Curated OER
The End?
This lesson asks young readers to predict what will happen to Harry Potter. While the question has been answered by the last book and film in the series, the concept and links provided by The New York Times’ Learning Network are...
ARKive
Galapagos Conservation
The Galapagos Islands inspired Darwin to develop his theory of evolution. These wonderful islands will also be the topic of a lesson on habitat and conservation. In small groups, learners will collect and synthesize information regarding...
National Geographic
Mapping the Shape of Everest
With Mount Everest as the motivator, your earth science class learns about topographic maps. Begin by showing a film clip from The Wildest Dream: Conquest of Everest, featuring fearsome virtual imagery of a path up world's tallest...
Facing History and Ourselves
California Grape Workers’ Strike: 1965–66
The California grape workers' strike of 1965-66 is the focus of a lesson that asks high schoolers to investigate the strategies farmworkers used to organize and gain contracts with grape growers that ensured higher waters and better work...
Curated OER
Making Sense of Censorship
Students create their own ratings systems with which to classify current pop cultural fare as suitable or unsuitable for Students.
Curated OER
The Sundance Kids
Students discuss independent filmmaking industry, focusing on the 2000 Sundance Film Festival. As a class, students develop a storyboard for their own independent film, then write movie reviews from the point of view of a film critic on...
Curated OER
Ethical Dilemmas in Teaching the Holocaust
Learners are exposed to a variety of readings about the Nazi Party and concentration camps. Using the readings as a guide, they identify moral issues that we all face studing the Holocaust. They decide to work together to end bigotry...
Curated OER
The Magic School Bus Spins a Web
Students learn along with Ms. Frizzle's class. In this Magic School Bus lesson plan, students explore the world of spiders as they travel into a science fiction film to learn the truth about spiders.
Curated OER
Heaven or Ground Hog Day?
Students discover the ideas of enlightenment by reading historical poetry. In this philosophical lesson, students read poems by Sir Walter Scott and Sergeant Joyce Kilmer while discussing the themes of the writing with classmates....
Curated OER
Word of the Day
Students use Internet to research definition of an assigned vocabulary word, and brainstorm ideas for how to teach the new word to classmates in an innovative way using a digital format.
Curated OER
An Eye for an Eye
Students watch a view introducing them to modern Indian History. During the film, they answer discussion quesitons and discover the concept of non-violent civil disobedience. They share their responses with the class and write an essay...
Curated OER
Are You My Mother Game
Invite your kindergarteners to explore sound and hearing. Using film canisters, or containers, filled with items from the story "Are You My Mother?" they will predict what the objects were from the story. Tip: you could create a...
Exploratorium
Bubble Tray
Create jumbo bubbles and use them to teach about surface tension or interference, perfect for a physical science lesson on light or molecular attraction.
BBC
Community Action
Upper graders and middle schoolers engage in a lesson on community. A class discussion kicks off the lesson. Pupils share things that they do as community service after school or on weekends. They imagine an ideal community they would...
Curated OER
Tolerance: Words that Hurt/Words that Heal
Students "role-play" the part of a person who says unkind things and are photographed while doing so. They then act out a story about making friends. They practice saying kind things and are photographed. Word bubbles are added...
Curated OER
Drama/Theatre
Students discover how setting, props, and character-action communicate information about the characters and the story. Access to videos and a video camera are important to make this lesson a success.
Curated OER
Travel Agency
Students create a travel agency from favorite vacation destinations. The skill of reading and using a database is covered. Profiles of travelers are used to teach sorting into different categories during inquiry.
Curated OER
School Announcement Blog
Students become bloggers. In this technology lesson, students use video and image editing to add to an online school announcement blog that they maintain.
Global Oneness Project
Freedom to Change
Here's something unusual and thoughtful: have your scholars do some pensive reflection themselves before tackling how such meditative techniques are used in prison rehabilitation programs. They watch the...
PBS
Democracy in Action: Freedom Riders
This is a must-have resource for every social studies teacher covering the civil rights movement. Through an engaging video and detailed viewing guide, young historians learn about the Freedom Riders, and discover how everyday...
Curated OER
Introducing Visual Literacy
Students view examples of images and discuss why a director or writer chose these images. Using different forms of media, they develop their own standards by which to judge television or films. They discover the use of visual literacy...
Curated OER
Why is it so hot when I sit next to the window?
Students investigate how energy travels through glass. In this energy usage lesson, students conduct an experiment in which they decide if window film affects how much energy travels through the glass. Students use a journal to make...
Curated OER
Our Town
Students read and discuss an online article as they consider what makes a center of activity in a city or town. They produce a documentary film of the hub of activity in their school.
Curated OER
Fantastic Journeys
In this activity, students will design a theme park attraction based on a fantastic journey from literature, film, or their own imaginations.