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All The Bell & Whistles
Young adults are so eager to get that first cell phone. And, cell phones have so many cool extras! Learners conduct real-life research to determine which cell phone carrier offers the best deals on things like wall paper, ringtones, and...
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Occupations
Very young learners have careers in mind for their futures! This resource presents an activity which will allow kids to explore their thoughts and dreams on this topic. The teacher plays the role of a newspaper reporter who interviews...
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Making Music
Budding musicians engage in an exciting lesson which has them make musical instruments out of ordinary household items. By using paper plates, plastic cups, rubber bands, storage containers, and wooden spoons they make a variety of...
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Thumbprints
Thumbprints are fascinating! Here is a clever lesson that allows kids to discover that everyone has a unique thumbprint - no two are alike! They use magnifying glasses to closely observe their own, and someone else's thumbprints. Then,...
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Chapter Tableaux: Visualizing The Call of the Wild
Do your young readers have difficulty visualizing what they read? Although the activity described here is for The Call of the Wild, the strategy could be used with any narrative. At the conclusion of each chapter of Jack London’s novel,...
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Unsent Letter: Characterization in Briar Rose
After completing Jane Yolen’s Briar Rose, class members assume the voice of Gemma and craft a personal letter to her granddaughter telling Becca how she feels about Becca’s actions and the discoveries at Chelmno. Complete directions for...
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Survival Still
Lead your class to construct a solar still on campus to demonstrate how water can be extracted from the soil. The power of solar energy is emphasized, as is the concept of how capillary water can be recovered and purified by using a...
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Mondrian - Primary/Secondary Color Study
Utilizing computer software, learners demonstrate the color spectrum. They investigate the life of the artist Piet Mondrian and define his style of artwork. Then they use Photoshop to recreate some of his designs while discovering the...
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Be Water Wise!
Rally your administration and facilities manager to let your class examine the water flow rates in different areas of the school. After the audit, the class researches opportunites for conserving water and writes a report or develops a...
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Dream Phone of Basic Phone?
Learning to be a savvy shopper can make or break the bank. Upper graders research five different cell phone carriers to see if they'll have enough money in their imaginary budget for a dream phone or a basic phone. They create either a...
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Marine Energy
In small groups, energy engineers research and make a topographic map of a marine natural resource. They report to the rest of the class pros and cons of extracting their assigned resource. The two activities may take up to four class...
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Physical Activity and Energy
Does smiling take as much energy as running a lap around the track? Everything the body does requires energy. The more vigorous the activity, the more energy the body requires to perform the activity. Compare different low-energy...
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Cell Phone Interview
Are there benefits to comparison shopping? Yes, even with cell phones. It's important to know which carrier is best and why. Learners interview a family member about his choice in cell phone carriers, and compare that person's choice to...
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Full Esteem Ahead
Young learners who feel good about themselves will fare better in the long run than those who do not have a high level of self-esteem. Introduce youngsters to what it means to like themselves. Discuss positive characteristics and...
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"Whose (Is)land is This?": topics in Immigration and The Tempest
Class members compare the ways the subject of immigration is treated in The Tempest, Act I, scene ii, Act II, scene i and Act III, scene ii with patterns in American history. After tracing their own family’s journey, a series of...
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Potatoes and Potato Stamps
Here is an informative and engaging instructional activity potatoes for your young farmers! In it, learners discover how potatoes are grown, where they come from, and they list foods made from potatoes. They do a really fun art project...
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Labour Behind the Labels - Business Studies and Citizenship
The sociology behind the creation of clothes has become quite the controversial topic these days. In many countries people, children included, are often put to work at almost a slave's wages to produce the clothes that people (like us)...
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Visual Arts - Mexican Indian Yarn Painting
Have you ever seen a Mexican yarn painting? They're beautiful! Create a Mexican yarn painting with your class using this lesson plan. Start by discussing Mexico's culture and viewing different yarn paintings. After reading about...
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Robo-Lobster
Introduce environmental science or engineering explorers to different forms of sampling. They read an article about "Robo-lobsters," lobsters being studied to help design robots that can used to sniff out pollution in ocean waters. The...
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Applying Elements of the Graphic Novel to Traditional Literature
The Khaled Hosseini Foundation, dedicated to providing humanitarian assistance for the people of Afghanistan, provides a series of exercises designed to be used with a reading of the graphic novel version of Hosseini’s The Kite Runner....
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Catch the Pollution
Explore environmental care by conducting a pollution experiment. You'll discuss the causes of pollution in our environment and what the overall impact will be if we can't change our ways. Clear plastic tape, a can, and compass are used...
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Moral Development in Camus' The Stranger
“In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.” Readers of The Stranger rate Mersault’s moral development (or lack thereof) using Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development scale. Using specific...
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Cyberbullying: Effects on Teens Across the Nation (Segment 3)
Free speech, privacy, and cyberbullying are the focus of a series of activities that prompt class members to engage in discussions about these interrelated topics. They view a segment from PBS’s series on bullying, read articles about...
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Fabric Art
Do kids use problem solving skills when they create scrap art? You bet they do! After examining the art of Mary Katherine Lamb, they create their own pieces using recycled products and vintage art techniques. They watch a video about the...