Students work with a partner, Styrofoam ball and light source to simulate the positions of the Earth, Moon and Sun at various stages during the phases of the Moon. They describe why the Moon is visible from Earth and complete a worksheet.

Learners solve addition and subtraction problems using strings of beads and number lines. They mentally perform addition and subtraction problems, and write and solve story problems involving whole numbers.

Students explore the five stages of sleep. They view video footage of sleep labs and discuss the findings. Students conduct experiments by keeping a sleep journal to track their sleep and dream activity. They find examples of ways...

Learners construct the Sierpinski Triangle using Cabri Jr. They use a step-by-step guide to construct the Sierpinski Triangle on their graphing calculator and then discuss the formula for constructing a nth stage Sierpinski Triangle.

Students explore the possible effects of global warming. In this geography/global warming lesson, students identify regions using an atlas and complete a global warming worksheet. Students perform an experiment in which they simulate...

Students write original plays based on supernatural explanations of existence. In this cultural creation myths lesson, students listen to five different stories about supernatural creation. Students record similarities and differences in...

Learners explore clouds.  In this weather lesson, students identify the steps in the water cycle, define condensation and evaporation, and relate this information to cloud formation.  Learners perform a cloud experiment,...

Students demonstrate their knowledge of panthers by writing a play on the subject.  In this animal life instructional activity, students view a slide-show on school computers of a veterinary exam of a panther.  Students...

Learners investigate the characteristics of wind. For this weather lesson, students use poetry and van Gogh's paintings to discuss the movement of wind. Learners are introduced to the Beaufort Scale and use the tool to measure the wind...

Second graders explore biology. In this life cycle lesson, 2nd graders act out the stages a caterpillar goes through to become a butterfly. They spend days prior to this lesson observing caterpillars they have collected and developing...

Fourth graders provide a habitat for live mealworms and observe their life cycle. In this animal life cycle and scientific inquiry lesson, 4th graders create a habitat for a live mealworm and observe and record related data as it grows....

Using yarn and chenille stems, lab groups collaborate to model mitosis and meiosis. Brief background information and a vaguely written procedure comprise this outline. More instruction needs to be provided to learners about cell division...

Action! Delve into character development in the play Fences by August Wilson, setting the stage for learners to analyze character nuances. Thespians choose a scene from the script, responding with a written account of the...

Solve a real-life problem using function-building skills. Presented with an open-ended question, scholars complete a checklist to create and justify a solution in an interesting algebra project. The checklist asks for justifications of...

Planning on using Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol this year? Then give yourself a gift and download this colorful guide thats packed with goodies. Kids, as well as the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future are sure to...

Is this any way to treat a Greek Myth? By all means, turn the tale of Orpheus into a reader's theatre exercise.

A great actor has the ability to make or break a play. A series of lesson plans related to William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar looks closely at the choices actors make during a production of the play to help provide insight into the...

Harness the power of bacteria. Scholars see how using organisms that exist in nature can help solve human problems in the process known as bioremediation. They research and discuss several successful examples, such as using oil-eating...

How does our moral reasoning shape our identity? After a study of Kohlberg's Levels of Moral Reasoning, readers use Kohlberg's theories to analyze the speech, thoughts, and decisions of a character in A Separate Peace. They then...

To launch a unit study of the concept of diversity in World Literature, class members compare Chinua Achebe's essay, "An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad's Heart of Darkness" and Richard Rodriguez's essay, "The Chinese in All of...

How would the Pied Piper recover his damages from the deceptive citizens of Hamelin if the story took place today? Explore one of the Pied Piper's options with a short play that depicts a court case in which he sues the city of Hamelin...

The hunt is on! Young mathematicians follow clues and complete a series of ten math puzzles as they try to crack Dr. Integer's code and find the location of his hidden treasure.

Create a respectful classroom community and boost children's self-esteem with this collaborative activity. Working in small groups, children take turns filling in each other's tree of self-esteem with compliments, personal...

Bring history to life for your young scholars with a Fourth of July lesson series. After a class reading of the Declaration of Independence, students translate this pivotal document into layman's terms before working in small...