Your class examines F.D.R.'s speech for examples of repetition, alliteration, emotionally charged words, etc. They listen to the speech and interview a person who heard it delivered. They finish by writing an article about the experience.

Teenagers could use a little help with their decision-making process. Guide them through the steps of mature choices, outside influences, and expected consequences with a lesson about making decisions.

In many places in the world, people go to great lengths to get books to read. This beginning-of-the-year activity uses pictures of people reading in extraordinary situations to stimulate effective listening and speaking using the...

What makes a source primary or secondary? Middle schoolers read a definition of each term before exploring different examples and applying their knowledge to a research project.

There are so many details involved in running a classroom! A helpful list addresses each classroom procedure for new students, including changing groups, walking in the hallways, visitors in the classroom, and organizing materials.

Students are able to define microbes and identify the five main groups of microbes. They are able to give examples of ways in which microbes have impacted or currently impact human life. Students are able to explain that not all microbes...

Students name the main components of the respiratory system. They write a reaction that contains complete sentences, and uses proper spelling and grammar, after viewing a video. Students define the following terms: lungs, respiration,...

Middle schoolers name the main parts of the heart and what events occur there. They write a reaction that contains complete sentences, and uses proper spelling and grammar, after viewing a video. Students define the following terms:...

To describe the ecological and aesthetic importance of the Potomac River, Middle schoolers name the ways in which the river's values are jeopardized and explain the purpose of Earth Day. They write a response to a newspaper article in a...

Split the class into two groups for a fishbowl discussion using of Jerry Spinelli's Maniac Magee. The first group initiates the conversation by reviewing the important points of Chapter thirteen while group two...

Identify the different stages of mitosis and what occurs in each stage with a straightforward biology lesson. Young scientists identify the importance of the cell cycle control in maintaining homeostasis, and then match the correct...

What makes a poem difficult? Explore that topic and more with your class as you work through the instructional activity detailed here. Using materials from Poetry Out Loud, a national recitation contest, individuals or small groups...

Once Upon a Dime ... a group of middle schoolers wanted to learn about economics! Teach them complex economic concepts like supply and demand through a resource that effectively simplifies the explanations. Pupils work through various...

Given 13 pancakes and five plates, learners are asked to distribute the pancakes evenly among the plates. Is it possible? Will there be any remainders? These are the questions pupils are asked to answer after manipulating an...

While it may feel like you can post just about anything on YouTube, that's not the case. Teach your class about flagging inappropriate content. Learners watch a demonstration, practice flagging, and answer questions about online content.

Turn readers into investigative journalists. The 11th and final lesson that accompanies The Twits by Roald Dahl asks the question "What happened to Mr. and Mrs. Twit?" The lesson uses mind maps and group discussion to help answer...

Gain insight into the type of learners that fill your classroom. An eight-question survey asks scholars questions about themselves. Using their color-coded answers, they conclude their degree of intelligence in multiple areas—music,...

How does your garden grow? An inquiry-based, organic gardening unit asks young scientists to research a vegetable or flower, create an environment for it, and then plant and tend to the seedling. Gardeners develop their own research...

Exponentially increase your pupils' understanding of exponents with an activity that asks them to explore the meaning of exponential notation. Scholars learn how to use exponential notation and understand its necessity. They use negative...

Clouds are nature's insulator! A lab investigation asks learners to use an infrared thermometer to measure differences in infrared temperatures. They find that pointing the thermometer at a cloud has a much different result than pointing...

Traditionally, a United States President's Inaugural Address establishes the tone and vision for his presidency. It has stressed the goal to unify the country and bring the political parties together after what are often divisive...

Yellow and blue make green in a colorful lesson on liquid solutions. The seventh installment of a 16-part Inquiry to Action series asks pupils to mix different-colored solutions and record their observations. They then use their...

Edmond Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac has enjoyed popularity since its debut in 1897 due in large part to the themes it addresses. Instructors planning on using the play with their classes will find much to like in this teaching guide. The...

Author's are often influenced by events in their own lives as they write. Use Edgar Allan Poe's poems "Ulalume" and "Annabel Lee" to take a look at how the death of Poe's wife affected his poetry. Ask learners to discuss and compare the...