Curated OER
Noncombatancy and the Seventh day Adventist Church
Upper graders investigate how the Seventh Day Adventists are objectors to the practice of war. The lesson covers the Civil War and examines the church's position about the practice of war. The research extends to modern wars and learners...
US Department of Energy
Building the Basic PVC Wind Turbine
Here is a comprehensive and well-written lesson plan that results in learners building a standard wind turbine. Once built, teens can design a variety of experiments to test different factors. This activity is a noble undertaking that...
Curated OER
Get the Picture!
Astronomers practice downloading data from a high-energy satellite and translate the data into colored or shaded pixels. As a hands-on activity, they use pennies to simulate high-energy satellite data and they convert their penny...
Curated OER
Mr. Mascot's Magical Musical Tour
Students explore particular places in the world. Students decipher clues that a class mascot leaves behind as it travels the world. Through researching the clues, students discover geographical locations, elements of world culture,...
Curated OER
Aerogel
Students identify how technology aids scientists in their research. Through discussion, they explain the various ways scientists use Aerogel to aid in their collection of high-speed particles. Through experimentation, students create...
Curated OER
The Poinsettia: Native Mexican Plant vs. U.S. Christmas
Students compare and contrast native Mexican poinsettia plants to those marketed in the United States. They watch a PowerPoint presentation, and listen to a version of the legend of the poinsettia. Students then create a paper pinwheel...
ReadWriteThink
Exploring Plagiarism, Copyright, and Paraphrasing
Plagiarism, copyright, and fair use are the focus of a three-part instructional activity designed to inform scholars of how to properly cite others' work. First, pupils use a KWL chart to begin thinking and...
Curated OER
Learning From World War II and Connecting It to the Present
Compare and contrast World War II to the modern Iraq war with this instructional activity. After watching a film, learners use supporting evidence to support their point of view of the conflicts. Using the internet, they create a...
Curated OER
Dr. Seuss - Make Time for Rhymes
Read the story Green Eggs and Ham to practice phonemic awareness, rhyming, and writing skills with emerging readers. They will match oral words to printed words, create a graphic organizer, and the use rhyming words in an...
Curated OER
Prairie Scavenger Hunt
Middle schoolers take a close look at the prairie environment. They identify common plants and animals of the prairie. In addition, pupils work in teams in order to put together a presentation on a certain aspect of the prairie...
Curated OER
Virtual Venus
Young scholars practice using the tool of remote telescopes in order to make observations in space. The lesson includes the best times of year to make observations. They use the internet to obtain information and to initiate the use of...
Curated OER
Mathematical Jeopardy
Middle schoolers use the popular game of Jeopardy to explore different mathematical concepts. They are highly engaged with the use of technology for this lesson. They function using higher-order thinking skills in order to create their...
Discovery Education
Fuss About Dust
Dust is everywhere around us; it's unavoidable. But what exactly is dust and are certain locations dustier than others? These are the questions students try to answer in an interesting scientific investigation. Working independently or...
Kenan Fellows
Reading Airline Maintenance Graphs
Airline mechanics must be precise, or the consequences could be deadly. Their target ranges alter with changes in temperature and pressure. When preparing an airplane for flight, you must read a maintenance graph. The second lesson of...
Overcoming Obstacles
Using Appropriate Resources
A lesson dives deep into reference materials. The class begins with a discussion of which resources are best used for specific purposes and how to identify ways to get the needed information. Learners share information about the internet...
PBS
What Is Newsworthy?
What is news? What is newsworthy? Who decides and what criteria do they use? Introduce young journalists to the basics of reporting with this media literacy lesson.
Curated OER
When A Car Coughs. . .
Budding scientists collect and compare particulate exhaust from four different vehicles. They discuss how cars contribute to air quality. To get the most mileage out of this resource, have learners complete the optional step 5, in which...
Curated OER
Who's Range is it?
Students investigate the habits of panthers by analyzing radio transmitted data. In this animal life lesson plan, students utilize computers to view the range of different statistics dealing with Florida panthers. Students...
Scholastic
The First Thanksgiving Feast for Grades 3-5
Scholars examine the first Thanksgiving through books and interviews while they complete a KWL chart. Pretending they are part of the feast, learners craft a scrapbook page that features images related to their experience. Pupils reflect...
Teach Engineering
Water Power
Young hydrologists observe a waterwheel which helps them investigate the transformations of energy that occur when the blades of a hydro-turbine are turning. They work together in pairs and pretend to be engineers who are building a new...
NASA
Is It Alive?
Determining whether or not something is living can be more difficult than it seems. Put your young scientists to work defining their own criteria to identify life, then work with three samples to see if they are alive or...
The New York Times
The Horror! The Horror!
Gear up for Halloween by studying the horror genre with your class and analyzing films and texts to uncover the genre's traditional conventions.
Discovery Education
Physical Oceanography and Meteorology, Navy Search and Rescue Operation
It's an ocean rescue mission! Groups must find a pilot downed off the coast of the Chesapeake Bay. Rescuers must determine the distance needed to travel as well as the heading to get to the pilot's last known position. Taking...
EngageNY
Making Fair Decisions
Life's not fair, but decisions can be. The 17th installment of a 21-part module teaches learners about fair decisions. They use simulations to develop strategies to make fair decisions.