Curated OER
Pasta Bridges
Students design a bridge using pasta. They explore the elements of architecture involved in bridge building. They practice problem solving in a hands-on cooperative group effort.
Curated OER
Economic Concepts and Definitions
Third graders identify producers and consumers in SE Utah and Four-Corners communities. They identify the factors that determine economic development and name some occupations in their community. They show and share their graphic...
Curated OER
The Anasazi
Sixth graders investigate and determine the origins of the ancient Anasazi who inhabited present-day Utah and the Four-Corners-Region, after receiving direct instruction and carrying out activities in cooperative group settings. They...
Curated OER
The Magical Diving Sub
First graders discuss and predict if a given object sinks or floats. They record their predictions on a data sheet. Pupils test the objects and organize them into floating/sinking groups. Students observe the floating and sinking of a...
Curated OER
Green Stuff: Designing an Earth-Friendly Room
In this activity young scholars explore earth-friendly materials that can be used in home environments. They learn about the relationship between the environment and design, and use a variety of problem-solving strategies. They work in...
Curated OER
All About Me Books
Young authors write books about themselves using one of the identified types of literature and the writing process. They identify the common characteristics among the books in each group, edit, and gift their books to a younger student.
Curated OER
We Can't Decide
Second graders investigate decision making skills that they can apply on a daily basis. In this decision making lesson, 2nd graders listen to a read aloud of Pinocchio and make a list of times when decisions have to be made. They access...
Curated OER
What is Plagiarism?
What is plagiarism? Middle schoolers create a class definition of plagiarism and examine the importance of crediting people for their ideas. They review official school policy on plagiarism and study the consequences of presenting the...
Curated OER
Language Arts: Ode to the Ordinary
Eighth graders select ordinary objects, determine their uses, and write poems about them. Once they select an object, they create a web about its uses to serve as an outline. Once they have written their own odes, 8th graders meet in...
Learning to Give
It's Never Too Late: Air Quality
What are the causes and effects of pollutants on the quality of the air we breathe? Groups research emission standards, emission controls, career opportunities in the area of air quality control, and things government and individuals can...
Curated OER
Physical Education Unit Plan: Soccer - Lesson 3
Lesson three of this unit focuses on multiculturalism in soccer. Begin class by showing video clips of soccer in other countries. This instructional activity includes a link to Rwandan youth playing soccer in an open space....
NASA
Building for Hurricanes: Engineering Design Challenge
"By the hair on your chinny-chin-chin, I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house in," says the big, bad wolf! Engineering hopefuls are challenged to design and construct a hurricane-proof building from simple office and craft...
Curated OER
Put Your Truss in Building Bridges
Students apply abstract concepts, such as stress, fulcrums, the law of gravity, and the strength of different geometric shapes. Groups of student contractors operate simulated architectural firms to create strong, economical bridges.
Curated OER
Tiling the Classroom
Students see how to identify regular polygons, how to slide, turn and flip polygons, and why certain polygons tessellate better than others. Groups create a one foot square design to be used to tile the classroom. Great lesson!
ESL Holiday Lessons
Kwanzaa
Teach English language learners about the week-long holiday of Kwanzaa that is celebrated around the world during December. It includes holiday-themed reading comprehension passages, phrase matching, fill-in-the-blanks, and journaling...
Health Smart Virginia
Relationship Skills and Communication
Relationship and communication skills are the heart of a lesson that focuses on passive, aggressive, and assertive communication. After examining examples of each type, teams develop an assertive, win/win solution that resolves a conflict.
Curated OER
Get your Snow People Here
Students recall information from the story Snowballs to complete a story map. They also compare and contrast two Snow People and cooperatively create an original snow person.
Curated OER
Working Together to Solve a Problem
Students create a food and clothing drive at their school. In this philanthropy lesson plan, students listen to the story Selavi, That is Life, to help them understand homelessness. Then, students brainstorm ways to implement a plan to...
US Mint
The Growth of a Nation
Young historians explore the identity of the early United States in this four-part lesson series. Working in groups of three, students research the political, economic, and cultural atmosphere of each member of the...
Curated OER
Skittle Around with Fraction and Percentages
Fifth graders investigate the interchangeable relationship betweeen fractions and percents. They discuss the concepts using teacher provided questions. Then sutdents work in cooperative groups to maximize scaffolding.
Curated OER
Probability - What Are the Odds?
Learners study the concept of probability. For this probability lesson, students define probability and visit an interactive spinner website to learn about theoretical and experimental probability. Learners use pennies and work in pairs...
Curated OER
What Do I Write About?
Second graders write as essay describing the cooperative group drawing they made or describing the process to draw a group picture.
Curated OER
Media Awareness: Helping a Product Cross the Finish Line
Students develop critical thinking skills to understand and create advertisements. In this journalism lesson, students analyze the elements necessary for effective advertisements and work in cooperative groups to create and present...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Pizza! Pizza! Pizza!
Fifth graders practice using money in everyday situations. They use their addition and subtraction skills as they work in cooperative groups to solve problems involving decimals.