Contains plans for three lessons that teach students to examine junk mail critically. In addition to objectives and standards, this instructional plan contains links to sites used in the lessons as well as assessment and reflection...

Contains plans for four lessons that ask students to formulate critical thinking questions and lead class discussions about the issues raised in the books of Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein. In addition to objectives and standards, this...

Critical thinking, comprehension and analysis skills are the focus of this physical activity. Good beginning to teaching different ways of looking at things.

Contains plans for a lesson about writing draft letters, or reflective letters about pieces of writing that students are submitting to an instructor. In addition to objectives and standards, this instructional plan contains links to...

Literary response and prediction are the focus of this lesson plan. Knowing story structure is an important skill for literary analysis, and this gives teachers a way to help learners develop this skill. Includes links to web resources,...

Integrating various creative formats with solid, researched fact, allows students to show what they have learned. The resulting "museum" can be shared with an audience in any of a number of ways. Includes handouts, rubric, and...

This lesson focuses on understanding listening including defining active listening, the five stages of the listening process, listening and critical thinking, and the four main barriers to effective listening.

Try your hand at designing and building an 18-inch tower that can support a tennis ball while a fan blows on it.

Analyzing a book takes the form of creating their own when learners complete this activity. The stated goal is to help students "Read like writers." Includes link to a template for student use.

Teach the history of Civil Rights using this comprehensive learning module. Trace the movement from the 14th Amendment to modern times. The focus is on African American rights but also touches on women and disabled American's rights....

Contains plans for five lessons that ask students to write reviews of pieces of technology (cell phones, webcams, ink pens, satellite dishes, etc.) like they would write reviews of books. In addition to objectives and standards, this...

Contains plans for six lessons that ask students to write group book reviews after reading texts in literature circles. Students also learn about research and documentation as they put together their reports. In addition to objectives...

Designed to help students think about their reading and writing skills, this page offers three different ways to interpret and discuss texts.

A multi-faceted activity where students learn about the elements of a Japanese garden, then construct a peepshow book that demonstrates their understanding of foreground, middle ground, and background to represent a Japanese garden....

In this interactive activity from the Web site developed for the PBS series "Building Big," investigate hypothetical structural emergencies and figure out how to repair them.

View George Washington's annotated draft of the Constitution while discussing the ratification process. Specifically, the young scholars will analyze changes to the Preamble of the Constitution. Critical thinking questions are provided.

A geometry lesson that examines the history and structure of ancient pyramids and engages young scholars in constructing pyramid models. A comprehensive lesson that considers students with diverse learning styles. Math concepts...

Use this instructional activity in the middle of a Revolutionary War unit. Students will analyze sections of the Declaration of Independence to answer critical thinking questions. Upon completion of the unit, students will reevaluate...

Using the lyrics, music and video of a selected song (example used here is 'One' by the Irish group U2), students will explore the ways in which words, music and visual images interact to create meaning. Students will analyze the...