As the final lesson plan in a larger beginning-of-the-year unit to establish routines and teach close reading skills, this plan is designed as an assessment piece. Using the story, The Librarian of Basra, learners independently...

This second lesson in a larger unit is perfect for the beginning of the year because it explicitly teaches 3rd graders how to use close reading skills by identifying unfamiliar words, figuring out the gist, and defining important...

Learners perform simple and fun experiments to use the scientific method, take careful notes, and write a lab report. They first make and test a hypothesis about how many drops of water they can fit on the face of a penny and then test...

Organize your learners with this well-laid-out note-taking printable. Note blanks are organized to allow for two strategies of graphing an equation given in standard form. 

Learn the stories a formula holds. An interesting lesson takes a unique approach to teach how to use formulas. Beginning with a formula, learners predict what the variables stand for and then use the formula to make calculations and tell...

Reading comprehension and note-taking skills are practiced as young ecologists embark on this journey. Explorers visit a website where they will read about three ecosystems that are in danger. They use interactive programs to build a...

Build a solid understanding of trigonometric transformations through exploration. Learners work in teams to analyze the effects of different algebraic components on the graph of a sine function. 

It's cloudy with a good chance of learning! An inquiry-based lesson begins with an exploration of transparent, translucent, and opaque materials. Young scientists then connect their learning to the different cloud types as they take the...

Don't lift another finger, this physical and environmental science unit has everything you need to begin teaching your class about energy. Starting with a look at the greenhouse effect, these lessons and activities take young scientists...

If the area you live in is arid, or the preceding experiment in this unit didn't yield obvious results, use this one in place of it to help reveal where condensation comes from. The mini unit that this is part of a comprehensive...

The weather is cooling down and the leaves are starting to change color; fall is right around the corner. Celebrate this special time of year with this earth and life science lesson series that teaches children about the...

The sun is shining and the birds are singing, what better time to teach young learners about the fun season of summer. In this week-long science series, children learn how the rotation and orbit of the earth influence...

Explore multiple perspectives through a jigsaw activity that will improve your pupils' understanding of the characters in Esperanza Rising as well as their understanding of strikes and human rights. Tapping into prior knowledge, and...

Calcareous ooze ... what an interesting name! The 15th installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program focuses on sediments found on the ocean floor. After viewing the slideshow lecture,...

Use paint to teach about cryptography. Scholars explore public key cryptography by attempting to mix a secret color using paint. After the activity, they investigate the Diffie-Hellman method using prime numbers, exponents, and modular...

Analyze functions by decomposing complex functions and composing simple functions. Through a detailed lesson plan, pupils learn the vocabulary and notation related to the composition of functions. Practice includes both evaluating and...

Teach how graphic designers can use mathematics to represent three-dimensional movement on a two-dimensional television surface. Pupils use matrices, vectors, and transformations to model rotational movement. Their exploration involves...

Students review the notes they took for "The Little Prince". After identifying the instances of responsibility in the text, they discuss them with others in English. As a class, they watch parts of "Children of Heaven" and write down...

Conduct a survey about the nature of science with your high schoolers. They will record their responses in a table and then discuss the implications of scientific theory. Note: There are activity sheets, and forms included with this lesson.

A well-designed instructional activity teaches about the history of Harriet Tubman, the Underground Railroad, and the issues of civil liberties. Young historians watch a video, access Internet resources, and engage in cooperative...

Students learn along with Ms. Frizzle's class. In this Magic School Bus lesson plan, students see how gliders coast by exploring the way different paper objects fall to the ground.

Students learn along with Ms. Frizzle's class. In this Magic School Bus lesson plan, students find out how partners can help run a race just as Wanda learns that survival on the coral reef often depends on cooperation.

Students discover how officials are elected in countries of interest to them. After reading an article, they examine election fraud allegations in Peru. They create a poster showing the election process and assess them in a written essay.

Sometimes simple is just better. A set of activities teaches young mathematicians about using plausible estimation to solve problems. They break problems down to simpler problems, use rounding and estimation strategies, and consider...