Teachers explore various ways to motivate students. They consider star charts and effort charts to create a point system for motivation. They explore setting goals, progress markers, questionnaires, feedback sheets, and personalizing...

Voters determine the outcome of elections, but campaign donors can influence the attitudes of those voters. Explore nine examples of donors and the amounts of money they want to contribute, and the legal ways the groups can or cannot...

Who is a champion to your class? Elementary and middle schoolers think of a role-model from their lives. Then, in their journals, they write evidence of that person's perseverance. They identify the character trait of perseverance with...

High schoolers read Julius Caesar line by line. They discuss what is going on in a particular scene. Each student in a group takes the role of an assassin and comes up with a clear characterization and motivation. They share and watch...

Students brainstorm reasons for attending a college class, and set goals for themselves to achieve while they are at school. They write letters using these reasons to encourage themselves. Letters are graded by the professor and sent out...

Sixth graders identify four achievements of the Sumerians. They explain the importance of the inventions. They write about a Sumerian invention.

NFL football in science class? Yes, please! In an engaging and motivating three-day lesson, kids take a look at their own nutritional habits and needs compared to those of an NFL player, then experiment with the effects of hydration on...

"Rikki-Tikki-Tavi," from The Jungle Book, offers young readers a chance to examine how Rudyard Kipling uses setting and personification to bring to life the brave mongoose who battles cobras to protect his family. Class members...

Students evaluate human health by completing an interactive activity on the Internet. In this food choice instructional activity, students identify a list of foods which can make you unhealthy and sick compared to a list of nutritional...

Why is Christopher Columbus one of the most studied figures in history? Upper graders will investigate why Christopher Columbus traveled to the New World and what happened to the native people he encountered. They read and discuss...

Welcome to Jamestown! Third and fourth graders read and analyze primary source documents about Jamestown or Fort James. They read and analyze descriptions of Fort James from primary sources. They access a website to explore more...

Young scholars are introduced to aviation history and aerospace engineering achievements. They assemble a class aviation history timeline from individual student research on people and events.

Read an excerpt from Sonia Mycak's short story A Dual Existence in a Seemingly Singular Country and consider the emotional and social implications of not being able to speak English in Australia. This would be a great lesson for EFL...

Students explore the steps taken to fulfill President Kennedy's promise to land a man on the moon.They examine the costs and difficulties of fulfilling that promise and the historical events that motivated the nation to do so.

Learners conduct Internet research on historical characters in the Anza expeditions. They compare/contrast the Anza leaders and analyze their relationships to each other in the Anza expedition.

Students experience the aesthetics of music and learn about freedom songs that motivated the Civil Rights activists. In this music history lesson, students learn how music can motivate and move listeners. Students then describe how...

Eleventh graders examine the industrialization of post-Reconstruction America. In this 20th century American history lesson, 11th graders listen to a lecture about the industrial age and then conduct their own research to determine the...

Learners explore the concept of political activism. In this Darfur conflict instructional activity, students reflect on Darfur activists they studied in prior lessons. Learners use the information regarding the activists to design a...

Students study the Haitian crisis and learn about the needs and ways to help the situation. In this Haitian crisis lesson, students study the Maslow's "Needs Pyramid". Students study the media coverage of the earthquake and then answer...

Students read, write, discuss and appreciate the autobiographical writings and statements of themselves and others. They write their autobiographical response to the question the other writers dealt with.

Ninth graders research advancements in technology from the past twenty years that affect health care. In small groups, they conduct Internet research, and develop a presentation to present to the class.

Sixth graders write myths to show tolerance in creation. They read from both the Aztec and Mayan eras and develop an understanding of the similarities and differences of these two closely related cultures. They track the travels of...

Third graders engage in a writing activity on constructing an introductory paragraph and is also a literature extension activity to be used after reading Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

Young scholars examine the importance of culture and economy changes that occurred due to the great explorations. In this explorations lesson, students create a list of major explorers. Young scholars focus on one main exploration and...