Curated OER
African Novel Study
Seventh graders participate in literature circles as they read African novels. They read, work on word studies, and complete comprehension activities. They share their reading with other literature circle groups in the class.
Curated OER
The Research Question
Students begin the process of completing a research project. Working in groups, students brainstorm various topics for research. After selecting a research topic, students begin to narrow the topic down and create a research question to...
Curated OER
World War I Propaganda
Students interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. In this World War I lesson, students examine the propaganda techniques used by different nations during the war and analyze examples. Students also...
PBS
A Veterans Day Thank You Note
This Veterans Day inspire scholars to say thank you to a veteran. Here, learners discover key details about a specific war using an interactive timeline, and then write a thank you letter offering their gratitude to someone who risked...
Curated OER
Reliving History through Slave Narratives
Helpful for an American literature or history unit, this lesson prompts middle schoolers to examine slavery in the United States. They read slave narratives that were part of the Federal Writers' Project and then conduct their own...
Curated OER
Class Experience: African Masks
Students discover the many diverse artwork produced in Africa while focusing upon masks created in tribal groups. They conduct research using a variety of resources and then use the information as samples for inspiration to create their...
Trinity University
Julius Caesar: The Power of Persuasion
"Friend, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears..." Those words begin one of the most persuasive speeches in literature. Explore the elements of persuasion in a series of lessons related to William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. In addition...
PBS
Inventions
Use this lesson plan to discuss inventions that have changed your class's world and have impacted society. Middle schoolers investigate important inventions of their time and design an invention in a simulated business atmosphere. Modify...
Curated OER
The Art and History of Japanese Calligraphy
Chinese and Japanese calligraphy is beautiful and significant in both culture and tradition. Engage your class in this expressive fine art form through a lesson on using, holding, and creating brush strokes common to Japanese writing...
Ford's Theatre
How Perspective Shapes Understanding of History
The Boston Massacre may be an iconic event in American history, but perhaps the British soldiers had another point of view. Using primary sources, including reports from Boston newspapers and secondary sources from the British...
Code.org
Algorithms Detour - Minimum Spanning Tree
This optional lesson introduces the class to the idea of a minimum spanning tree. The activity focuses on determining an algorithm that will find the most efficient path in a network to transfer data.
Overcoming Obstacles
Pass It On!
Inspire teamwork in your classroom with a fun group activity. Peers pass a penny from the back of their hand to their classmate's hand, who passes it down the line, and see who wins the competition.
Curated OER
Family and Household Structure
Students examine what the word "family" means today. They identify cultural traditions that are still popular in the United States. They read primary source documents and discover how advice is passed on from generation to generation.
TryEngineering
Search Engines
Introduce search engines with an activity that models how search engines work and the different algorithms they employ. Working in groups, class members then build search queries to demonstrate the knowledge learned.
Bowland
Mission: Rainforest
Young environmentally conscious mathematicians solve a variety of problems related to the central theme of uncovering illegal logging activities. They determine a base camp based on given constraints, investigate logging activities and...
Curated OER
Current Connections
Many of us read our history books and take each word as truth. Show learners that history can easily be altered depending on who writes it. Your class will watch a series of videos, read a first person testimony, and discuss the...
Curated OER
Homes of the World: Ceramic Lesson
Kids consider the various dwellings humans inhabit all over the world. They choose a home from anywhere in the world. Then they research the type of materials, designs, and structures need to build that type of home. The project ends...
Curated OER
Don't Let the Earth Down
Writing a persuasive argument starts with a clear thesis. Using this resource, your class will write a persuasive paper on a conservation issue. They will then transform their argument into a 30-second public service announcement. If...
Crafting Freedom
Sequencing of Events in the Slave Narrative of Henry "Box" Brown
What steps did Henry "Box" Brown take while planning his own escape from slavery? Learners work in groups to analyze segments of Brown's narrative and identify the sequence of the most important events of his story.
Curated OER
Word Problem Practice Workbook
Need worksheets that challenge your middle schoolers to apply their understanding of math? Problem solved! From integers, fractions, and percents, to algebra, geometry, and probability, over 100 pages of word problem worksheets are...
Smithsonian Institution
Dia de los Muertos: Honoring our Ancestors Through Community Celebration
Oral storytelling has been an important part of every culture. The time-honored practice uses stories as a conduit for a culture's values and customs from one generation to the next. Keep the tradition going with a family interview...
PBS
Cardboard History
A PBS clip focused on collecting sports memorabilia launches this research project lesson plan. Class members then read Dan Gutman’s Honus and Me in which Wagner’s baseball card is used to time travel. The lesson plan ends with...
Curated OER
How Did Different People Live in Ancient Egyptian Times
What was life like for ancient Egyptians? Well, that depends on a person's job or title. Find out what life was like for pharaohs, priests, scribes, peasants, nobles, and craftsmen in Ancient Egypt. Each slide contains an image and a...