Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Literature Circles: Typical Discussion Day Structure

For Teachers 10th
Tenth graders practice and facilitate a discussion.  In this literature lesson, 10th graders practice using effective discussion strategies. Students participate in reflection and self-assessment on their own discussion...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Theme vs. Topic

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students use Aesop's fables to examine theme and topic. In this theme and topic lesson plan, students read different fables and discussing as a class. After hearing more stories students work in pairs to determine the theme or topic.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Power of Journals: Going Beyond the Text

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders define and use new vocabulary and identify the reasons why Native Americans captured Europeans during the colonial period. They write their own journal entries about the topic and explain the importance of journals as a...
Article
Online Writing Lab at Purdue University

Purdue University Owl: Common Pitfalls of Primary Research

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Learn about the common mistakes made when reporting primary research findings.
Rubric
Buck Institute

Pbl Works: Rubric for Rubrics

For Teachers 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login Required] This rubric describes a well-written rubric, and how a rubric is created and used with students. It is clear, concise, and useful for helping educators avoid some common pitfalls. It can be used during...
Article
Harvard University

The Harvard Gazette: Trailblazing Initiative Marries Ethics, Tech

For Students 9th - 10th
First in a four-part series that taps the expertise of the Harvard community to examine the promise and potential pitfalls of the rising age of artificial intelligence and machine learning, and how to humanize it. Students are asked to...
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: This Landfill Is a Gas!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
In this activity, students work as engineers to build and observe a model landfill. They will understand the process and pitfalls of the use of landfills as a method for the waste disposal.
Handout
North Central Regional Educational Laboratory

Ncrel: Developing a School or District Technology Plan

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
This site from the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory provides information on how to create a technology plan that is part of an overall school improvement plan. Discusses guidelines, planning committees, budgets, and agenda...
Lesson Plan
PBS

Pbs Lesson Plan (Affluenza): Credit Quandaries

For Teachers 9th - 10th
"Credit cards are not free money." Just how do credit cards work? This site provides a lesson in which students investigate the lure of credit card companies, the pitfalls of credit debt, and the impact of credit debt on our society....
Article
Character Lab

Character Lab: Bragging Backfires: The Hidden Costs of Self Promotion

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Take a pause and think the next time you are tempted to brag. Research shows that unfortunately, we fail to accurately assess the cost of self-promotion. This blog discusses the pitfalls of bragging.
Interactive
Federal Trade Commission

On Guard Online: Auction Action: Test Your Knowledge About Online Auctions

For Students 9th - 10th
Play this online game from the Federal Trade Commission to test your knowledge about online auctions. There are plenty of pitfalls to avoid whether you are a buyer or a seller. Here you can learn the 'rules of the marketplace'.
eBook
Texas Education Agency

Texas Gateway: Ch. 14: Introduction to Monetary Policy and Bank Regulation

For Students 11th - 12th
In this chapter, you will learn about the following: The Federal Reserve banking system and central banks, bank regulation, how a central bank executes monetary policy, monetary policy and economic outcomes, and the pitfalls for monetary...
Handout
Khan Academy

Khan Academy: Public Service Loan Forgiveness: A Path Out of Student Debt

For Students 9th - 10th
If you're employed by the government or certain types of non-profits, you may qualify for student loan forgiveness through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Learn more about what it takes to qualify and common pitfalls to avoid.
Handout
Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Southeastern Shrew

For Students 4th - 8th
In spite of its widespread distribution, the Southeastern Shrew remained very poorly known until a new trapping method, the pitfall trap, came into use in the 1970s and 1980s. Pitfall traps are traps sunk into the ground: small mammals...
Handout
Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Dwarf Shrew

For Students 4th - 8th
Because the Dwarf Shrew is so small, it doesn't trigger the older snap or box traps, and before 1966, only 18 specimens had been collected. With the use of pitfall traps, which are basically cans sunk into the ground so that the animal...