Smithsonian Institution
Weather Widget
What's so difficult about predicting the weather? Scholars work collaboratively to build a device that models how meteorologists use computers to forecast weather. Team members collect and interpret data while working together to...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Is Measuring an Art or a Science?
Not only do future engineers learn the difference between accuracy and precision, they also get some hands-on experience using different measuring tools.
Mrs. Perkins
21 Dolch Sight Word Activities
Strengthen your pupils' understanding of Dolch sight words with a packet of ideas. Kids can create stories, play bingo, make booklets, compose silly sentences, alphabetize, and much more.
Polytechnic Institute of NYU
Potential vs. Kinetic Energy
Legos in science class? Watch your pupils fall in love with this activity. After learning to measure potential and kinetic energy, young scientists create their own ramps using Lego Mindstorm sensors and software.
Curated OER
The Use of Language in "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings"
Readers of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings are asked to craft an essay in which they compare how Maya Angelou uses figurative language to depict herself and Mrs. Flowers.
Smithsonian Institution
Trait Tracker
Help mice beat the odds with an exciting activity about traits. Biologists discover the role of diet and other factors on animal traits by participating in a simulation activity. Teams collect and evaluate data to understand how certain...
Federal Reserve Bank
What Do Financial Market Indicators Tell Us?
Explain the four categories of financial indicators (commodity prices, stock indexes, interest rates, and yield spreads), and help your class members understand how changes in this data can affect decisions regarding consumer spending,...
Federal Reserve Bank
Financial Crises, Reform, and Central Banking: Establishing the Federal Reserve
From the First and Second Banks of the United States to the founding of the Federal Reserve, discover how the American nation attempted to reform its financial history throughout the years.
Federal Reserve Bank
Deflation: Who Let the Air Out?
Why do decreasing prices (deflation) restrain economic growth, and why is this a real concern? Here you'll find reading materials and a related worksheet that gets right to the heart of this question, using recent events and real...
Federal Reserve Bank
Monetary and Fiscal Policy in Times of Crisis
Following the 2008 financial crisis in the United States, why did fiscal policymakers increase government spending and reduce taxes? Discover the motivation behind these actions and learn about the separate functions of monetary and...
Federal Reserve Bank
Making Sense of the Ups and Downs of Prices
What are the consequences and costs of inflation? What is CPI, and how do we calculate it? This resource answers these questions in an organized and in-depth manner, and also includes a worksheet of follow-up questions designed for an...
Federal Reserve Bank
Higher Gasoline Prices: Temporary or Time to Buy a Hybrid?
Gasoline prices garner a lot of attention in the United States. What can explain a temporary decline in gasoline consumption, and how do gasoline prices spur innovation in the energy and automotive industries?
Federal Reserve Bank
Wait, Is Saving Good or Bad? The Paradox of Thrift
Could saving really harm the economy? Discover the paradox of thrift and how decreases in consumption can affect economic recovery and various markets and industries.
Federal Reserve Bank
Traditional Versus Shadow Banking
Here is a detailed breakdown of the traditional banking system, including the roles that intermediaries play as brokers and in making loans, as well as an introduction to the parallel system of shadow banking.
Federal Reserve Bank
Why Scarce Resources Are Sometimes Unemployed
Why do markets operate inefficiently when the world's resources are so limited? Review the various types of unemployment that exist and why some resources, especially human resources, go unused.
Federal Reserve Bank
Investing in Yourself: An Economic Approach to Education Decisions
What is the difference between physical capital and human capital, and in which should you invest? While considering the concept of return on investment, take a look at the payoffs and consequences of investing in training and education.
Federal Reserve Bank
Quantitative Easing Explained
Dig deeper into the financial crisis of 2008 in the United States and actions taken by the federal government, including the bailouts and purchase of institutions as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, to bolster financial market conditions.
Federal Reserve Bank
The Output Gap: A‘Potentially’ Unreliable Measure of Economic Health?
How can we accurately estimate what the economy should produce now and in the future? Have your pupils tackle this question as they learn about real versus potential GDP and as they review data regarding the output gap in the United States.
Federal Reserve Bank
Time Inconsistency: Today’s Actions = Tomorrow’s Regrets
Why do we choose instant gratification over maximizing lifetime satisfaction? How is this reflected in government and macroeconomics? Learn how one research analyst proposes individuals and governments can accomplish greater lifetime...
Federal Reserve Bank
Financial Regulation: A Primer on the Dodd-Frank Act
Get the lowdown on the most sweeping financial regulatory reform since the Great Depression: the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010.
Federal Reserve Bank
Choices Are Everywhere: Why Can’t We Just Have It All?
Here is a resource covering a range of terms and concepts regarding scarcity, opportunity cost, and government debt in economics.
Federal Reserve Bank
“Dewey Defeats Truman”: Be Aware of Data Revisions
Discover the impact and importance of data releases about current economic conditions in the United States. Your class members will learn about data revision and the GDP, and how these figures can alter people's views on the economy.
Education World
Calendar Templates - Month of January
Never forget an important date with this series of calendar templates. Including a separate calendar for each month of year, this is a great resource to remind students, parents, and even teachers of upcoming school events.
Art Authority
Art Authority K-12
Image field trips to museums that display over 1000 major works of western art. Imagine no airfare, no long lines, and only one admission fee. Imagine viewing at your convenience, with your own private docent providing information about...