Finding Background Information Teacher Resources

A beautifully written lesson plan delves into a beautiful topic: stellar population. Engage aspiring astronomers with activities that examine human populations and then transition onto the stars of the universe. Data and photographs for...

Introduce your class to Edgar Allan Poe with a series of mostly self-guided tasks and assignments. Class members follow the list of tasks, starting by watching a video with background information and ending with a compare-and-contrast...

The most famous climbers of Mount Everest could never have made it to the summit without the assistance of the local Sherpa. Christine Taylor-Butler's nonfiction children's book Sacred Mountain: Everest is the focus of an extensive...

An informative resource shares background information on the importance of protecting religious freedom. Individuals learn how some American colonies forced religion upon people, giving rise to the desire to worship freely without...

Is art connected to geography? It sure is! Your class will find out how even clay that comes from a certain location can have deep symbolic meaning. The class will analyze the piece, Mud Woman Rolls On and then research how geographic...

What is considered a valuable gift? As the class will come to find out, what is considered a gift varies by time and location. After viewing images of a Mayan pot that depicts men giving cacao to the gods, learners research three...

They're going to be there with their family. Class members practice using and identifying the correct use of they're, there, and their with a skills practice instructional activity. The top half of the instructional activity gives brief...

The effects of rising sea levels on Isle de Jean Charles, located off the coast of Louisiana, are documented in Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee's poignant short video. Viewers are asked to consider not only the plight of residents but also what...

Young economists answer a series of critical thinking questions as they analyze real data that shows GDP Growth. They examine the provided charts, read through the background information, and discuss changes that occurred in the third...

The Galápagos Islands are an amazing place of isolated adaptation, colonized by an interesting mix of plants and animals. The class plays a game to help them understand how these organisms came to live on the island through a combination...

It takes less than 10 minutes for energy from the sun to travel 90 million miles to Earth! In the first installment in a series of four, groups measure the amount of solar radiation that reaches Earth. They then discuss how this is...

Scholars build a compass using a needle, cork, magnet, and a water-filled cup in order to locate the magnetic north and south.

A great way to incorporate math into life science, this activity has learners measure migratory routes on a map and calculate the actual distance that shorebirds on the routes would cover. Learners compute the distance covered in both...

Which will make it fly better? Individuals build paper rockets with fins that are launched using straws. After determining an average flight distance, they make adjustments, such as size and location of fins, and try again. A second...

How does a telescope magnify images? Learners first watch a tutorial explaining the basic construction of a telescope. Then they interact with a simulation that allows for changes in the location and diameter of the reflecting mirrors....

Apply geometry to find the distance as the crow flies. An engaging lesson compares the distance a car must drive to the straight line distance between two locations. Scholars must manipulate a simulation, note the change in distances,...

Explore the genetic component of the second-leading cause of death in the world using a hands-on activity. After watching a video discussing the basics of cancer, learners complete activities that study the genes involved in cancer. The...

A Hanukkah-themed learning game challenges players to find hidden gelt. Scholars examine festive pictures to locate hard-to-see gelt—chocolate coins— and click on them to earn points before the timer runs out. Levels become increasingly...

Birdwatching is a popular hobby. Young scientists test their knowledge of bird characteristics on their own bird-watching expedition. They take their journals on a walk and sketch the key characteristics of the birds they find while...

Young journalists analyze how The Topeka State Journal, the Jackson Daily News, and The Providence Journal reported on the 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown v Board of Education. Scholars scrutinize the headlines, photographs,...

There's snow much to learn! Excited individuals use real-world data to discover how latitude affects the odds of a snow day. Scientists compare latitude, solar radiation, and temperature using NASA data for several locations....

Moisture can affect air temperatures and so much more! An analysis of NASA soil moisture data allows pupils to make connections between climate and weather features. They first review general data and then select a specific location to...

The Le Moyne brothers, Jean-Baptiste and Pierre, were among the first explorers of the Gulf Coast. Class members read biographical information and journal entries about these men, study maps showing where the settlements they established...

Send your class on the hunt for a buried treasure and apply geometry skills along the way. An engaging lesson uses direction and midpoint locations to find the location of a treasure. Videos provide background information to complete the...