Curated OER
Illustrate the Constellations
Students research ancient Greek heroes immortalized in constellations. They choose three constellations in either the summer or winter sky to illustrate and reinforce their understanding of the northern constellations.
Curated OER
Illustrate the Constellations
Students explore space science by participating in a star identification activity. In this astronomy lesson, students identify different star patterns and discuss the movement of stars across the sky as the seasons change. Students...
Curated OER
Observing and Sketching the Lunar Surface
Young scholars explore space science by conducting an illustration activity. In this lunar lesson, students discuss what the moon is and the role it plays for our environment on Earth. Young scholars view images of the moon and utilize...
Curated OER
Nature's Recycling Program
Students identify what materials make up compost. In this science of recycling lesson, students explain the benefits of composting determine how compost is a good plant fertilizer.
Curated OER
Who Eats Who?
Students recognize that some animals eat plants, some eat meat and some both. In this who eats who lesson, students chart animals in a food chain. Students research information from reading articles. Students chart what...
Curated OER
Old Growth Forest Mural
Students explore the four characteristics of an old growth forest. In this forest lesson, students research old growth forests and their inhabitants. Students work in four separate groups and create a mural for their characteristic of an...
Curated OER
Patriots and Loyalists
Students examine portraits by John Singleton Copley and discuss how the subject's appearance communicates important information about his or her life. They write a diary entry from the point of view of a portrait subject.
Curated OER
Good Sportsmanship Leads to Home Run
Pupils share examples of good sportsmanship, then read a news article about a team helping an injured player score a home run. The teacher introduces the article with a discussion and vocabulary activity, then young scholars read the...
Curated OER
Lesson: An Exploration of Places and Spaces Part I
The concept behind this lesson is fantastic. Learners explore how different locations and situations affect them as individuals, focusing heavily on the impact of the urban environment. They question how location can make them change...
Smithsonian Institution
Dia de los Muertos: Honoring our Ancestors Through Community Celebration
Oral storytelling has been an important part of every culture. The time-honored practice uses stories as a conduit for a culture's values and customs from one generation to the next. Keep the tradition going with a family interview...
Curated OER
A Neighborhood Expedition
Students plan and conduct an expedition through their neighborhood based on the techniques used by the Harriman Expedition to Alaska in 1899. They research the Harriman expedition on the internet and then create a route and collection...
Curated OER
Navajo Weaving
Young scholars explore the Navajo culture. In this Navajo Indians instructional activity, students gain information about their weaving and dancing. Young scholars note the patterns in the weaving. Students create a dance that...
Curated OER
Telling Our Own Stories
Explore online profiles and social media with your middle and high school classes. Use blogs to inspire your class to craft a well-written, thoughtful response to a prompt you give. A few example prompts are given.
Curated OER
Through the Lens of Robert Capa
Young scholars use Guided Reading techniques to learn about Capa's style and to discover the techniques that made him a great photographer. Students examine the basics of telling compelling stories through photos and each student creates...
Curated OER
Reliving History Through Slave Narratives
Students read slave narratives and retell the stories to the class, identifying sensory details. For this slavery lesson, students discuss the importance of sensory details, then read the slave narratives looking for specific examples. ...
Curated OER
Political Cartoons Illustrating Progressivism and the Election of 1912
High schoolers study a current political cartoon to introduce the ideas of symbolism, humor, exaggeration, and caricature in editorial cartoons. They study cartoons from the past to gain an understanding of the culture of 1912.
Curated OER
Renewing a Contract with HBC
Learners are invited to use the ECO Exploration, the Fur Trade and Hudson's Bay Company, as well as other sources identified, to complete a table (see Student Handout) of words and phrases that describe the duties, responsibilities and...
Curated OER
Mummy Madness
Middle schoolers create a mummy using the mummification process. In this mummy lesson, students peel an apple and place the peeling in a baby food jar. They carve a face into their apple, dry it in salt and wrap it in toilet paper to...
Curated OER
Secrets of the Parthenon
Students take a closer look at the Parthenon. In this world monument lesson, students watch PBS video segments about the reconstruction of the Parthenon in Greece. Students research how the ancient Greeks built the structure and discuss...
Curated OER
Journey To the Unkown
Students explore the ocean rift habitat off the Galapagos through an audio expedition, Internet research on deep sea animals, an explorer game and simulation of the exploration of the deep sea bottom. They focus on the actual NOAA...
Curated OER
(Texas) Capitol Visitors Center, Post-Visit Lesson Plan, Grades 7 and 8
Students discuss the importance of commemorative monuments. They review Texas monuments and identify the reasons a monument dedicated to certain events or individuals. They design another Texas monument and explain why they...
Curated OER
Drawing Political Cartoons
Young scholars draw political cartoons. In this editorial cartoons activity, students discover the history of the cartoons in America, analyze some cartoons, and then draw their own cartoons that make social statements.
Curated OER
Nureyev: After Petipa
Students examine dance and choreography in Russian history. In this Russian history lesson, students discover details about Russian ballet and the work of Marius Petipa as they conduct independent research and present their findings to...
Curated OER
Writing Folktales
Students consider the structure of folktales. In this writing skills lesson plan, students list the attributes of folktales that they read in class. Students then complete handouts based on the elements of the tales as well as types of...