Fourth graders are introduced to the concept of the seasonal round and how folklife traditions vary from season to season. They begin charting dates of personal interest on seasonal round calendars by starting with birthdays. Students...

Students explore the poinsettia and its symbolism as a Christmas flower. Students will listen to a story about the poinsettia and its origins in Mexico and discuss what they know about Mexico. They will discuss the poinsettia's...

Learners compare the Chinese practice of footbinding to the Western practice of wearing corsets to discover universal issues involving women's rights. The activity emphasizes small group discussions.

Students are introduced to the concept of photosynthesis. As a class, they brainstorm a list of what they already know about plants and individually grow a plant on their own in the classroom. They record their observations daily and...

Students explore the growth of businesses from single proprietorships to corporations. They compare and contrast single proprietorships, partnerships and corporations. In closing, students explore the pros and cons of each type of...

Students explore Gregor Mendel's work with genetics. They complete a survey of their friends and family in order to identify dominant and recessive traits. Once their surveys are complete, students discuss the ways in which dominant...

Seventh graders practice sequencing the events in a story they have read. After reading a short story, 7th graders sequence the events of the story using a timeline. Their timeline is used to create a summary paragraph of the story...

Students in an ESL classroom share any personal experiences they have had with people infected with the virus. In groups, they identify the advantages and disadvantages of using condoms during intercourse. They present their arguments...

Seventh graders examine the characteristics of philanthropists.  In this cross- curricular lesson, 7th graders evaluate the character traits of people from a film. Students write a metaphor about responsibility to community.

Students explore genetics. In this life cycle lesson, students consider the meaning of "genes" and "heredity" as they watch a video about the topics. Students then research their own genetic make-up as they interview family members....

Students engage in research, small-group discussions, whole class discussions, family interviews, and interaction with multimedia resource material as they explore the relationship between memory and history.

Students study changes in age demographics of Japanese society and the impact that these changes are having on the economy, health care, family structure and workforce. They identify and predict what future changes occur as a...

Students discover the similarities and differences in families from around the world. In this multicultural instructional activity, students create their own family album and label each family member. There are suggested activities such...

Students explore historical connections, talking with family members about landmark events they have witnessed in their lifetimes to explore how history touches our lives. They identify several landmark events of the late 20th century.

Young scholars explore the food pyramid and how to eat a healthy diet.  In this nutrition lesson, students use pictures to make charts of food from the different food groups, record the food they eat throughout the day, investigate...

In this writing worksheet, students discover how to write compare and contrast paragraphs. Students read the instructions and information, then write paragraphs comparing and contrasting 2 friends or family members.

Students discover the role of storytelling in the African culture. In this multicultural lesson, students discuss the elements of the African myth and record them on the board. Students visit an African folktale website and read examples...

Eighth graders examine the role of Indiana soldiers in the Civil War. In this American Civil War lesson, 8th graders listen to a lecture about the involvement of Indiana soldiers in the war and then analyze letters written home by the...

Students study the role of the Italian government in the migration, also their role in farm life and poverty. They discuss how the Italians supported their families and why they exited to other countries. They discuss how to begin a...

Third graders research life of Plymouth Plantation and write letters about life there home. In this Plymouth life lesson, 3rd graders complete a webquest as they gather information about the journey to America on the Mayflower and the...

Students survey similarities and differences in the role of women in Japanese and American culture and how these roles have changed over time. They predict what roles for women in Japan might have in the future and identify the...

Students examine the experience of female immigrants as they arrive in the United States. They create a timeline of women's rights in the U.S., write journal entries, conduct Internet research and read online excerpts from "The Promised...

Students explore the Civil War and the many emotions that emerged during this era. The teacher arranges students in groups of families and prepares them to simulate typical responses during this era. The Civil War and Gettysburg is...