Young scholars read the novel "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens. In groups, they use the text to identify and describe family relationships in the book. Using this information, they compare and contrast how these relationships are...

Sixth graders find Greece on the map and recognize how the geography of Greece was important in its development. In this ancient Greece lesson, 6th graders research Greece and compare to the civilization of ancient Egypt. Students answer...

Sixth graders examine Ancient Greece and its development of democracy. In this Greek History instructional activity, 6th graders explore the rise of city-states in Greece and its overall effect on the development of democracy. The class...

Students explore the penguin life cycle. In this penguin life cycle lesson, students read the book The Emperor's Egg by Martin Jenkins. Students look at the pictures and make predictions. Students identify facts about penguins and do...

Students explore writing as an agent for social change. In this Social Studies lesson, students examine the power of writing using Dr. King's Letter from a Birmingham Jail.  Students will practice the technique of persuasive writing...

Seventh graders gain practice in writing sentences according to a specific purpose: declarative, interrogative, imperative and exclamatory. This lesson includes a very thorough worksheet and assessment.

Students analyze, critique, and evaluate information from various sources and learn about the design process. In this design lesson, students critique work submitted to People's Design Award and create a design of their own to present to...

Students develop an appreciation for Shakespeare by researching the Elizabethan period and situations in the Twelfth Night. In this Shakespeare play lesson, students complete a 52 page packet to learn about the period of time and...

Students read and view video about the pioneers moving west.  In this African American pioneer lesson, students become familiar with the problems faced by the pioneers and African-American pioneers. Students complete...

Eighth graders examine still life as subject matter, personal expression as a purpose for creating art, and creating a still life using a 19th or early 20th century technique.

Before you jump into this lesson, be aware there is little to work with. That being said, the ideas are solid and will be brought to life with a little Halloween spirit. Learners examine horror as a sub-genre, and contemplate what makes...

Students investigate the architecture found in cemeteries in order to separate different time periods of distinct design. The use of examples helps them to recognize the design in correlation to its time. The lesson is delivered in a...

One way to assess improvement in writing is to conduct a district-wide assessment program. This resource details the Wisconsin Dells approach to assessing freshmen 6+1 Traits writing. The format could be adapted to any district or used...

Students examine the use of steamboats in North Carolina. In groups, they design and contruct their own small models of steamboats using simple materials. They test their models in water and share how they were built and why. They...

Seventh graders investigate the concept of mood and how it influences various types of art. They create an abstract painting and demonstrate how mood is present in the work. Also, 7th graders construct poems using word choices to set...

Students examine the artistic terms realism and idealism through the study of Chinese art and artifacts in this instructional activity for the Social Studies classroom. Evaluation is accomplished through an in-class essay.

Students create rice and glue holiday wreaths in this Art activity ideal for the 1st or 2nd grade. The activity can be adapted for older or younger students and includes an ingredient list and step-by-step directions for siccessful...

Students investigate and discuss the use of the dragon in Chinese folktales and art in this middle school lesson plan introducing Chinese art and culture. Lesson extensions are included for additional activities.

Students explore the usage of primary sources, what they are and how they originate. Artifacts are compared and contrasted as part of this historical inquiry as questions are formulated and conclusions drawn.

Students read texts, view film and video and conduct research in an analysis and comparison of Shakespeare's "Hamlet" and the Kabuki piece "Chushingura". They focus their analysis on the theme of revenge.

Students evaluate websites after gathering information from various search engines.  For this Civil War lesson, students browse the web and find strategies for rating websites.  Students choose the best sites in their opinion...

Here's a very powerful video that deserves a place in a Veterans Day lesson. Four young girls talk about what it's like to have a parent deployed and how they support one another during the deployment.

If you happen to live in Indiana, or a neighboring state, and are planning a field trip to the Whitewater Canal State Historic Site, then this lesson plan will suit your needs quite well. In it, suggestions for activities before, during,...

Let nature inspire your budding artists. They paint seascapes on actual seashells. First, they observe the seaside, then they paint what they see (image or in person) on the inside of a white shell.