Berkshire Museum
Backyard Rocks
You don't have to travel far to learn about rocks, just step outside, pick up a stone, and begin investigating. After taking a class walk around the school grounds collecting rocks, young scientists practice their skills of observation...
Curated OER
Studying Japanese Internment with Primary Documents
Eleventh graders view photographs of the Japanese society being interned in camps during World War II in the United States. In groups, they read and discuss Executive Order 9066 and try to determine what group they are trying to focus...
Curated OER
Culinary Diversity
Students discover foods associated through different cultures and how they came about. In this food culture lesson, students investigate the different influences on the diets of different people based on their heritage. Students...
Curated OER
More Than One Grain of Rice
Sixth graders explore cultural habits by viewing food videos in class. In this agriculture lesson, 6th graders identify the importance of rice in the human diet and how different cultures prepare the food. Students view rice harvesting...
Curated OER
If These Walls Could Talk: Seeing a Culture Through Human Features
Students read Talking Walls and discuss the walls presented and their importance to the culture. In this geography lesson, students locate and label each country/continent discussed in the book on a world map. Students take a walk and...
Curated OER
Pachyderms on Planes! The Amazing Angolan Ambassadors
Learners investigate international aid by researching the history of Angola. For this world crisis lesson, students investigate the history, civil wars and poor economy of Angola and discuss ways to turn the poor nation around....
Smithsonian Institution
Watching Crystals Grow
Amazing science can sometimes happen right before your eyes! The class gets cozy as they watch crystals grow. They use Epsom salts, rocks, and food coloring to create crystals. They'll observe the entire process, documenting every step...
Curated OER
The Fastest Pig in the West in the Classroom: Zodiac Signs
Students explore Chinese culture by reading a story with their class. In this astrology lesson, students read a chapter from the book The Fastest Pig in the West and discuss the relevance of the Chinese zodiac in modern society. Students...
Curated OER
Celebrate Native American Heritage
Students examine Native American heritage. They explore a museum of Native American culture and explore their food, dress, and customs. They also explore the Native Americans role in the first Thanksgiving.
Curated OER
Words in the News: Bangkok - A City on the Move
Students brainstorm on what they know about Bangkok. They practice using new vocabulary words. They read an article about the World Cup in Bangkok and answer questions to end the instructional activity.
Curated OER
Plants and Animals, Partners in Pollination
Students participate in multiple hands-on activities to explore reproduction and pollination. In groups, using a cotton swab and powder, students simulate being pollinators and plants. They name the parts of the flowers and the function...
Nemours KidsHealth
Diabetes: Grades 3-5
Students investigate personal health by researching healthy eating on the Internet. In this childhood disease lesson, students discuss diabetes, the causes, and ways it can be prevented. Students complete worksheets based on potentially...
Curated OER
Square Foot Garden
Students plant a garden and keep track of it. In this geometrical garden lesson, students collect data from their garden twice a week. They graph their finding and figure out how many square feet of growing space each person needs for food.
Curated OER
Feeding the Birds
Learners build bird feeders. In this aviary lesson, students build different types of bird feeders. This web page includes information on which type of feeder attracts which birds and what food to use with the certain feeder type.
Creative Educator
Design a Rainforest Postcard
Send your class on an expedition through the rainforest! Along the way, they will write informational postcards to demonstrate what they've learned. Each team will be responsible for one of five rainforest regions. When they return from...
Curated OER
Cultural Characteristics
Students are introduced to the various types of cultures found in the world. Using the internet, they research a culture they are interested in and answer comprehension questions. In groups, they demonstrate in a PowerPoint presentation...
Curated OER
Bubble and Squeak
Students complete a unit on the chemical and technological processes of food preparation. They observe various experiments, describe changes in materials through cooking, identify safety and hygiene issues, and cook various recipes.
Curated OER
Introducing Biodiversity
Students investigate biodiversity by creating reports with their classmates. In this ecosystem lesson, students utilize the Internet to research the different types of life in our environment and different locations around the world....
Curated OER
Rooftop Sandwich
Young scholars create books showing the main ingredients of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. They get creative and see what other ingredients they may like to add to the original sandwich. A book is made and their sandwich is sent...
Curated OER
Every Object Tells a Story
Students read the story behind objects in the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum and create a story about an object in the exhibit. In this design lesson, students explore the "Design for the Other 90%" exhibition and create a...
Curated OER
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (Kansas) (Grades K-3)
Learners examine the Brown v. Board of Education case in Topeka, Kansas. They re-enact the courtroom and discuss how school would be different today if this case never existed. They discuss how public education has been affected by this...
Curated OER
Colonial America
Students discover the history of Colonial America by creating a class presentation. In this U.S. History lesson, students utilize the Internet to research one of 20 topics in which they will create a PowerPoint or other type of...
Curated OER
Treaties
Third graders explore Canadian history by participating in a role-playing activity. In this First Nation treaties lesson, 3rd graders identify the difficulties the Aboriginals faced when dealing with early European settlers. Students...
Curated OER
Catch as Catch Can
Pupils investigate insects. For this insect analysis lesson, students catch insects using nets they make. They identify the insects they catch and create a chart to show the numbers and varieties. This lesson includes a vocabulary list...