Is it illegal to lie about military service? Discuss the ways the First Amendment affects the Stolen Valor Act with a lesson that focuses on the Supreme Court case U.S. v. Alvarez. As high schoolers learn more about the history of the...

The balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet takes center stage as class members consider the structural choices Shakespeare makes, i.e., having Romeo appear first in the scene and having Juliet appear unaware that Romeo is listening to her...

Kindness is never a standalone act. Fourth graders read the classic tale of Androclus and his act of service to the lion, which is repaid to him by the lion in a Roman colosseum. After reading the passage, they answer four comprehension...

Think like a human, act like a robot. Scholars program a human robot to travel through an obstacle course. One member of the team then becomes the robot and acts out the code. Hopefully, this human robot will make it through the course!

What goes around, comes around. Using the resource, pupils read Act 4.3 of Macbeth, in which Macduff and Malcolm plan to attack Macbeth. Scholars then hold a discussion and complete writing activities to analyze Shakespeare's structural...

How do complex characters develop throughout a text? Pupils read Act 5.1 from Shakespeare's Macbeth, which depicts Lady Macbeth's descent into madness. Using discussion and writing exercises, scholars analyze how Shakespeare develops...

How does the setting impact other elements within a play? Using a helpful resource, scholars explore the question by completing a Quick Write after reading Act 5.1 of Shakespeare's Hamlet. Additionally, they engage in a whole-class...

How does Shakespeare develop the characters of Laertes and Ophelia in Hamlet? Scholars complete a Quick Write to answer the question. They also continue reading and discussing the first act of the play.

Two sonnets, both alike in theme and story, break from ancient language to new glory. The prologue to Act I of Romeo and Juliet provides scholars with an opportunity to examine the language Shakespeare uses to create timeless stories....

A presentation guides a discussion and opportunity for role-playing about identifying and talking about emotions. To begin, scholars share memories of happiness and unhappiness and how they responded to specific feelings. Then, learners...

Students examine "Washington Crossing the Delaware." In this American Revolution lesson, students analyze the painting, research its background, and then perform skits based on their findings. 

Your chemistry class set up six different redox reactions in the lab. Inquisitors methodically test each one and eventually order them according to oxidizing strength. This is a neat way to have the learners perform more than one...

A six-week unit takes high schoolers through various works of African-American literature, including poems, plays, and short stories. The lesson plan format includes a week-by-week description of activities, goals, materials, and...

By participating in discussions using prompts and statements provided in the lesson plan, learners identify the concept of extremism and consider what causes violent acts of extremism in the modern world. 

Class members begin their study of Romeo and Juliet by examining the words Shakespeare chooses in the Prologue to Act I to create the tragic tone of his famous play about star-crossed lovers.

Readers examine the conversation between Friar Laurence and Romeo in Act 3, scene 3 of Romeo and Juliet and consider how Shakespeare's word choices impact the development of Romeo's character.

After watching the scene from Romeo + Juliet in which Juliet argues with her parents because she does not want to marry Paris, groups do a close reading of Act 4, scene 1, lines 44-88, examining the word choices in the conversation...

The government at the local level acts as perhaps one of the most relevant government systems to many in their communities. Learners discover how the local government shapes their lives and the similarities and differences between the...

What was the purpose of the Enrollment Act of 1863? Pupils consider the topic while completing the novel study for The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick. They write original similes and answer reading...

One important skill in analyzing scientific evidence is identifying facts versus opinions. Scholars identify pieces of evidence from the film The Day the Mesozoic Died and then discuss this evidence in small groups at the end of each act...

One sentence, so much meaning. Scholars analyze a quote from Act 2.3 of Shakespeare's Macbeth and explore the plot in a jigsaw discussion.

Lady Macduff uses a metaphor to suggest that her husband does not possess the courage of even a tiny, short-winged bird—ouch! Using the resource, pupils discover Act 4.2 of Shakespeare's Macbeth. Using reading, writing, and discussion,...

Decimal place value is the topic of a Battleship themed-interactive. Scholars answer five questions—multiple-choice and true or false—while referencing a grid that acts as the board game. The practice concludes with a discussion...

Scholars delve into Act 1.2 of Shakespeare's Hamlet. By completing a writing exercise and participating in a class discussion, they continue to analyze how the author develops the characters in the play.