Why didn't Rapunzel's hair stop growing?  Why did it take the fairy godmother so long to intervene in Cinderella's affairs? Young writers consider unanswered questions like these and compose news articles investigating the true...

Jump back into expository writing and analysis at the start of a new school year! Start with a review of an authors' stylistic choices in diction, syntax, treatment of subject matter, and figurative language. Writers choose a text to...

Students define inductive and deductive reasoning and write two column proofs. In this geometry lesson, students analyze arguments and draw conclusion. They define steps necessary to arrive at the correct answer when completing proofs.

A great idea for showing language arts pupils the universality of themes, even in the real world! Have class members choose an idea-noun (peace, justice, war, love, etc.) at the beginning of the year or semester. They complete weekly...

After reading "Aquatic Alchemy," an article about recapturing water for reuse when in space, your class will use calcium hydroxide or hydrated lime to purify cloudy water. Geared toward high school chemistry or environmental science...

Finished your novel? What’s next? Designing the book cover, of course. But how to begin? After examining the covers of published books and noting the common elements of these jackets, young novelists design a front and back cover for...

High schoolers in chemistry or health courses look at the material safety data sheet (MSDS) and periodic table of elements to gather information about mercury and lead, two toxic materials that have been found in food products. They read...

Sit back, relax, and transport to 1787! This lesson 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...

Ninth graders research, analyze, and orally defend an issue related to the use of geologic resources. They defend their position in written form by composing a letter to an appropriate source.

Students explore the recent research on dinosaurs.  In this dinosaur instructional activity students write a report on the new findings and how it has changed ideas on dinosaurs. 

Students discuss the ways in which an environment is used to provide the basic necessities of life. In groups, they compare and contrast how different hunter and gatherer groups have used the environment to their advantage. They place...

Students discuss different literary devices and use them to write summaries of New York Times articles dealing with international news. They reflect on the effectiveness and appropriateness of sports metaphors in the political arena.

Learners read the fictitious newspaper article entitled, "Levels of Radon in Jersey Town Exceed Limits." This helps them get a basic vocabulary started for the terms and concepts related to radon. In groups, they identify words that they...

Eighth graders examine the impact of the Progressive Era on the state of North Carolina. Using primary source documents, they discover the reason for the creation of schools during this time period. After reading news articles, they...

Students explore prehistoric times by completing web activities in class. For this human ancestry lesson, students identify the archaeological discovery of the "Lucy" skeleton and what it meant for science. Students investigate the...

Pupils are provided with evidence used to support evolutionary theory. They are introduced to classification by using primates as an example. Students read article related to Hominoid Skull Comparison and write a summary about the...

Students participate in class discussion about the movie Arachnophobia. In this biology lesson, students find articles and photos of a species that interest them. They share it with their group.

Students gain knowledge of Gross Domestic Products and how they are used as an economic indicator. They bring articles that mention GDP and decide how it is used in articles. Students present orally their findings to the class.

Students listen as an expert on Shaken Baby syndrome speaks to their class and asks appropriate questions. Using a computerized doll, they discover the meanings behind baby's different crys and demonstrates what happens when a baby has...

Students compare the traits of humans to raptors.  In this senses and beneficial traits lesson students create a newsletter and compare raptors to aircraft. 

High schoolers study and examine DNA and protein synthesis. Students decide what grade they want and complete only those assignment's. There are no objectives listed for this lesson plan.

Young scholars investigate foodborne illnesses and involved microbes. They identify major pathogens and then research and explain how they contaminate foods and how people are affected.

Students participate in a lab activity in which they examine the characteristics of radon. They identify radon's link to cases of lung cancer. They complete a radon fact sheet and answer questions to end the lesson.

Students read about how scientists are arriving at current theories of human origin and migration through mitochondrial DNA analysis. They then piece together a map showing the data from mitochondrial DNA analysis to plot the migration...