your next volleyball unit. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tumbling and Movement

For Teachers K - 1st
Students perform basic tumbling activities.  In this movement instructional activity, students practice tumbling and balancing moves while listening to music.  Students are "frozen" into place while in certain positions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gymnastic Skills

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students compete in a variety of games. For this gymnastic skills lesson, students play tag, participate in a challenge course, and practice gymnastics moves to increase physical fitness.