Curated OER
Transition Words in Writing
Transition words in writing are the focus of the language arts lesson plan presented here. In it, learners cut out the word-sort cards (embedded in the plan), and put them into four categories: time, examples, space, and summary. They...
Virginia Department of Education
Developing an Essay: Word Choice
Grading essays after reading a novel written by a lyrical master (think Nabokov, Morrison, Chabon) is a deflating experience. Why can’t your student’s display the same skill in diction as your favorite writers? Because you did not use...
Speak Truth to Power
Harry Wu: Forced Labor
Over the course of two class periods, young historians explore human rights issues; specifically, forced labor in China. This resource provides everything you need, including relevant vocabulary, an anticipatory activity, and a...
ARKive
Penguin Diversity – Mask Making
Penguins are very diverse and well-adapted birds; they live on islands, in warm and cold climates. Little ones examine penguin diversity and discuss the highly functional adaptive traits that have helped them survive in some of the...
Curated OER
Vocabulary/Reading Lesson for Students with Severe Intellectual Disabilities
Here is a great little reading and vocabulary development lesson plan created just for learners with special needs. The lesson plan is constructed with both core content and necessary adaptations in mind. The group will use PECS,...
National Gardening Association
Migration Mishaps
Elementary ecologists pretend to be migratory hummingbirds. They fly between wintering and nesting grounds, trying to reach a habitat haven. In a musical-chair fashion, some birds will miss out, and are removed from the game. To further...
Barren County Schools
American Revolution Project
Here you will find three simple and engaging American Revolution projects that will allow your learners to not only express their comprehension of major events and key terms during the war, but also offer the opportunity for great...
Exploratorium
Exploring a Complex Space-Filling Shape
Middle schoolers build a three-dimensional 12-pointed star as a geometric exercise. The shape is quite-difficult to construct. Luckily there is an excellent template that learners cut out, then use to make their pyramid. The second part...
Texas State Energy Conservation Office
Investigation: Water Wheel
Middle school scientists construct a working water wheel from an aluminum pie pan. Because of the sharp edges on the cut aluminum, this activity is for mature learners only. You could have your class compete to see whose wheel can lift...
Exploratorium
Geyser
Although it requires a little extra preparation the first time you use this geyser demonstration, it can be used repeatedly once it has been constructed. This demonstration is useful in showcasing how heat leads to increased pressure and...
Exploratorium
Spectra
Make a class set of spectrum tubes by first purchasing some diffraction grating, and then constructing the tools with mailing tubes or shoe boxes. If you aren't up for assembling them, you could purchase prepared spectroscope kits. This...
Exploratorium
Resonator
Construct a demonstration apparatus for your lesson on resonance. Instructions are provided here to assemble dowels and balls into swinging objects that have different frequencies. It is a neat visual to include during your lecture if...
Exploratorium
Groovy Sounds
Make music. Class members construct a simple record player using a paper cone and a pin. The resource provides a description of what is happening and why listeners can hear the sounds through the cone.
Exploratorium
Indicating Electrolysis
Sure, your learners know water is made up of two molecules, but watching them separate helps the class see the construction like never before. This resource provides directions on how to build a simple electrolysis device using a...
Computer Science Unplugged
Ice Roads–Steiner Trees
As an introduction to Steiner Trees, class members are challenged to find the shortest paths to connect multiple points. The teacher introduces the problem by showing how to connect three points. Groups then go outside and construct a...
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
Charting the Progress of New Horizons
In 2006, New Horizons began its mission to fly to Pluto. As it continues its journey, scholars track its progress with the help of an informative website, all the while reinforcing measurement concepts with the construction of a scaled...
Virginia Department of Education
Go with the Flow
How does nature's hierarchy relate to our local human environment? Answer this question, along with others, as the class visually depicts the natural hierarchy provided by nature. Pupils discuss each piece of the pyramid and its energy...
University of Connecticut
Building Your Own Biosphere
On September 26, 1991, four women and four men entered the scientific experiment, Biosphere 2; the doors were sealed for two years in order to study the interactions of a biosphere. In the activity, scholars explore biospheres by...
Virginia Department of Education
Genetic Variation and Mutations
Young scientists demonstrate their creativity while completing several activities, to assess genetic variations and mutations. Instructors provide a list of options and scientists choose to write a comic strip, create a book,...
Virginia Department of Education
Special Right Triangles and Right Triangle Trigonometry
Right triangles are so special! Use special right triangles to discover the trigonometric ratios. Pairs construct special right triangles and find the values of the ratios of the sides. In the process, they discover the ratios stay the...
Teach Engineering
Catching the Perfect SAR Waves!
Zero in on an interesting resource involving radar technology. Groups construct a radar sensing unit and learn to calibrate the system. Using the radar system and the Pythagorean Theorem, they calculate distances between objects.
DiscoverE
Build a High Dive
Can't build a cantilever? You'll be able to after a hands-on, constructive activity. Young engineers build cantilevers out of straws and tape. The finished products must be able to hang off a table as far as possible.
US House of Representatives
A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words
As part of a study of women in Congress, groups analyze historical photographs associated with women's history and with women senators and representatives.
Scholastic
Lesson 3: Essay Organizer
A three-minute exercise warms-up scholars' writing abilities in order to follow a writing process that ends in an essay. The essay's topic is a barrier and the values used to break it. Four steps include choosing a topic,...