Addressing the idea of intelligent design, as well as a number of creation myths, this presentation gives a measured and scientific perspective to the beginning of the world.  It includes a graphic on the Big Bang Theory, evolution,...

Bring Charlie Brown's one-of-a-kind Christmas tree to life with a holiday coloring page. 

Upper elementary schoolers investigate philanthropy and selflessness by reading a children's book. In this ethics lesson, they read The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, and research Mahatma Gandhi's troublesome, yet inspiring, life....

Students explore the importance of the tropical rain forest in different cultures. Through a cooperative game, they locate countries that are known for their forest resources. Students discuss the similarities and differences of various...

Different varieties of Christmas trees provide an interesting way to combine social studies, science, math, and technology. Class members not only research the history of the Christmas tree holiday tradition, they compare and...

An interesting and unusual topic for a news article, this resource from the New York Times website asks learners to take a moment and consider all the things they notice during a typical day. Based of the editorial piece "Things I...

Visit the Magic Treehouse and take your class on a trip through time with a reading of the children's book Mummies in the Morning. Using the story to spark an investigation into Egyptian culture, this literature unit engages...

Everyone comes from somewhere. An interdisciplinary lesson on Elvira Woodruff's The Orphan of Ellis Island includes discussion starter and writing prompts for the novel, as well as a graphic organizer to help learners begin their...

Self reflection is an important skill to reinforce in our children, and it's especially helpful to help them realize who they are in the context of their environment. A collection of lessons about self image and community encourage...

Students examine how to save and protect trees.  In this conservation lesson plan, students read books about the usefulness of trees, write ideas in their journals about how trees can be used, and make a book of ways to protect trees.

Learners identify how do geography and ecology influence a region's folklife. Then they investigate this question and consider how an outsider might view their own region in this lesson. Students also identify how the natural world, even...

After reviewing and reading about the three branches of US Government, complete this activity with your class. In groups, they will place their "cards" on the board under the correct branch. This lesson is weak and unclear. I'd make a...

What's the "deal" with the Civilian Conservation Corps? Primary sources help historians discover the impact of this landmark legislation. After an introductory slideshow and 7-minute video, groups analyze packets of images and a primary...

Pupils identify heartwood, sapwood, and a tree's annual rings, infer from a tree's rings what damage or stress might have occurred in its life, and make a time-line of human history that coincides with a tree's rings.

North American Indian civilizations had already been in place for over 10,000 years before the arrival of European settlers. Introduce your young historians to Indian tribes that lived in the Chesapeake region in the...

The epic clash of reason and emotion comes to life in this informative presentation. Detailing the period of Romanticism in 19th century Europe, these slides contain pictures of the most famous pieces of art during this period. Viewers...

Students participate in an activity that will allow them to create a gift for a nursing home patient and give their gift to someone who needs a caring hand. In this community service lesson, students learn compassion, and also understand...

Students examine leaves and the trees in their neighborhood that they came from.  In this ecology lesson plan, students read the book, I Can Name 50 Trees Today, and discuss how a tree goes from a forest to a wood shop....

Students explore rain forests.  In this rain forest ecosystems lesson, students identify and describe the layers of the rain forest. Students paint and decorate a large rain forest mural. Students write riddles about animals that...

Second graders examine the artwork of Robert Harris and discuss how trees are an important part of their lives. In groups, they discover how people's use of the environment has changed over time and describe the climate and vegetation...

In this Guy Fawkes instructional activity, students cut apart 8 sentence strips; each tells an event in the life of Guy Fawkes. Students put them in the right order, paste them on a paper, and illustrate each event.

Students discover the various ways in which tree rings can give information. After a brief disucssion of concentric tree rings, they use cross section cut outs of tree rings to identify the time and type of various naturally occuring...

Students research the date palm and its role in desert life and Islamic beliefs. They study the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, the festival that follows. Afterward, they visually represent their findings by integrating...

First graders share their wishes for the future and discuss changes that have taken place. They observe a puppet who describes life in the future and identifies positive and difficult challenges he may face. Individual students draw a...