Introduce young learners to the read-aloud process with a short biographical passage about Ray Charles. After listening to the passage, class members respond to factual, inferential, and evaluative questions, and then create a timeline...

The courage of Las Mariposas, the Mirabal sisters, is the focus of a series of activities designed to accompany a reading of In the Time of the Butterflies that ask readers to consider what it means to be courageous. Beautifully crafted...

Young scholars explore Vancouver. In this Vancouver geography and English language building lesson, students brainstorm what they know about Vancouver and predict what their text will cover. Young scholars listen to the informational...

Mark Twain, the famous American author, is often studied in the school system. Use "The Prince and the Pauper" to analyze the differences between the text and its video version.  This instructional activity includes several...

Students, after reading Chapter 1 in the book, "The Southern Colonies: Quest for Prosperity,"begin to analyze the motivation behind European colonization. They convey the setting of the scene into a writing piece to illustrate the...

Learners identify factual information using their textbook as a source of inquiry. They become aware that a social studies text can be an object of historical investigation and develop a sense of questioning evidence as presented in...

Students explore melodram as a form of theatre. They write about lucid and factual news accounts and about sensationalism. Students gain experience in relating one time period with another and with doing historical research.

Young scholars read and discuss Boyle's Mechanical Philosophy and his rejection of Aristotle's theory of "Forms and Qualities." They answer a given set of questions and discuss these with the class.

Young scholars gather information about the H1N1 virus, and share this information. In this pandemic lesson students read about Influenza A, or Swine Flu, compile information on the disease, and then present their findings to the class.

If a field trip to the summit of Mount Everest isn't in your school budget, make the trek virtually! An interactive lesson allows class members to follow Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay's trail up the mountain, and provides...

In a perfect marriage of social studies and science, groups work together to research and create a travel guide presentation to share with the class. Not only do kids learn about the climate and geography of a biome, but also the...

Eleventh graders study the Kansas Territory.  In this American History lesson, 11th graders read ten biographical cards and summarize the main ideas.  Students create cards to play Who am I?

Eighth graders read the short biographical sketch and selected poems of Langston Hughes, 8th graders examine the hardships historically faced by Black Americans through class discussion, interpretation, and journaling.

Third graders read a biography on Eleanor Roosevelt. Using the text, they identify and discuss what she did to make a difference in the world. They discover what one person can do to help change the world.

Students explore the history of Texas. Through researching factual books and folktales, students share their information about Texas. They discuss the Trail of Tears, Davy Crockett, the flags of Texas, and Sam Houston. Students write a...

Fifth graders research European explorers.  In this world history lesson, 5th graders will compare eight European explorers and identify important factual information about each.  Students will be engaged through game-play and...

How did the founding of the American colonies lead to a revolution? Use the essential question and sample activities to guide learners through a series of history lessons. Additionally, the packet includes effective strategies to...

Students examine the availability of mammoth ivory. In this environmental issues instructional activity, students read a selection (the selection is not included) regarding mammoth ivory and discuss the content of the reading ...

Learners define a straight news article, and identify characteristics of an editorial news feature. They read a CNN article that examines the 2000 presidential election, and determine what is factual and what is opinion.

Fourth graders identify the characteristics of a tall tale. They read "The Seven Chinese Brothers" and analyze it for these characteristics. Students complete a comprehension worksheet and discuss why "The Seven Chinese Brothers" can be...

Sixth graders read legends to learn the history of Connecticut in a fun informative way.

Passages from Unbroken and Farewell to Manzanar provide the context for a study of the historical themes of experiencing war, resilience during war, and understanding the lasting trauma of war. Appendices include extension...

Students discuss how Washington Irving is considered an important 19th century-American storyteller. They create their own version of a passage from 'The Legend' after listening to the story.

Learners access oral histories that contain slave narratives from the Library of Congress. They describe the lives of former slaves, sample varied individual experiences and make generalizations about their research in journal entries.