Is separate but equal actually equal? The 1950 Supreme Court case Sweatt v. Painter discusses the law of segregation and inequality. Scholars investigate the impact of the case on the desegregation of public schools across the nation...

Freedom of speech allows anyone, even those in school, to say and do what they feel—right? The 1969 Supreme Court case Tinker v. Des Moines serves as the backdrop for a study on First Amendment rights. Scholars use a short video along...

Shuffle 'em up and deal! Learners practice operations with polynomials using cards they pass around the room. The activity works with pairs or individuals, so it offers great flexibility. This is the fifth installment in a series of 42...

Check in on the development of your fifth graders' reading and writing skills with this Common Core-designed assessment. Given a series of six reading passages ranging from narrative stories to informational texts, young...

Reading informational text is a skill that transcends subjects and grade levels. Practice reading about different topics in various formats with a language arts lesson that includes opportunities for writing and research as well.

The Lotus Effect ... is it not some kind of yoga pose. In the last installment of a nine-part series, young scientists observe the Lotus Effect on lotus leaves and water-repellent cloths. They observe how motion and damage affect the...

Can a presidential election cause a civil war? Learners research the events surrounding the presidential election of 1860 in a lesson that explores America's history. Using maps, videos, and primary sources, they uncover, brainstorm, and...

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Learners go to the heart of the causes of the American Revolution. Examining political cartoons, Enlightenment documents, and firsthand accounts, they present their ideas and reflective...

What energy conversions occur in the operation of a device? Small groups investigate devices and the energy conversions that occur. The groups create energy flow diagrams with added conversion processes for each of the devices...

The speed of a dragonfly brings math into the real world as your learners collaboratively see the value in calculating unit rates in direct proportion problems. This six-phase lesson encourages you, as the teacher, to only ask questions...

Design an efficient cereal box. Scholars use set volume criteria to design a cereal box by applying their knowledge of surface area to determine the cost to create the box. They then determine whether their designs will fit on...

Scholars investigate the Antebellum period in the United States in an engaging lesson. Groups analyze technological, religious, economic, and social changes occurring during the time period prior to the Civil War. Using their new...

Students research the political traditions of the United States at the national and state levels. After discussing various symbols, students compose essays about the principles expressed in the Declaration of Independence and Constitution.

Young scholars research the qualifications necessary to be the president of the United States. They create a want-ad for this position using what they have learned about the qualifications.

First graders review the state symbols of Texas. In a mock situation. the governor has decided that three of these symbols (State Bird, Flower, and Tree) are outdated. Students, using specific reasons why the symbols are still...

Students identify a map of the United States. In this United States map lesson, students study a map of the United States and find various locations on the map. Students then locate and list the state that touches their state.

Students study the limited government within the Declaration of Independence. They discuss the characteristics of a limited government in contrast to a despotic government. They identify principles of the limited government within the...

Students analyze the structure, organization, and powers of State legislatures. They outline the overall shape of the office of the governor. Students analyze the structure of local governments as creations of the State. They describe...

Eleventh graders explore the Bay of Pigs invasion and defend both sides of the issue.

Fifth graders apply the ABC format to write books about various states. They identify important people, places, and events and include title. copyright, and dedication pages. They have items for all letters and createcovers and "about...

Young scholars address four different environmental topics (water issues, the threat of food shortages, human population growth, and global warming) as they watch a film and discuss the future of the earth. In groups, they complete...

Students investigate the Civil Rights Act of 1964. For this segregation lesson, students explore the rights that were guaranteed by the legislation as well as attempts by southerners to stop African Americans from voting. Students...

Students examine the three historical portraits Andrew Jackson, iam Pitt and Portrait of a Boy for symbolism. They research Andrew Jackson's involvement in the Cherokee Indians' Trail of Tears in North Carolina, and compose a portrait.

Students study the history of the Pledge of Allegiance. They investigate the First Amendment concept of separation of Church and state using Internet resources.