Young scholars consider works of art in their historical context. In this art in historical context lesson, students are encouraged to think about and record their prior knowledge of the historical period and to make inferences about the...

Sixth graders research treaties. In this treaties lesson, 6th graders go online to build knowledge about treaties. Students read information and take quizzes. Students write a comparative essay about how the Aboriginal and...

Students read the "Chicago Tribute Markers of Distinction," and pick one famous person to write about. In this creative writing worksheet, students write about this person's home. Additionally, students pretend that 100 years from now, a...

Students read an article about alternative energy and complete the associated worksheets. In this ESL/ELL alternative energy lesson plan, students read or listen an article about research at MIT in which scientists designed a...

Students design their own emblem. In this introduction lesson, students get to know one another by designing an emblem that combines symbols that represent themselves. They express themselves to their classmates. 

Growing up within a culture leaves a lot of ideas and values unspoken. Take a closer look at the cultures in which your learners live with a discussion activity that addresses cultural identity and traits of those living within the...

Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass serves as the anchor text for a instructional activity on symbolism. Readers use the provided worksheets to examine the symbols in the novel as well as in the world around them.

How far do your pupils think we should go in the name of science? Class members respond to questions relating to chapter three of Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science and then participate in a four corners...

Middle schoolers are likely very familiar with the concept of bullying and cliques. Discuss their experiences and brainstorm ways to handle peer conflict and feelings of exclusion with a poem that focuses on bullying, and a second lesson...

As part of a study of the American Revolution, class members engage in an inquiry-based lesson that has them watch a scene from the play Slave Spy, examine multiple primary source documents, and then discuss the similarities and...

The California missions were built with the hope of converting the local Native Americans to Catholicism, but exactly how different were their beliefs to begin with? Through analysis of a series of primary source documents,...

Before your high schoolers reached your morning class to learn about persuasive writing, they probably saw dozens of examples of persuasive communication in the form of advertisements. A short, introductory lesson inspires class members...

You know global warming is real when your squirrel feeder is full of popped corn instead of kernels! Activity two in a series of five allows learners to explore climate change through the eyes of another. After briefly analyzing their...

Explore the amazing temperate rainforest of the Pacific Northwest. Your class starts by investigating the animals and plants of the Northwest, specifically Washington, and then research an animal population common to the area. In small...

While less well known than the event in Boston, the Yorktown Tea Party was equally decisive in turning community sentiment against Great Britain. To gain an understanding of why the colonists objected to the Tea Act, young historians...

Middle schoolers explore the concept of philanthropy. In this service learning lesson, students discover what philanthropy is and identify people who benefit from philanthropy. Middle schoolers read selected newspaper articles regarding...

Students participate in the iEARN Project by completing a questionnaire about values and lessons they have learned. They read sample essays by other students in the project about their views on the laws of life. They then write and post...

Eighth graders analyze lyrics from songs from a variety of genres. In this musical analysis instructional activity, 8th graders write an essay about their life plans in which they discuss the lyrics of U2's song, "One." They tell how the...

Students brainstorm transition words, and utilize word list to order paragraphs and multi-paragraph essays.

Students examine what it would be like to be disabled. They read literature with characters who have disabilities and discuss how society treats people with disabilities. They write an essay explaining why they are "normal."

Students examine the definition of species. Students complete a phylogentic tree of the Canidae family. They write an essay justifying why or why not wolves and dogs should be classified as different species.

Students explore and apply their proofreading skills in order to prepare their project essays for peer editing and final drafting. They refine their final project essays by identifying and correcting spelling and grammatical errors.

Young scholars examine the concept of Manifest Destiny and the United States. They analyze the Mexican War from the perspective of the Mexicans and the Indians. They write an essay about these different perspectives.

Students investigate the emotion and social practice of empathy. They role play being in various situations in order to understand the feelings of others. Students pick an adult to interview who has overcome great difficulty.