When researchers write a paper, they become curators of information. It's their job to determine the best sources of information on a topic and use those sources to inform their writing. As part of a larger series, a handout on annotated...

Young scholars create a mobile that includes each of the six planets. They list the character traits of each of the characters from the six planets visited by the Prince. They present their project to the class and teacher.

Introduce your learners to the bibliography page. After assigning some basic research, they alphabetize their three sources on the sheet provided. Then they use the website noted to input all of their information. It's one of those...

What is an annotated bibliography? While not usually required until college, introducing your juniors and seniors to this type of document will prepare them for their collegiate careers. The term is defined, and the three elements of an...

3D printers, selfie sticks, smart watches. GPS, self-driving cars, YouTube. Imagine life without inventions. Believe it or not, these items were all invented in the last 10 years. Inventions, and the inventors responsible for them,...

Students, using the Internet, communicate with peers around the world about winter-themed books. They study authors, write book reviews, re-write endings, interview book characters, create scene dioramas, paint murals, and write...

Gather some information, print it onto sentence strips, and then have your class physically shuffle the cards to better understand the importance of organizational patterns in writing. Middle school learners examine information for a...

Are you working on a research and citation unit? Have your young writers listen to a lecture on how to cite research sources correctly and how to distinguish new information that requires citing. They compile a list of works cited from...

Ask your young researchers to create a state brochure by working together to research Alaska and then use facts they have learned from the novel Woodsong to create a travel brochure about Alaska. Pupils must include a bibliography and...

Students create a new species of insect. They create a list of insect characteristics and use this as a springboard to draw an insect of their own. Students write a brief descriptive paragraphs about their insect, giving particular...

Merge technology and wellness. Class members complete inquiry-based research on a personal wellness issue and create an annotated bibliography, uploading their completed work to their personal wellness websites. Prior to beginning, your...

Eliminate the hard work of creating an entire literature unit with this reading guide for the novel Sarah, Plain and Tall. From background information about the author and her motivation for writing the story to...

"Conducting Research" is a short presentation that walks secondary students through steps for researching. Plagiarism, style, citing, and creating bibliographies are overviewed. While this is a short slide show, it would be useful...

The television and interstate highways both came of age in 1950s America. Scholars use film, text, and discussion to explore how these and other cultural icons shaped the literature of the time. Pupils also create a family history...

What would Ben do? Jumping off from the pseudonymous letters Ben Franklin fooled his older brother into publishing when he was still a teenager, young literary lovers dive into acting, writing, and addressing a local issue with wit and...

Students identify the themes of different books by classifying their genre.  In this genre lesson, students examine a specific animal by reading both a nonfiction and fiction book about the species.  Students compare the...

Whether you're new to using Nineteen Eighty Four in the classroom or you're an Orwell veteran, the materials in this teacher's guide are a valuable addition to your curriculum. The suggested activities prompt readers to create a newspeak...

Third graders review the basic structure of a bilbliography and its importance in writing. They create a bibliography of materials used to complete a written report, and power point slide show and use the computer lab to create a final...

Students explore the history of Canada by analyzing the First Nations' citizens. In this Native Canadian contributions instructional activity, students research the geography of Canada and create a book about the First Nations'...

Students explore science of taxonomy and the Five Kingdoms of life, categorize organisms into Kingdoms, and create multi-media presentations illustrating knowledge of a Kingdom. They collect data and related pictures on the Internet,...

While the ideas for Ancient Greek research are solid, there is little detail to help make your job easier. The focus here is familiarizing your class with online databases and print resources in their school library. After direct...

“Humanscape No.65” by Melesia Casas and Ester Hernandez’s “Sun Maid Raisins” launch a study of how works of art can advocate for social change. After examining these two works and discussing the human rights issues raised, class members...

Five segements from Ken Burns' documentary series Prohibition, easily accessed on the PBS website, are at the center of a terrific short unit on the roots of America's ambivalent relationship with alcohol. Engage your secondary...

Here's a richly detailed unit, designed for second graders, that focuses on decoding figurative language, including similes, metaphors, personification and idioms.