Middle schoolers read the novel "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens. In groups, they use the text to identify and describe family relationships in the book. Using this information, they compare and contrast how these relationships...

Fifth through eighth graders engage in a lesson in which they study working class people during the Great Depression. They work to develop an understanding of the economic developments in Arkansas during the 1930's. Learners access...

Investigate expected value as a long-run average. The eighth installment of a 21-part module has scholars rolling pairs of dice to determine the average sum. They find aggregate data by working in groups and interpret expected value as...

Use expected values to analyze games of chance. The 15th installment of a 21-part module has young mathematicians looking at different games involving tickets and deciding which would be the best to play. They calculate expected payoffs...

Discover how to calculate the expected value of a random variable. In the seventh installment of a 21-part module, young mathematicians develop the formula for expected value. They connect this concept the dot product of vectors.

Discover how mathematics can be useful in comparing strategies. Scholars develop probability distributions for situations and calculate expected value. They use their results to identify the best strategy for the situation.

Eighth graders identify the Great Lakes, and describe the habitat of life of a loon. They are able to point to and explain one of the major river systems that enters the Great Lakes with a focus on the Clinton River and the food webs...

Students barter for goods within the class. In this economics lesson based on the Great Depression, the teacher introduces the lesson with a picture book, then students are allowed to barter with teacher supplied goods as they examine...

Explore the changes genetic modifications make just to make it in our world. Scholars track the production of insulin over time and discover how genetic modifications make the treatment of diabetes possible.

Poor, misunderstood spiders! They are feared, disrespected, and detested by many people, yet they do so many positive things. A great addition to any insect unit, learn about some of the more common spiders, while hopefully dispelling...

A video presentation shows duck-shaped soap that has a $1, $5, $10, $20, or $50 bill in its center. Learners consider different population distribution of the bills to determine a reasonable price for the duck. 

Using a dichotomous key, pupils identify characteristics of fish who live in the Great Lakes and explain how these features help them survive. In small groups, class members discover what features scientists consider important and...

Learners discuss the types of technology that are used to control the population of sea lamprey in the Great Lakes. They explain the parasite/host relationship and understand the devastating impact invasive species have on ecosystems....

Going on a scavenger hunt sounds like a great way to spice up any lesson plan. To better understand how beneficial insects are, the class goes outdoors to search for and observe a bug that has big benefits. Included in the lesson plan...

Roll the dice with this activity and teach young mathematicians about probability. Record outcomes for rolling two number cubes in order to determine what is most likely to happen. Graph the data and investigate patterns in the results,...

High schoolers investigate the symptoms of autism spectrum disorders, and compare expected child development with development that may indicate a diagnosis of these disorders. The final project for the lesson is the creation of posters...

A simple question, with a not-so-simple answer. Working with whole and mixed number measurements in inches, feet, and yards presents a problem with many possible solutions. A great activity that challenges the minds of young...

Musical chairs may be a classic game, but Ruffe Musical Chairs is a unique instructional activity on invasive species! Using the time-honored game, pupils role play the behaviors of the invasive fish called Eurasian ruffe. Learning about...

Do you want your budding mathematicians to be able to explain 'why' and not just 'do'? This lesson encourages an understanding of the process of elimination. Pupils are expected to understand how and why the elimination method is a valid...

Explore the process of simplifying square roots through an analysis of perfect squares. The fourth lesson of 25 expects individuals to find the perfect square factors in each radicand as a means of simplifying. The perfect square factor...

Sit back, relax, and transport to 1787! This lesson plan on the Constitution begins with guided imagery of the Constitutional Convention. The class reads A More Perfect Union: The Story of Our Constitution in an...

Math is all about finding solutions and connections you didn't expect! Young mathematicians often first discover nonlinear patterns when graphing quadratic functions. The lesson begins with the vocabulary of a quadratic graph and uses...

Apply pupil understanding of exponent properties to prove the relationships. In the sixth lesson of the series, individuals are expected to prove relationships using mathematical statements and reasoning.

Take out a map, a paper, a ruler, and those coveted colored pencils for a activity on Chinese culture and geography. This is a multifaceted approach to basic geography skills that incorporate story telling, class discussion, primary...