Curated OER
Playing With Your Food
Students discover about the form and function of traditional musical instruments, then use this knowledge to create non-traditional instruments that replicate the sounds of traditional instruments. They use vegetables to create their...
Curated OER
Where the Spirit Moves You
Students explore the spiritual significance of locations throughout the world. After studying the historical and mystical importance of these places, students write about a spiritual place that is special to them.
Curated OER
Growing Pains
Learners compare common food items with the parts of a plant. They grow their own plants to assess the difficulties in assisting a plant's growth and reproduction.
Curated OER
The Persuasive Art of Portraiture
Learners first explore the power of the visual image to convey a message by examining the portrait of George Washington on American dollar bills. They next use, 'Prolific Chinese Painter Is Anonymous No More,' to explore a famous...
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Cyber Skills
Students, in groups, design and develop Web sites dedicated to special skills traditionally taught by humans rather than by technology. They write Web site reviews that describe and assess their group's envisioned Internet site.
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Prize-Winning Prose
Learners develop criteria for 'Kids' Pulitzers,' awards in categories of writing determined by Students. Each student then bestow a 'Kids' Pulitzer' upon a piece of writing which they deem to be distinguished based on the established...
Curated OER
Species for Sale
Students explore wildlife conservation by investigating animal species that are near extinction due to their value as commodities. They defend the protection of an endangered species researched in class by creating an informational poster.
Curated OER
Kicking It Around
Students analyze the recent boom in women's sports, focusing on the Women's World Cup Soccer tournament to examine various people's views about women athletes. They write a newspaper article summarizing what they learned in their...
Curated OER
Both Home And School On The Range
Learners investigate the notion of home-schooling and the use of technology as an instructional tool while comparing these ideas to their own school experiences. They develop and conduct a survey centering around home-schooling and...
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Caste In Stone?
Learners examine India's caste system. After learning about the history and development of the caste system, students discuss how new political power granted to women in lower castes is affecting the political and social climate of India.
Curated OER
Has the Wall Truly Tumbled Down?
Students examine the events behind the destruction of the Berlin Wall and the continued struggles to truly unify the former East Germany and West Germany.
The New York Times
A Worker's Compensation
Middle schoolers read about the history of Labor Day in a newspaper article. They discuss difficulties American employees of the past had to face, learn about labor rallies, and conduct Internet research. Part of the intention of this...
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The Roots of American Culture
Students explore the notion of culture and the influence of Latino culture on the U.S. They work in small groups to identify ways that Latino and non-Latino U.S. cultures have engaged in cultural 'cross-fertilization.'
Curated OER
Safety Up in the Air
Students explore the controversy over a bill giving pilots the option to become armed federal law enforcement officers. They brainstorm other possible security measures for airplanes and airports.
The New York Times
Kidding Around Down Under
After reading an article, "From an Alternate to a 'Miracle Kid' in a Flash," youngsters discuss the kind of commitment required for a teenager to become an Olympic athlete. A variety of activities is suggested, and the popular topic...
Curated OER
Comic Renditions
Students explore the intersection between popular and high art by recreating comic strips in various artistic styles and then famous works of art as comics. Through this exploration, students come to conclusions about what art is and...
Curated OER
Where the Wild Things Are
Students explore the role of gargoyles in New York City architecture as a starting point to considering architectural structures in their city. They create designs that illustrate ways in which those local structures may be enhanced by...
Curated OER
Dangerous Waters (and Lands)
Students investigate the dangers of various geographical locations and the threat they pose to humans and other living things. They, in groups, research dangerous geographical locations and create a group "front page" highlighting these...
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Working It Out
Students participate in a simulation in which they are arbitrarily assigned different work roles and compare their experiences to those discussed in a New York Times article about the racial divisions in a pork production plant.
Curated OER
Same Old Story
Students relate their favorite childhood stories to their lives today. Through personal interviews, students discover the connections between their favorite stories and their own choices and characters, as well as connections to the...
Curated OER
Nutrients by the Numbers
Students read and discuss an article on the amount of sugar in various food products. They compare the nutritional values of food products, calculate their daily intake of nutrients, analyze serving sizes, and compare/contrast their own...
Curated OER
You Bet!
Learners explore the mathematical probabilities involved in gambling and how these factors affect people's behavior. They work in pairs and conduct and experiment pertaining to blackjack. The class creates a graph showing the trends found.
Curated OER
Treasure in the Trash
Learners decode archaeological artifacts in order to recreate an event, using discarded objects as a model for real-life artifacts. They apply this model to reconstructing historical or literary events from artifacts they create.
Curated OER
Casting a Ballot for New Freedoms
Students use a New York Times article about the first free election in Indonesia in over four decades as a tool for learning about the government and politics, economy, religion, international relations, and people of Indonesia in the...