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Erupting Volcanoes!

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students examine the causes of earthquakes, volcanoes, and floods, and explore how these events shape the surface of the earth. In this erupting volcanoes lesson, students create a volcano model of their own, make observations about...
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Portraits, Pears, and Perfect Landscapes: Investigating Genre in the Visual Arts

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students define genre in the visual arts, particularly in Western painting and explain the differences between subject and genre. The genre of a variety of works of art is identified.
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Hiroshima: Question Answer Response Strategy (QAR)

For Teachers 9th - 12th
“The crux of the matter is whether total war in its present form is justifiable. . .” After reading “The Aftermath,” the final chapter of Hiroshima, class members use a Question Answer Response (QAR) strategy to reflect on issues raised...
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Introduce Vocabulary: Dinosaur Bones (Barner)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Dig into some prehistoric vocabulary in Bob Barner's informative book Dinosaur Bones. This works best if you introduce the primitive words before reading the story. These are the focus terms in the text: ancient, climate, extinct,...
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Introduce Vocabulary: Sorting (Pluckrose)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Find guidance to introduce math vocabulary in context using Henry Pluckrose's book Sorting. This text is an excellent cross-curricular resource for budding readers. Before starting, review some new vocabulary words: collect, common,...
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Introduce Vocabulary: I Am Planet Earth (Marzollo)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Explore the world's beauty with Jean Marzollo's colorful book I Am Planet Earth, the context of a vocabulary study focused on the following in-text words: globe, jungle, paddy, planet, and valley. Discuss the...
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How Does the Air Get Polluted?

For Teachers K - 5th
Students listen to or read a story that introduces awareness of environmental issues and in particular pollution.
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Television and Movies

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders explore media.  In this television and movies lesson, 5th graders compare a variety of types of television shows and movies. 
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The Demographics of Mortality

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students view the Dynamic POPClocks on the U.S. Census webpage and discuss their meaning. They explore age-related death rates of the human population and collect information about the deaths of humans and organize them into a life table.
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Gee's Bend Quilts

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders identify five new facts about the quilts, women, and community of Gee's Bend and finish their quilts by sewing the four edges of the quilt down. They review the color wheel and what the terms Primary, Secondary, Analogous,...
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The Clouds Tell All

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars examine the different types of clouds and how they form. They are to create their own weather forecast based on their observations of clouds in their area. Questions are asked for comprehension to end the instructional...
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Fahrenheit 451: Social Criticism

For Teachers 10th - 11th
Students write a four paragraph essay that tells about two things in society that Ray Bradbury criticizes in the book, Fahrenheit 451. For this social criticism lesson, students develop a thesis based on their reading of the book and...
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A Fresh Twist on Fabric Folding

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students practice different ways to fold fabric. Using different types of fabrics, they create 3D fabric models to be used in quilts or clothing. They share their designs with the class and critique their classmates design.
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Introduce Vocabulary: Clouds

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students read the book "Clouds" and select 3 Tier Two vocabulary words to build their vocabulary. In this  "Clouds" lesson plan, students  listen to vocabulary words and think about how the words are used in the story....
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Perception is Not Always Reality

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students view various types of illusions. Using one of the illusions, they try to determine how a scientist might explain them. They discover a t-illusion and use their own words to analyze them. In groups, they research a different...
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Ecosystem Organization

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders engage in a lesson about ecosystems with the intention of looking at how it is organized. They cover the biotic and abiotic factors of an ecosystem while looking at the seven types of terrestrial biomes. Students write...
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Happiness is A Warm Puppy

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Learners investigate dog breeds and write a short story from a dog's perspective. In this dog research and writing lesson, students watch the film, "Dog: The Early Years. They apply critical thinking skills to determine which type of dog...
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Animal Research Paragraph

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students investigate animals. In this animal research lesson, students choose an animal to research online and record facts from at least 3 types of resources. Students complete a webbing tool, write a paragraph, and use MS word or...
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My Farm Web

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students examine the role of agriculture in everyday life. For this agriculture lesson, students read books such as Harvest Year and identify products which from from the farm. Students fill in a word web using the knowledge they gained...
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How Do Artists Effectively Relate Historic Events?

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students explore African American migration. In this black culture and history lesson, students use a map to identify northern and southern states in which African Americans lived in the 1900s. Students observe and describe objects and...
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Populations Lab - Cultures Lesson: Statistics / Sampling Patterns

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders examine the application of statistical sampling, data collection, analysis, and representation that exists in schooling and teenage lifestyles in Japan and the United States.
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Raptor Poetry

For Teachers 3rd - 9th
Students create poems about raptors. They discuss raptors and create three poems including at least two of the following: haiku, diamante, found, and acrostic. They create a classroom book of poems or conduct a poetry slam where students...
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Year Book Page Special Shape Collage

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students design a collage of pictures for a yearbook that make a shape. They determine the area of the shape and the price of putting the collage in the yearbook.
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Sources of Information

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students review information from a previous lesson about JFK and his assassination. As a class, they identify sources they believe historians use and describe the difference between a primary and secondary source. In groups, they...