Curated OER
Putting the Truth in Writing
Students define "nonfiction" and describe what they view as the best pieces of nonfiction writing. They determine criteria to evaluate whether or not a piece of nonfiction writing is good, and list categories of nonfiction writing.
Curated OER
Seeing Stars
Students explore the history of planetariums and the features of the Hayden Planetarium as a springboard to planning, developing and displaying their own planetarium exhibits.
Curated OER
A Shot in the Dark?
Students ask and answer their own questions about smallpox and the smallpox vaccine. They create outlines for an informative CD-ROM that could be distributed to health care professionals.
Curated OER
It All Adds Up
Young scholars brainstorm reasons for politicians to expand recycling programs and find statistics to support recycling programs. They design posters, displaying a compelling statistic about recycling, to convince students at their...
Curated OER
A Burning Desire to Move?
Students consider the dangers of living around active volcanoes. They develop media campaigns to encourage different groups of residents around Mount Vesuvius to consider moving.
Curated OER
Spaced Out
Students explore the transit of Venus and the information that this minieclipse provides about the distance between the Earth and the sun. They create their own astronomical units.
Curated OER
Web Writer's Block
Students evaluate Web sites banned in various countries, and investigate the reasons why particular countries would want to block information from its people.
Curated OER
the Business of Good Ideas
Students consider economic factors in patenting a new invention. They research an already-patented health product and assess its profitability.
Curated OER
Different Strokes
Students explore a Maine community in which a sudden influx of Somali immigrants has resulted in tension between the Somalis and the local residents. They create a handbook explaining aspects of the Somali culture to an American audience.
Curated OER
Playing By Different Rules
Students explore the concept of American imperialism by researching and analyzing historical examples of American imperialism. They draft a set of laws that would govern the actions of powerful nations in other countries.
Curated OER
Coffee Makes the World Go Round
Young scholars examine the concept of "fair trade coffee," then research facts about coffee and the coffee industry and create original exhibits to be included in a "Global Coffee Awareness Fair."
Curated OER
An Ancient Odyssey
Students identify both the traditional myths and historical facts that are associated with geographical locations in ancient Greece. They create a "Travel to Ancient Greece" display to present their findings.
Curated OER
Lose a Vote, Gain a Vote
Students explore the issues behind close Senatorial races. They investigate the qualities of political leaders, the 2002 senatorial elections and the differences and similarities between the Republican and Democratic parties.
Curated OER
Shifting Wins
Students analyze how the outcome of the 2002 midterm elections changed the balance of power in the government. They write a news analysis and evaluation of how the nation be governed in the future.
Curated OER
Science Under Control
Students investigate and assess scientific issues for which government regulation has been or might be enacted. Using their research, students write letters to lawmakers supporting or contesting related legislative efforts.
Curated OER
Prairie Dog Prognosis
Students discuss the transmission of diseases from exotic pets to humans. They research different aspects of particular zoonotic diseases from the perspectives of the animal vector, the parasite, the infected human, and the carrier human.
Curated OER
Squaring Off
Students define examples of patterns and explore the makeup and purpose of patterns found in nature. They create models illustrating the patterns researched in class and relaying the purpose of patterns in various natural objects.
Curated OER
Power House
Students reflect, speculate, identify, research, and create a blueprint for renewable energy sources.
Curated OER
Ambivalent Council
Students consider the purpose of a constitution and research Iraq's five major population groups. They write a letter to the Iraqi Governing Council from the perspective of a member of one of these Iraqi population groups.
Curated OER
Small Wonders
Learners investigate some of the 'mysteries' of the animal, marine and insect worlds, and create student books explaining their findings to younger students.
Curated OER
Strong Feelings
Students explore how emotions affect the decision-making of peacekeepers and design simulators for training emergency-response personnel.
Curated OER
Get Set!
Students create vivid descriptions for various sets used in the new movie Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
Curated OER
Shaken Up
Students discuss the type of information that they expect to read in news coverage of earthquakes. They explore the devastating aftermath of an earthquake in South and Southeast Asia and research and write their own articles describing...
Curated OER
Inspection Gadgets
Young scholars examine the weapons used in past wars to prepare for a mock weapons inspection, then write a report detailing the state of weapons technology during a specific time period.