Institute for Humane Education
I've Been Branded!
How many pairs of Nikes® or Apple® products are in the average American home? What makes someone buy one particular type of laundry detergent over another? Scholars grapple with these questions as they develop a list of brands they use...
Institute for Humane Education
Where Are the People like Me?
Are some characteristics more desired than others?Scholars examine attributes of characters in books, models in catalogs, and articles in magazines. Discussion leads to identifying characteristics they see more often as well as...
Curated OER
Coast-to-Coast Book Design -Part 2: What is Design?
Students explore the concept of design, and identify items in their lives that have been designed. They explore the concept of book design and create and arrange their own page layout.
Curated OER
“Pardon This Interruption-Columbus Has Landed!!!”
Students research, design, rehearse, record, and present a 60 second Public Service Announcement, based on Columbus' arrival in the America. The students, working in groups, utilize the design process in creating their PSA. This lesson...
Curated OER
Uniform Design
Students investigate the military by examining their uniforms. In this design lesson, students analyze the military uniforms from different locations and time periods. Students create new ideas for current military uniforms.
Curated OER
60-30-10
Students use ratios and proportions to represent quantitative relationships as they investigate the concept of how percentages are used by designers. Students decorate the same room using three different percentages of colors.
Curated OER
Treasure Hunters
Students design an on campus treasure hunt to find various architectural vocabulary words which they then create definitions for on the blog page on the Environmental Design website.
Curated OER
Credit - Good? Bad?
Students examine credit cards. They explore the detrimental effects that result from debt and poor credit. Students analyze interest rates, minimum balances, and consumer debt. Students survey the benefits of credit cards.
Curated OER
Photojournalism: A Record of War
Students explore who has photographed war and why. They examine Mathew Brady's process for photgraphing the Civil War. Students investigate how photographic equipment has changed and improved through time. They analyze primary source war...
Curated OER
Designing "Green" to Save Our Green Planet
Students design an environmentally friendly home. In this middle school math/science lesson, students watch videos on creating green design. Students work in collaborative groups to determine what makes a house green and to...
Curated OER
Can You Do It?
Middle schoolers create a simple machine to help with the design of the traditional can opener. In this simple machines lesson plan, students analyze the can opener, and use the design process to solve problems.
Curated OER
America's Favorite Landmarks
Young scholars research using Google Earth a variety of websites to explore America's most prominent and famous buildings. They then compare and contrast architectural styles and write a position paper defending or arguing against their...
Curated OER
Biomimicry, Nature: Architecture of the Future
Students explore the relationship between nature and architecture. In this cross curriculum history, culture, and architecture lesson plan, students observe and discuss structures visible in nature. Students view websites in which Native...
Curated OER
A Tough Nut to Crack
Sixth graders explore agriculture by examining world geography. In this pecan cultivation lesson, 6th graders identify the history of the famous nut and the impact it has on the U.S. economy, diet and human body. Students define...
Curated OER
Conservation at a Crossroads Lesson 1: What Is Conservation and Why Does It Matter?
Young scholars explore the concept of conservation. In this conservation lesson, students read articles and primary documents about the Conservation Movement in the United States and compare the movement to today's environmental...
Curated OER
The Lorax
Third graders identify environmental problems. In this natural resources lesson students participate in several activities that support critical thinking about the environment and natural resources. The students write, list, and verbally...
Curated OER
Mini-Unit: Natural Resources
Students explore how their choices affect others. In this character development and ecology instructional activity, students debate choice-making issues. Students listen to The Lorax by Dr. Seuss and identify choices the...
Curated OER
Land as a Valuable Resource
Students investigate why the soil is important to our lives. In this natural resources instructional activity, students have a farmer as a guest speaker. Students begin to understand how farmers use and protect our natural resource....
Curated OER
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
In this seasons worksheet, students cut out the picture cards at the bottom of the page, sort the pictures and paste them with the matching season.
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Life Cycle of a Butterfly
In this activity on the life cycle of the butterfly, students look at 4 pictures representing the life cycle stages, and choose words from a word box that match each picture. Students then number the pictures in the correct order of life...
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The Mayflower Compact
Eighth graders investigate historical documents of the United States by reading the Mayflower Compact. In this U.S. History activity, 8th graders analyze the wording of the original Mayflower Compact of the first U.S. settlers and...
Curated OER
Ancient Roman Monuments and Timeline
While a terrific idea, this lesson in which learners create a timeline showing the date that a variety of buildings and monuments were built in Ancient Rome, requires resources teachers may not have. It requires the use of a Smartboard,...
Curated OER
Energy: Power to the People
Students explore the concept of renewable energy. In this green design lesson, students research local energy issues facing their community and create policies to address the issues.
Curated OER
Every Object Tells a Story
High schoolers read the story behind objects in the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum and create a story about an object in the exhibit. In this design lesson, students explore the "Design for the Other 90%" exhibition and create a...