Lesson Plan
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Author's Purpose

For Teachers K - 3rd
A simple activity for young readers, this introduces the idea of author purpose. Learners analyze various types of texts (newspaper articles, magazines, books, advertisements, etc.) and determine if the author's purpose for writing was...
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Alphabet Vocabulary

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders explore the biodiversity that exist on the prairie. Through reading or listening to books, they keep track of vocabulary words associated with the prairie on an 'Alphabet Poster'.
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Understanding Topographic Maps

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Underclassmen create a cone-shaped landform and then draw a contour map for it. Then they examine a quadrangle (which was easily located with an online search), and relate it to what they experienced. The accompanying worksheet is...
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What's Integrity?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students read a letter by Steve Williams to determine why self-discipline and integrity are important attributes for peace corps volunteers. They apply these concepts to their own lives.
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Portraits as Keys to History: Nathaniel Hurd, portraiture, identity

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students view portraits of Nathanial Hurd. They complete a worksheet and identify differences between the portraits. This lesson plan finishes with a visit to the "About Face" exhibit in the Memorial Art Gallery.
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Freewriting: Exploring Everybody's Favorite Topic

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students engage in the practice of freewriting to improve expressing written thoughts. Then the process of editing takes place to solidify the practice of the writing process.
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Length and Volume Exploration

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students explore how to measure length and volume. They compare and order objects according to their measurable attributes and measure items using non-standard units. Students put 4 pencils in order from shortest to longest after...
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An Uncertain Future

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers study the distribution of large mammals and carnivores in an ecosystem. Using maps and historical data, they examine areas for these animals such as refuges, untouched forests, prairies and grasslands. Students determine...
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Mouse Roulette

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore the food chain. To gain an understanding about the food web, students participate in a simulation where owlets are being fed by adult owls. Afterward, students examine the results of the role play to determine whether an...
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We're All Passenger

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Pupils examine Passenger Pigeons and why they are now extinct. Through a class discussion, students discover the need to help endangered animals. They consider activities to become involved in assisting animals. Pupils write a poem or...
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Investigation Can You Build This?

For Teachers K
Students work in small groups to explore spatial relationships while building with color cubes. Students must identify positions of blocks to partner, recreate a model, and color a sketch of their structure appropriately.
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'Song of the South' a racist tune?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students read the information about the movie "Song of the South" and watch some of the clips. They write their reaction to the proposal to re-release the movie. Students consider whether it would matter if the studio adds an...
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Galileo's Thermometer: Measuring the Density of Various Unknown Liquids

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Sprouting scientists explore the concept of density by making mass and volume measurements for five different liquids. From these measurements, they calculate densities. They apply their learning to explain Galileo's thermometer works...
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Lunar Real Estate

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students investigate the aspect of colonizing the moon by comparing techniques that are used on Earth. The colonization takes place with the planning of a hypothetical model. The model is used as a point of discussion and target...
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Dictionary Work - Entry Words

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders examine the use of entry words in the dictionary. In this dictionary use instructional activity, learners look at guide words in a children's dictionary as the teacher/librarian describes the characteristics of each entry....
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What's Integrity?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners explore the trait of integrity. In this character education lesson, students read letters by Steve Williams pertaining to jobs that help others. Learners discuss the jobs WilIiams shares as well as integrity in their lives.
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Who Works for the Common Good in Our Community?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students identify community organizations that help those in need. In this service learning instructional activity, students listen to members of local service organizations present information. Students write journal entries based on...
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Heart Alert

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Explore some of the causes and preventions of heart disease. Young learners play a game of tag in which the taggers role play as risk factors for heart disease. Players who are tagged call out "heart alert" and are saved when someone...
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Penguin Presentations

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore the attributes of penguins. In this penguins lesson, students participate in a penguin scavenger hunt and take notes on the information they encounter. Students prepare reports about their findings and share them with...
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Beary O'Mometer Learns About Careers In Meteorology

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore the field of meteorology. In this meteorology lesson, students explore weather-related careers as they research the field of study as well as various weather concepts. Students interview meteorologists, write business...
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Beacons of Light

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students research Internet sites for lighthouses. In this lighthouses lesson, students learn facts about lighthouses in the United States. Students complete a related worksheet and share their information with the class.
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Irony in Poetry and Prose (Fiction and Non-fiction Texts)

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Middle and high schoolers examine the impact of irony in poetry and prose. In this figurative language lesson, they read instructor-selected literature and identify uses of irony. Then they discuss how irony enhances literature.
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Inherited Traits

For Teachers 6th - 7th
Students work with a partner to complete an inventory of their traits and compare and discuss their unique qualities. In this biology lesson, students determine percentages for the frequency of observed traits of classmates, compile the...
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Multiplying Exponents vs. Powers of Powers

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Use the power of a power property to solve exponential functions. The instructional activity refers to  differentiating between multiplying or adding exponents to find the value, and how to find the product of a power of a power.