Unit Plan
NASA

Lunar Plant Growth Chamber

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Would astronauts be able to grow their food on the Moon? Teams research plant growth in order to design and build a growth chamber that will function on the lunar surface. They narrow down plant choices based upon their...
Lesson Plan
Channel Islands Film

First Contact: Lesson Plan 4 - Grades 5-6

For Students 5th - 6th Standards
After watching Treasure in the Sea, a documentary about Channel Islands National Park and the video First Contact, about the voyage of Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo to the Channel islands, groups research and then compare the...
Lesson Plan
Newseum

Give Women the Vote? Analyzing Suffrage Propaganda

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Propaganda is often used to shape public opinion. Scholars investigate the persuasive techniques used by the pro- and anti-suffrage movements. Groups compare how these devices were used during the suffrage movement with how the same...
Lesson Plan
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VIF Learning Center

Languages as Reflection of Cultures and Civilizations: French Speaking Countries

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Expand your class's vision of the French-speaking world by conducting this research project. Pupils focus on building 21st-century skills while they look up information about a French country and put together presentations.
Organizer
PBS

Concept Map

For Students K - 12th
Make the thought process visible with a handy concept map organizer. As learners develop their main ideas in research, writing, or creative development, they can add details and like ideas to the worksheet as needed.
Interactive
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Alzheimer’s Disease: Piecing Together the Evidence

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
5.7 million Americans live with Alzheimer's disease. With limited funding for research, where should scientists focus? Young scientists learn about current research and create their own questions. They then decide the best areas to focus...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Literature and Art Through Our Eyes: African-American Artists

For Teachers 3rd - Higher Ed
Examine the contributions of African-Americans in the worlds of art and literature. Over the course of a few days, young scholars will read and analyze a poem, a short story, and a piece of art. They complete a range of...
Interactive
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Small-Molecule Diversity

For Students 9th - 12th
One way to study the microscopic is to make it macroscopic. Each slide of the lesson presentation presents a different molecular model along with a brief description of the compound's function. Learners use the information to build...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Be That As It Maya

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Creative projects are a great way to engage your class and can be a fun way to assess mastery! Learners create brochures and postcards that might have been created by and for travelers to ancient Mayan cities. They read and discuss the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Teens Making a Difference

For Teachers 10th - Higher Ed
Is your opinion significant? Help your class discover the influence their opinions hold and encourage them to make a positive change in their community. To start, they get in teams and brainstorm why their school should have more healthy...
Lesson Plan
Council for Economic Education

A Penny Saved

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
A penny saved is a penny earned! Scholars research the different ways to save money over a lifetime. They investigate the Rule of 72, compound interest, and sub-prime loans to gain an understanding of how banks aid in the saving process....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Descriptive Writing: Using Art to Inspire description

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Write with the senses! Try using art to inspire writers to consider all of the senses. Here, the class is divided in half. Each group looks at one of two images, imagines the senses that would be engaged, and records answers to five...
Lesson Plan
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum

Military Advisers in Vietnam: 1963

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
How did the beginning of the Vietnam War factor into the Cold War with the Soviet Union? As part of a study of American involvement in Vietnam, class members read a letter address to President Kennedy and his response in which...
Interactive
Sensetype

How to Type: Keyboarding Tutorials

For Students 5th - 12th
Become an efficient typist who can easily perform online research, type assessments, and take online exams. With the link to a free keyboarding interactive website, any child will become a professional with their keyboarding skills.
Lesson Plan
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Beyond Benign

The Story of Cosmetics Video Assessment

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Does your shampoo contain carcinogens? Scholars learn how cosmetic companies create and market their products, many of which contain toxic chemicals. They examine the bias and consumer responsibilities in the industry.
Lesson Plan
National Wildlife Federation

Prairie Chicken Pageant

For Teachers K - 8th
Diminishing habitats is a real concern that is threatening endangered species. Learners examine these concerns by studying the prairie chicken. Groups get a card with characteristics and threats to the species that they turn into skits.
Lesson Plan
National Wildlife Federation

Pollinator's Journey: Grades 9-12

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Gain a deeper understanding of migratory pollinators. After studying about pollinators and their effects on flowering plants, learners hear a story about the migration of Monarch butterflies and bats in the Sonoma Desert. Small groups...
Handout
National Institute of Open Schooling

Air Pollution

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Seventy percent of the air pollution in China is due to car exhaust. Under the umbrella of environmental chemistry, learners extensively explore air pollution. From the makeup of our atmosphere to sources of major air pollutants, classes...
Handout
National Institute of Open Schooling

Environmental Concerns

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Every year, more than 14 billion pounds of garbage is dumped into the oceans of the world, most of which is plastic and toxic to ocean life. Lesson 32 in the series of 36 focuses on environmental concerns, specifically pollution. Under...
Interactive
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

The Anthropocene: Human Impact on the Environment

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Will human existence define an epoch? Many scientists think we are in a new epoch, the anthropocene, defined by humans and our impact on the environment. An online interactive demonstrates the immense impact humans have had on every part...
Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Niche Partitioning Activity

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Dinnertime on the African savanna is a highly choreographed event! Introduce young ecologists to the concept of niche partitioning through a hands-on activity. Pupils research animal behaviors and use data to develop an understanding of...
Interactive
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Measuring Obesity

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Studies show that obesity is now a global problem. But how are researchers measuring obesity? Young scientists investigate the myriad of methods for measuring body fat through a presentation. From hands-on to high-tech, viewers learn...
Lesson Plan
National Constitution Center

Civil Liberties and Rights Worldwide

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
How do governments differ in how they protect human rights? While the United States prides itself on its Bill of Rights, other countries have their own ways of protecting citizens' liberties. An interactive website, paired with...
Lesson Plan
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Teaching Tolerance

Using Photographs to Teach Social Justice | Exposing Anti-Immigration Sentiment

For Teachers 6th - 12th
The debate about immigration reform continues. To gain a deeper understanding of the issues involved, class members first examine a photo of an anti-immigration rally. Groups then conduct an internet search for an image that presents an...