Creative projects are great ways to increase interest in topical research. Middle schoolers learning about primitive life styles in the Americas explore the importance of music to hunter gatherers. They research and create musical...

Young scholars research nonprofit organizations. As they research, they learn how those living in the colonial period formed community organizations to provide for the common good of their society. Each pupil chooses one organization to...

In the first lesson plan of this unit on colonial trade, fourth graders gain background knowledge of different jobs performed by early colonists. The class begins with a slide show presentation that includes a variety of great...

To understand their time spent online, class members chart their use of technology during early morning hours, during school, after school, in the evenings, and on weekends. They then read several reports about how social media...

When faced with a dilemma, how do journalists decide how much news to use? Social media scholars explore the philosophies of ethical resolution in the first of a 16-part Social Media Toolbox series. Partnered pupils use a Potter Box to...

Students create and extend patterns. For this pattern lesson, students learn to identify patterns using multiple senses. Students work at centers in small groups to explore and extend their understanding of patterns.

Even young children watch sports and like team logos and products. It's never too early to think critically about what's onscreen. This exercise develops awareness that media communicate values (i.e. who participates in sports and who...

If there is one thing that would benefit young learners for the rest of their lives, it is to learn how to type correctly. This skill is one that they will use for their whole lives. In the age of computer technology, where so much...

Good reading practices can start at any age. Early readers work with the teacher to read a short story about a bear. First, they identify basic text features, such as the title, author, and illustrator. Then, they answer several simple...

Students explore computers. They type their names and use different fonts. They create mini-posters using Kid Pix software and use the Oregon Trail software to discover the westward trek in United States history. They explore websites...

Using Google Earth, Google Docs, and other Google Tools, collaborative groups of seventh graders research and then create and share online newspapers reporting on the early development, geographical features, political issues, and...

Students examine the difference between "news" of earlier periods, and "news" as we know it today. They then go out into the school common areas and analyze news from the perspective of word-of-mouth storys and discuss what they can...

What important facts about Dr. Seuss influenced the Read Across America movement...? This is the driving question of a research project that requires scholars to find information about Dr. Seuss' life and work. Class...

Students become familiar with how to get information from the Internet. In this math and technology lesson plan, students measure objects on a measurement sheet found on a web site. They practice using a standard unit of measurement...

Students retrace the steps of European explorers to the New World and recreate the early exploration through online research and multimedia presentations. In this world history and technology lesson, students research early explorations...

Fourth graders explore, examine and study ceramics, a medium of historical importance to China. They review the advanced technology of the early Chinese civilization and are introduced to the scientific method of inquiry and make...

Fourth graders study the economy of Jamestown. In this early settlers instructional activity, 4th graders read about the trade between the English and the natives in Jamestown. This instructional activity is part of a larger unit and...

Students use "Kid Pix" to explore plants. For this science and technology lesson plan, students become familiar with plant parts and label them on a plant. Students tell the functions of each of the plant parts.

Students discover keyboard positions by playing a game on a body-sized keyboard placed on the floor. They learn the key positions by associating them with words easy to remember such as "animals in the snow dig for food," for the ASDF keys.

Students investigate music appreciation by completing worksheets. In this musical arts lesson, students complete worksheets in which they identify different musical instruments, the sounds they make and the family of instruments they...

Imagine recycling food scraps and using them to make paper. The directions are all here in a seven-page packet that details several paper-making strategies.

Young scholars investigate slavery in America circa the American Revolution. They will examine point- of view and perspective as they research a variety of informational resources. While this is designed to be used with the PBS video...

Students examine Library organization. For this logic lesson, students watch a Between the Lions episode and consider how the library has been organized. Students each list their 3 favorite book titles and how they would classify them....

Bring digital storytelling to your language arts class! To begin, learners select their own topic, such as a poem that reflects a life experience they had or a historical figure who interests them. Then they work to create a storyboard...