After watching a presentation that describes the difference between sympathy and empathy, class members fill out an empathy shoe organizer sharing 10 facts about themselves that others may not know. The goal is to create a more accepting...

Turning 11 comes with a range of emotions. Explore those emotions by reading the short story "Eleven" by Sandra Cisneros. Readers analyze the main character's reactions to the events of her day. Then, they write an essay describing what...

The verbal techniques and emotional appeals contained in the language used in political ads plays a vital role in creating the impact of the ad. As class members continue their study of Presidential campaign commercials from 1952–2012,...

Scientists study all sorts of things. For example, studies show that it feels good to feel grateful. Feeling grateful also contributes to physical health and strengthen relationships. In the second lesson about gratitude, class members...

Primary learners complete pre reading, writing, during reading, and interdisciplinary activities for the book First Day of School. They will  complete journal entries, answer short answer questions, have discussions, and much...

Letters have long been prized by historians as primary sources for what they reveal not only about events but also about the emotional responses of the writers to these events. "My Dear Little Boys," a letter written by Leonard Isacks on...

Having a hard time defining bullying with your seventh graders? Discuss the different types of behavior one would see in a bullying situation with a series of lessons, worksheets, and group activities.

Earthquakes can be frightening and dangerous, but being prepared can make a world of difference. Perform an earthquake simulation during which the class practices how to drop, cover, and hold on as you read a script...

There's power in a flower. After taking a happiness survey and watching a PowerPoint about the habits of happy people, pupils decorate a paper flower with six positive affirmation statements that they feel they can benefit from reading...

The increase in the number of restrictions placed on smoking represents a clear shift in the understanding of the dangers of both the short term and long term consequences of tobacco use. But people still light up. Three activities help...

Young historians research the connections between their personal histories and the histories of our country to gain a deeper understanding of who they are. To begin, class members write about an object that they consider significant to...

Feeling stressed? Who are you going to call? Why stress busters, of course! A 15-page booklet includes activities designed for tweens and teens. Participants first take a stress test to determine their level of stress. They then learn...

High schoolers examine the First Great Awakening and how it affected religious belief in colonial America. They read and analyze primary source documents, explore various websites, and write a five-paragraph essay examining the beliefs...

Did you know that clothing and textiles can be recycled, just like glass, paper, aluminum, and plastic? Pupils are introduced to textile recycling and design persuasive posters or letters that raise awareness about this unique...

Students explore a variety of everyday objects and group them according to their textures. They create a clay portrait, learning how to manipulate the material and tools to create different textures.

Kids evaluate world history events that show perseverance by creating artistic images. They investigate historic photographs and images which conjure up the feelings of perseverance, then utilize acrylic paints to capture the...

Young scholars create a photomontage. In this lesson on photography as a means of conveying emotion, students use images gathered from the Internet to create a photomontage comparing how water is used in Africa and the U.S.

Students explore how emotions affect the decision-making of peacekeepers and design simulators for training emergency-response personnel.

Building a strong classroom community is a huge part of our job. This idea lets the kids help define the rules, ideas, and behaviors that they want in their classroom. They'll work together to design a bulletin board that...

Students brainstorm and discuss essential traits for success. They develop a group list that displays essential traits of the successful classroom and journal about the experience.

Young scholars explain dance as a way to create and communicate meaning and demonstrate the difference between pantomiming and abstracting a gesture.

Students are introduced to the concept of composition in visual art. They examine various compositional structures and practice identifying the focus of various pieces of art.

Learners study the artist Wassily Kandinsky as well as his art and and music. For this art appreciation lesson, students view a variety of Kandinsky's work and circular color studies. Learners relate the use of color to emotion...

Students examine relationships between music and color, emotion and imagery, listen to different passages of music, and visually depict what they hear.