Trees are the star of a three-step unit celebrating Arbor Day. Step one takes an in-depth look into the structure of a tree, the process of photosynthesis, and the benefits of the leafy giants. Step two challenges scholars to create a...

Wouldn't it be nice if we could all learn to get along? Middle schoolers review the skills they have learned in other lessons in the course and apply them to a series of activities. They then create posters illustrating their advice on...

Consider how America's founding fathers and their experiences contributed to the rights we all enjoy today. A collection of reading, writing, and collaborative exercises prompt high schoolers to think about the ways their current lives...

Fourth graders write new rules of their school. In this rules and U.S. Constitution lesson, 4th graders discuss why we celebrate the fourth of July and examine the U.S. Constitution. Students discuss the differences between people now...

Third graders use their math and research skills to create and manage a classroom/school store. They use a computer to manage, organize and access information. They practice pricing products, computing sales, counting money and...

If your writing classroom was the Wild West, what phrases would be "outlawed"? Here is one poster that every writing instructor, and really, any teacher of communication, should have in their classroom!

To demonstrate their understanding of the steps Alabama took to become a state, groups create a poster that identifies what the United States Constitution and the Northwest Ordinance required of a territory to become a state.

Before diving head first into the year's curriculum, take time to establish clear routines and procedures for your classroom. Starting with how to set up a class schedule that meets the needs of fifth grade learners, this sample...

First graders explore and discuss how someone feels when they are not in a safe place or situation and how someone might react when put in an unsafe situation. They view a demonstration performed by puppets that express good and bad...

Being safe in school is of upmost importance! This lesson, designed for very young learners, reviews some very important safety rules with the whole class. Topics covered are how to walk safely up and down the stairs, how to correctly...

Start a discussion about individual rights and responsibilities with your class. As they will find out there is a difference between a person's rights and their responsibilities. Included are four discussion questions, activity...

As a journalist, would you publish everything you heard or saw? Discuss the ethics of journalism with a lesson from PBS. Young reporters imagine themselves to be the editor of their school's newspaper, and as they read five scenarios,...

Learners identify the rules they have at home and at school. They connect the values to the core democratic values and discuss whether all rules should connect to the core values. They create a mural showing students following the rules...

Students write rules for good manners. In this character building activity, students discuss and record showing respect in the classroom, playground, and cafeteria. They role play these behaviors in front of the class. 

Students investigate peer pressure by discussing women's suffrage. In this Women's rights instructional activity, students explore the history of voting in the United States and when women were finally allowed to do so. Students create a...

Young scholars investigate city management and government by creating a fictional city in groups.  In this civics lesson, students create rules and a mascot for their fictitious city which they create from poster board cubes....

Here is an excellent lesson tigers that has a research component. Integrated into the lesson is the premise that God created animals and the human responsibility to care for them. At learning centers students visit various Websites and...

Learners navigate the Internet to view sites on fire safety.  In this fire safety instructional activity, students answer questions, complete worksheets and make a poster demonstrating their ability to react safely in a fire.

Students explore cell division through auditory, visual and tactile stations that each describe a stage of cell division. Then they apply the information from the stations in a mini-homework project that is tailored to one of the...

Do your part to prevent forest fires with an activity about not playing with matches. A word search prompts young rangers to fill in the blanks about the consequences of playing with matches, and a set of pictures provides spaces for...

First graders discuss their prior knowledge of The Golden Rule and compare it to their school's Pledge of Excellence. They discuss the five parts to the pledge and discuss how to be a caring friend, how to do their personal best, how to...

We are all immigrants to this country and the study of immigration can help students connect to history in a personal way. Students will listen to audio clips from the Ellis Island web site, discuss the treatment of immigrants in the...

Explore the structure and content of the US Constitution in the second instructional activity of this five-part social studies series. A collection of activities, games, and videos complement a class reading of a document summarizing the...

Second graders identify proper nouns and categorize them by subject. They apply correct principles of grammar: they write complete sentences, use correct capital letters, use correct punctuation and apply correct rules of usage and...