C-SPAN
The Electoral College and the Constitution
What is the purpose of the Electoral College? Is it antiquated, or does it have a place in today's political climate? High schoolers view a series of video clips as they analyze the parts of the United States Constitution that address...
ARKive
Human Impact on the Environment
Study the ways that humans have impacted the environment, particularly the spread of plastic waste. After watching a short film about the Laysan albatross population, learners complete a worksheet and research other ways that plastic...
Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment
Managing Change
"I don't want change; I want swiss!" As Willy Loman bemoans in Arthur Miller's Death of A Salesman, accepting change can be a real challenge. The aim of this session is to encourage class members to see the naturalness and...
Scholastic
Perfect Postcards: California
It's time to hear about some adventures in travel! The Transcontinental Railroad changed life and travel in the United States during the 1800s. Practicing online research skills, pupils discover the features they would like to visit on...
Curated OER
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: Poems for Two Voices
"That man is not truly one, but truly two." The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde offers readers a change to craft a poem combining words and phrases from Robert Lewis Stevenson's novella to create a poem...
Virginia Department of Education
Grade 8 Writing Prompts
Imagine four pages of writing prompts. Although designed specifically for eighth graders, the topics could be used for upper-elementary and high school writers as well.
Youth Outreach
Connecting the Separate Powers
Scholars demonstrate what they know about the separation of powers through role play. Two individuals act out a skit as the remaining class members discuss and decide whether the interaction they observed is an appropriate example...
Chicago Teachers Union Quest Center
Factored Form of a Quadratic Function
Build upon linear functions to learn about quadratics. The lesson introduces the concept of zeros for quadratic functions and makes the connection to the linear factors of the function. It presents quadratics in both graphical and...
Scholastic
Defining Conflict Using "The Interlopers"
Feeling conflicted? Work out those issues with a language arts lesson on internal and external conflict. Using "The Interlopers" by Saki, class members identify the conflicts between the characters before writing their own short...
Curated OER
Ordinary People: Unsent Letter
Invite your learners to take on the voice of a character from Ordinary People as they write a letter. Pupils use what they know about the given character to compose their letter, which must relate to the plot of the novel.
Humanities Texas
Primary Source Worksheet: Theodore Roosevelt, Excerpt from Eighth Annual Message to Congress
As Theodore Roosevelt reminded Congress in 1908, corporation one is not corporation two. Readers of this excerpt from Roosevelt's Message to Congress have an opportunity to sharpen their comprehension skills as they study this primary...
NPR
Women Of Jamestown Lesson Plan
To better understand the role women played in early 17th century US history, class members examine the National Women's History Museum's online exhibit, Building the New World: the Women of Jamestown Settlement. After studying the 11...
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Incredible Stories: Extra Support Lessons (Theme 3)
The materials in this 40-page packet are designed for learners who need extra support in order to understand the concepts in a thematic unit on fantasy and realism.
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Is Measuring an Art or a Science?
Not only do future engineers learn the difference between accuracy and precision, they also get some hands-on experience using different measuring tools.
Curated OER
Call It Courage
Sixth graders complete many activities and lessons based on a reading of "Call It Courage." They watch the video, complete computer based writing assignments, and prepare writing folders in the art center. They practice their word...
Curated OER
My Alien
Pupils listen to text read from "Hello! Anybody Out There?" and then brainstorm what aliens from outer space look like and do they exist at all.
They then will describe the physical features and a special ability or quality of an alien.
Curated OER
What Number?
This simple activity provides a quick review of reading comprehension and vocabulary development skills. By answering the 10 multiple choice questions, learners identify the key elements of the story, and the meaning of vocabulary words.
Curated OER
THE 1800s EXPERIENCE
Students explore aspects of life in the 1800's. In this lesson on historical life, students move through various outdoor stations and meet with costumed re-enactors (parent volunteers) who lead students in 8 different activities geared...
Curated OER
Globe Skills Lesson 1 Some Early American Cultures
Middle schoolers apply their knowledge of geography. In this geography skills lesson, students read brief selections regarding early Americans. Middle schoolers respond to the questions included in the self-guided map skills lesson.
Curated OER
Space Exploration- Voyagers 1 and 2
Everyone loves to learn about outer space. This space exploration passage has 10 questions relating to Voyager 1 and 2. There are both comprehension and vocabulary questions. The activity could be used with upper elementary or ESL students.
Curated OER
Create a Word Graveyard to Teach Synonyms
Students explore descriptive writing by creating headstones. For this memorial lesson, students utilize an 11" x 17" piece of paper to create a cemetery headstone memorializing a word rather than a person. Students decorate their...
Curated OER
Let Me Tell You About My State
Fifth graders research one of the 50 U.S. States that they were unfamiliar with. For this U.S. Geography lesson, 5th graders utilize encyclopedias as well as the Internet to research a chosen U.S. State in order to write a report....
Curated OER
A View from the Ground
Students look at a park from ground perspective. In this map skills lesson, students are introduced to a story about a girl at a park and make observations about the park based on a picture. This prepares students for the next lesson in...
Curated OER
Hello Summer
Learners celebrate the great outdoors and the coming summer break by studying the natural world. In this seasons lesson, students engage in bark rubbing and operate a digital camera to capture outdoor imagery for a collage to help them...