Penguin Books
Teacher's Guide: Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
A teacher's guide for Kindred provides instructors with a wealth of materials to enrich either a full-class reading or independent study of Octavia E. Butler's popular science fiction novel. The activities are designed to...
Shoop English
Literature Terms Activity
Designed to be used with an independent reading book, this activity provides practice with identifying and explaining literary terms. While they read, individuals find instances of literary devices and elements in use in their books....
Virginia Department of Education
Properties of Operations
Explore the definitions of algebraic properties through a hands-on activity. Individuals cut and paste examples and match them to the correct properties. After examining the provided examples, pupils create examples of their own.
Virginia Department of Education
Independent and Dependent Variables
Investigate the relationship between independent and dependent variables. Individuals begin by identifying independent and dependent variables from different problem situations. Then, using specific guidelines, they create posters...
Virginia Department of Education
Growing Patterns and Sequences
Learners explore, discover, compare, and contrast arithmetic and geometric sequences in this collaborative, hands-on activity. They build and analyze growing patterns to distinguish which kind of sequence is represented by a set of data...
Teach Engineering
Maker Challenge: Adding Helpful Carrier Devices to Crutches
Make breaking a leg a less troublesome experience. Groups brainstorm designs for crutches that have devices that help carry items. They build prototypes of their devices to test out their designs.
Curated OER
Not Just a Corny Idea
Students explore ways in which ethanol can be created using alternate energy sources.
Curated OER
Write Away
Students examine the effect of computers and other word processing programs have had on traditional forms of communication and expression after reading and discussing the article "Where the Pen is Mightier Than the PC" from The New York...
Curated OER
The Writing's on the Wall
Students examine a job-training/violence reduction program that removes gang graffiti in East Los Angeles. They discuss issues confronting their own communities and propose community service programs to address these issues.
Curated OER
Buying the Writes
Students explore the connections between non-fiction and fiction best-seller lists and current events that are shaping readers' lives and choices.
Curated OER
Representing Text in a Timeline
In this representing text in a timeline worksheet, students interactively answer 10 multiple choice questions about timelines then click to check their answers.
Curated OER
Poetry Gifts
What kind of shoe is this person? What time of day is this person? Aspiring poets’ responses to a list of questions provide descriptive words and phrases that can be crafted into a blank verse poem. A link to sample poems is provided.
National First Ladies' Library
Leeches and Spiders and Toads, Oh, My! The Emergence of Modern Medicine
Students explore the basic ideas and beliefs about medicine in the 18th and 19th centuries. They write a news account to be published in a "medical journal" developed by the class. Each "article" in the journal should be dated...
Curated OER
Shaping Ideas: Symbolism in Sculpture
Students consider the ways that sculptors have represented concepts and ideals as symbolic forms in three dimensions. They compare historical examples to those in contemporary culture, and begin sketching designs for their own symbolic...
Curated OER
Shaping Ideas: Symbolism in Sculpture
Students participate in a class critique of the symbolic sculptures they created. They critique the work of their peers by responding to questions about the symbolic content and applying criteria for sculpture.
Curated OER
Following the Leaders
Examine the historic election of Pope Benedict XVI and reflect on the challenges he faces as the new leader of the Catholic Church. This New York Times lesson investigates how other world leaders are chosen in different forms of...
Curated OER
Facing the Ghosts of Our Past
A reading of a New York Times review of the movie Beloved launches research into how the Civil War affected the lives of people living during this period. Creative thinkers select a person from an included list of historical figures and...
Curated OER
E.T., Are You Out There?
Research the necessary components of a planet that supports life after reading the article "All of a Sudden, The Neighborhood Looks a Lot Friendlier" from The New York Times. After finding their information, middle and high schoolers...
Curated OER
Anastasia-Dead or Alive
Students examine the history of the Romanov family and the claims made by Anna Anderson. They watch and discuss the video, "Rasputin," complete a WebQuest, develop a Romanov family tree, write a petition and fact-finding paper, and...
Curated OER
Letters from Rifka
Fourth graders read Letters from Rifka and discuss the feelings of people forced to leave their homes and countries. In this migration lesson, 4th graders relate their feelings about moving from their home forever. Students trace...
Curated OER
The Learning Network: Re-envisioning Classic Stories
Readers reflect on enjoyable stories they know, brainstorm criteria that make a story "good," analyze a New York Times article about innovative children's performances, re-envision classics on their own, and peer edit drafts. Use this as...
Curated OER
Prize Numbers
Young scholars explore what a proof is, how and why mathematicians create them and compose essays on how reason and logic are employed in the workplace. They explore whether any three lines can make a triangle and attempt to verify...
Curated OER
Thoreau
Eleventh graders answer the question Why Westborough? Why did their town develop as it did, what types of industry were here and why. They are introduced to journal writing. Students free write about ideas that stand out from class. ...
Curated OER
Express Yourself Lesson Seed 4
Get started with The Cay. First, provide some background information and images that relate to the novel. Then pupils can create double-entry journals. Once that is complete, read the first two chapters, encouraging individuals to record...