Students gather and organize information for a research report on a topic of their choosing. Each students selects a subject for their research. Using traditional and electronic data they reference four or more appropriate resources...

Learners discuss irony. In this language arts activity, students identify irony and give examples of irony from their lives, a book, and current events. Learners classify types of irony.

Eighth graders examine a new kind of art that is used to respond to political and social issues. Using primary source documents, they read examples of how others have responded to various issues in the past. Individually, they create...

Students create an annotated bibliography on writings related to Japanese internment and analyze the writings for possible bias. They view a video on the Korematsu Internment case and use the internet to find print and non-print sources...

Students utilize primary sources to explore the national climate concerning Native American Indians during the Andrew Jackson administration. They are presented with opinions for and against the Indian Removial Act of 1830 as they...

Students, after reading a novel, utilize geographic skills to map out the places described in the novel. They collect data, envision spatial features and then design a map to work off of to complete their assignment. Each student also...

Use essential elements cards to help lesson plan! Each card contains an informational text common core standard for grade levels six through eight and suggestions for activities and supports. Cards address skills such as citing textual...

Fourth graders improvise music and dance to express their analysis of types of rocks. They discuss the three classes of rocks, list describing words, and create a short musical piece and dance to symbolize the rock they are dancing.

Eighth graders predict human population growth.  In this lesson plan, 8th graders discuss the length of time needed to double the human population, work in groups to chart population growth and predict population growth in the...

Middle schoolers stand up against bullying in a character-building lesson. After discussing historical figures who became advocates in times of adversity, they brainstorm ways to end bullying at their own school, and use a formal letter...

Students discover the times of Colonial America by creating a timeline.  In this U.S. History lesson, students research a teacher-directed website about African Americans in early colonial times.  Students utilize their...

Readers listen and critically read fictional prose to answer prediction questions at designated stopping points, and then they give a summary of the short story. This lesson is ideal for English language learners developing English...

C.S. Lewis’s That Hideous Strength provides the model for using dreams in narrative writing. After a discussion of the purpose of dreams in Lewis’s tale, class members craft a story in which their dreams play an essential role.

While the preparation for this lesson is extensive, the results are well worth the effort. Prior to the lesson, Xerox the pictures from Cranberry Thanksgiving by Wende and Harry Devlin, collect the ingredients for Cranberry Bread, and...

Fourth graders explore fractions through the analysis of various paintings. They view and discuss paintings by Picasso and Seurat, discuss the fractional examples in the paintings, and create a bar graph.

Students interpret proverbs as part of an analysis of the book The Witch of Goingsnake. In this literary analysis lesson, students interpret a proverb and complete a KWL chart for the proverb. Students then research the proverb and write...

Students compare communities to which they belong. In this social studies and language arts lesson, students discuss trust and use a Venn diagram to compare two communities to which they belong.

Learners outline the action in their narrative writing assignments by brainstorming about conflict. In this conflict analysis lesson, students define conflict and discuss the different types of conflict. Learners brainstorm about a...

Eighth graders pick a topic or person to research related to the history of mathematics. They brainstorm and create a concept map, using the multimedia software inspiration, about what they are researching and want to examine. They then...

Students discuss elements of fairy tales, examine selected piece of Robert Harris' art, and compose fairy tales based on what they see and imagine. Students then view homes in Harris' artwork collection, create home in which they would...

Students identify three different American Indian regions and tribes, their food, clothing, shelter, recreation, and transportation. Students create artifacts that can be placed in a museum. Students sing songs, chants, and dance. ...

Larvae transportation on the New England seamounts is based on the density of the water. Scholars calculate density and graph salinity versus temperature to better understand the distribution of organisms in a water column....

Is it really that big of a deal if the global climate undergoes a little change? Young environmentalists consider this very question as they discuss in small groups the impact of different climate change scenarios on their lives,...

After reviewing food chains, your class members participate in an arctic predator-prey game that exemplifies the impact of climate change of food availability. If you are in a hurry, skip this lesson, but if you have the time to...