What is more important: building a new school or preserving a nature reserve? Keeping a natural area clean or providing clean drinking water to a city of millions? Young scholars weigh these questions—almost literally—using an...

Students identify a community environmental problem and possible solutions. They analyze the connection between the problem and the solutions and the importance of it to the local community. Students then draw a picture of an...

Ninth graders explore the historical perspective of nature and the environment.  In this American History lesson, 9th graders examine materials in a variety of formats to understand the contexts of America's concern for the...

Students investigate the environment by designing a group project.  In this ecology lesson, students identify the man made threats to the Amazon while reading environmentally conscience vocabulary terms.  Students collaborate...

Reading and understanding informational text is a key element to understanding every discipline. Elementary learners read three different articles focused on various animals and habitats in the Hudson River. They answer comprehension...

Do not overlook this set of lessons just because your school does not have a data analysis system. There is plenty of material here to administer a complete mini unit on the formation, distribution, and properties of coal. Since it...

Learners read writings by Ralph Waldo Emerson to analyze transcendentalism and analyze photographic essays depicting environmental issues. In this art and history lesson plan, students read excerpts of Nature by Emerson to identify...

Carbon is in the air; should we care? Teach the class why it is important to pay attention to carbon levels and how the world population and various countries across the globe affect the carbon levels in the atmosphere. High schoolers...

Ninth graders examine the Protestant reformation.  In this World History lesson, 9th graders analyze various photographs from the Reformation.  Students watch a video clip of Luther's trip to Rome.   

Sixth graders examine the meaning and background of the song, "America the Beautiful." In this "America the Beautiful" lesson, 6th graders read the words and history of the song and answer comprehension questions about it.

Students evaluate the role of government in addressing land use and other environmental issues. They analyze the powers, responsibilities, and limitations of elected and appointed officials in the national legislative, executive, and...

How have Russian politics affected countries on a global stage? The discussion of the Russian Revolution and World War I begins with an analysis of primary resource letters. Learners finish with a project where they create a timeline of...

What better way to make predictions about future weather and climate patterns than with actual climate data from the past? Young climatologists analyze data from 400,000 to 10,000 years ago to determine if climate has changed over...

Explore online profiles and social media with your middle and high school classes. Use blogs to inspire your class to craft a well-written, thoughtful response to a prompt you give.  A few example prompts are given. 

How to meet the needs of people around the globe—a question many ask. The fifth in a six-part series about human population and its effects on the globe, the eye-opening lesson plan includes discussion, a homework activity, and an...

Did you know that the population is expected to grow to 11 billion by 2100? The resource serves final installment in a six-part series on the global population and its effects. Scholars interpret data from the United Nations about the...

Students investigate our water system and how it is filtered. In this science lesson, students perform a laboratory activity to investigate the process that goes into filtering water. They relate this activity to other subject areas...

Students apply their knowledge of technology to help them build. In this science and technology lesson, students build straw towers and investigate the strength and form of the structure. They analyze the best design the make the...

High schoolers practice planning for the development of an area using the goals of Smart Growth as a guide, and analyze how regions can affect government policies.

Students explore the environment and effects of pollution. They participate in a "Dirt Alert" scavenger game to study vocabulary words. Students construct a soil simulator to visually illustrate the negative effects on the environment of...

Students draw a pathway and create a movement phrase along that same path using specific movement vocabulary. The phrases are performed in class and rubrics are used for assessment. Meets State standards for the arts.