Students study conscientious observers (COs) in the Civilian Public Service (CPS) during World War II. They explore how the media sources influence public opinion and policy makers, and complete a writing assignment about the topic.

Out with the old and in with the new? Not so in this lesson plan, which explores the idea of writing older characters in fiction. Students learn the value of varying their characters, exploring different perspectives, and avoiding...

Learners, after discussing and analyzing the value of reminiscence for people of all ages, write a reminiscence essay on their own lives and then create a story form the perspective of an older person.

Young scientists identify erosion, explain the causes of erosion, and name some techniques that can slow the process of erosion. Learners are divided up into groups of four and perform a simulation of soil erosion in class. The...

Here is a geology lesson that is sure to get your charges excited. It's all about the process of weathering of rocks. Learners study natural events that can cause rocks to break apart. Some of these events are: ice wedging, plant...

Fifth graders study the impact of human activity on water quality and on the ecosystems of Earth. After a discussion on the various ways that water can be polluted, groups of youngsters get together to figure out the best way to clean a...

Young biologists identify parts of the body that serve as wedges (teeth and fingernails), and as levers (jaw, arms, and legs). The hands-on activities described here should be exciting for learners to perform, and should also lead to a...

Looking for a terrific chemistry lesson for your 5th graders? This one could be for you! After a teacher-led demonstration, learners are broken up into groups and perform an experiment using cabbage juice, water, window cleaner, and...

Eighth graders work in pairs with a TI-73 graphing calculator to complete a multiple-choice review using the Classroom Performance System. Each team uses a remote unit to "click in" the answers. When all teams have completed the review,...

Fifth graders engage in some activities that will help them to identify erosion and explain the causes of erosion. They also look into ways that humans can slow the process of erosion in some cases. After a teacher-led demonstration,...

Here is a fine lesson for fifth graders that will give them an idea of the variety of impacts that human-introduced pollutants have on the environment. After an initial class discussion and teacher-led demonstration, pupils brainstorm...

Fifth graders are introduced to the important topic of renewable, and non-renewable, resources. They are expected to be able to correctly categorize different types of resources as renewable or non-renewable. Another emphasis of this...

Sure to be a hit with your charges, here is a science lesson that has lots of hands-on activities packed into it. The focus is simple machines, and how they help us perform work. After a discussion and demonstration session, groups of...

The goal of this science lesson is to have youngsters be able to identify the physical and chemical changes in the carbon cycle, and water cycle due to weathering. The in-class inquiry/experiment is quite interesting and easy to...

Students focus on reading musical notations. They see, hear, practice and write notations in the lessons to become more independent readers of music. They complete a Rubric for Pitch Worksheet.

Students identify the various parts of the body that serve as wedges and levers, identifying the fulcrum for each body lever. They bite into carrots and apples to analyze how their jaws and teeth work, then complete three worksheets that...

Students examine the increase of multigenerational families living under one roof. In groups, they discuss how more generations are affecting younger generations and how the family structure affects the relationships in families. They...

Pupils discuss the attitudes related to the word old. In groups, they identify negative stereotypes about getting older and determine how these attitudes affect public policy on the elderly. They compare and contrast the concepts of...

Students share the stereotypes they have about the older generation and vice versa. In groups, they identify ways in which these stereotypes can lead to age discrimination. They complete a handout and discuss their reactions to the...

Students participate in an Elders as Resources project. In groups, they work with their elders of the community to exchange viewpoints in which they can discover aspects about each other previously unknown. They also examine the case...

Students discuss how the elder members of the community are viewed. Using the internet, they research how this view has changed since colonial times. They also identify ways in which this attitude keeps changing in modern America.

High schoolers brainstorm a list of words they use to refer to the elderly. As a class, they discuss the importance of word connotations and explain those used to refer to the older population. They complete a handout and share their...

Students brainstorm a list of the achievements of people in their lives. In groups, they discuss the decisions that help people meet their goals later in life and identify values that help one overcome obstacles. They use the internet...

Students, while analyzing children's literature works as a vehicle for a multitude of insights, practice analytical reading and writing scenarios about older adults. In retrospect, they read books aloud to young children as well as write...