Sixth graders research railroad idioms.  In this idiom lesson, 6th graders read through a glossary of different railroad idioms and their meanings. They illustrate a chosen idiom.

First graders are able to successfully create a web featuring five community workers from the school. They are able to include a digital photograph of each of the five community workers. Students are able to write one way that each...

Connect the geography and history of Illinois using an art-centered lesson on the railroads. The railroad connected once-distant places, particularly in the Midwest. Using research, class members create postcards of fictional cross-state...

Is the rainy day schedule disrupting your class? Here is a great way to practice basic addition, subtraction, and multiplication skills while building automaticity and problem solving. This activity provides the rules to three different...

Here is a classic activity used to introduce your class to the concept of probability and data collection. They will roll one die 30 times, then record and discuss the results. Great introduction, but too shallow to be considered a...

Engage pupils in practicing denotative and connotative strategies to understand particular words. They work in pairs and write a series of sentences using each word that has a positive connotation and negative connotation. Some example...

Students study techniques for analyzing primary sources. Finally, students apply these techniques to analyze documents about slavery in the United States.

Learners examine the differences between fiction and non-fiction books in the library by discussing kangaroos. They distinguish between facts about kangaroos, and using their imaginations and imagining what they would do with pet kangaroos.

Students study former slave ports in the South.

Pupils study the reasons so many immigrants returned to the South following the Civil Rights Movement. They examine how the former slaves influenced the cultural life in the Northern cities.

Young scholars study the flora of Motte Rimrock Reserve while observing organisms in their natural environment. They use a dichotomous key to identify plants.

Students use research skills to solve a problem. They research information needed to plan a vacation. Students create a letter, a flyer, an itinerary, an activity list, cost spreadsheet, a reference page, table of contents and a title page.

Learners research harvesting of trees in the United States and write a summary.  In this informative lesson students state whether they agree or disagree with an article and write a summary on why. 

Students read given information and identify the main ideas and specific detail of the story. In groups, they read a historical title and create a "book talk" for each one, summarizing the story. In addition, students create a...

Students examine the history of ancient Rome. In this ancient Rome lesson, students examine primary sources regarding Rome's growth from a republic to an empire. Students discover details regarding the emperors of Rome.

Students learn about African American inventors. In this inventing lesson, students are assigned an African American inventor to research. Students work in pairs to complete their research. Students write a compare and contrast paragraph...

Students complete a survey that the teacher can use to compare similar reading interests and reading abilities before to assign reading partners. They participate in a reading partnership by choosing a "double-copy" book, setting meeting...

Learners discuss the seven continents of Earth and the diverse geography. After discussion, they create their own paper-mache globes which properly display all seven continents, the equator, and the prime meridian. They conduct research...

Students study the criteria used to select notable book awards, including the Caldecott Medal and the Newbery Medal. Then they develop their own Class Book Awards to bestow upon favorite books in the classroom library. They decide on...

In this problem solving activity, students calculate what happens when two people plan to meet but their watches are wrong.  The solutions with explanations is provided.

Students study crocodiles and how they have survived and adapted over time. In this crocodiles activity students research information on crocodiles.

Students explore ways to provide enjoyable phonemic awareness and conversation experiences for their children while reading and discussing children's book, A Tree For Me. Students extend their expertise in reading by fluently reading...

Students act as newspaper reporters from 1787 and interview some of the signers of the Constitution. They study the contributions of these Founding Fathers: Washington, Franklin, Madison, Hamilton and discuss the purpose of the U.S....

Students study biographies as a nonfiction genre while examining a variety of examples. Next, they access and complete an online tutorial about biographies. They choose one person that interests them to conduct further research using a...