Life Before Electricity

Eighth graders bring early America to life. In this George Washington lesson, 8th graders listen to a lecture about the first president, explore the relationships he had with his slaves, and research the backgrounds of some of his...

Magnets don't grow in fields, but magnetic fields are important to understand. The lesson covers the effect electricity has on magnetic fields. Scholars use a compass, magnets, and electrical wire to test magnetic fields and energy...

For this reading and writing worksheet, learners read 3 stories about farm animals that have acted intelligently or even heroically. Students think of 2 adjectives that describe the animal in the story and write them on the lines.

Students examine historical documents and research why early pioneers settled on the Iowa prairie. They review maps, describe the impact of railroading, describe life in pioneer times, and identify the effects of drought, prairie fire,...

How much is your toaster costing you every day? Young environmentalists calculate the monetary costs of household appliances based on their average consumption of wattage.

Discuss with learners why farms are growing in size and why there is sometimes conflict between farmers and their non-farming neighbors. Read the article, "Living With the Farm Next Door," and then craft letters to the editor from the...

After reading an article on the alfalfa leafcutting bee, learners chart its characteristics alongside those of the honeybee. Then they draw the leafcutter lifecycle. The article provides fascinating reading when studying the role of...

Students identify important dates in the life of the school and the community through reserach and interviewing. They identify important dates in the state and nation and research various holidays and special occasions. Students design...

Students describe how artists painted American farms in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. They identify idealized, nostalgic, and realistic views of farming through discussion, bringing into play their own knowledge of farms today.

Students investigate energy sources by examining photographs.  In this atomic energy lesson,  students identify and describe various pictures and how atomic energy is used in them.  Students create a presentation...