Curated OER
Microbial Contaminants in Drinking Water
When presented with three unopened bottles of water, students are asked to tell decide which one is contaminated with a microbe. Students work in small groups and role play being a Microbiologist, a patient, or a recorder. The patient is...
Curated OER
The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner
Students read and analyze a poem about a speaker's posthumous view of war, assess the purpose of an author's note and evaluate the effect of the point of view on the reader's response. They work in groups to discuss and analyze the poem.
Curated OER
East Asia: Current Events
Ninth graders read and evaluate current events of East Asia. They select an article, read and summarize the article and identify the key people, places, dates, and events in the article. As they summarize, they write a personal...
Curated OER
Themes and Patterns of History
Fourth graders, in groups, explore recurring historical and geographical themes.
Curated OER
Author, Author!
Third graders, in groups, select and research a favorite studenT author or illustrator. They answer questions about the author, conduct research and prepare a PowerPoint presentation with their findings.
Curated OER
Social Studies: African Folklore and Geography
Students discover the connection between geography and folklore in several African nations. In groups, they record information from maps of their assigned countries. Students observe the pictures in books and match the geographic...
Curated OER
Cloning and Related Issues
Eighth graders research information on cloning and the surrounding issues online. They analyze the issues surrounding cloning and present their point of view with supporting details in a Powerpoint presentation.
Curated OER
Blowing in the Wind
Students compare hurricanes and tornadoes. They write a paragraph explaining how to prepare for a storm. Students give an oral report. They use weather facts to practice math skills. Students record observations of a storm.
Curated OER
Inner Space Cavern Cave Field Activity: Drip Rate Analysis
Students compare drip rates at several different locations throughout a cave. They observe, first hand, the heterogeneity in flow paths present in karst aquifers such as the Edwards aquifer.
Curated OER
From Home to Nome
Third graders develop and create an electronic portfolio on their hometown, school, and themselves to send to a school on the Iditarod Trail. They gather information from the Internet, printed materials, and a digital camera.
Curated OER
Science : Friction
A few students are asked to step outside. Then have half of the students in the class rub their hands together for about one minute. When the two students come back into the room ask them to touch each students hands quickly, then...
Curated OER
Islamic Art
Students examine the various forms of Islamic Art. Using the art, they identify the basic elements and research its history and style of calligraphy. They create a piece of art based on information they collected and demonstrate...
Curated OER
Classification of Animals
Middle schoolers identify observable features of eight dinosaurs and create a sorting chart using SMART Notebook on a SMART Board (or, in case you do not have a SMART Board, a chalk or dry-erase board).
Curated OER
Persuasive Elements
Investigate letters to the editor and their persuasive qualities. Break your class into reading groups and give each one a different article. As they read, they complete a graphic organizer to record their thoughts and opinions. There is...
Curated OER
Prairie Scales and Prairie Smoothies
Sixth graders explore the animals that live on the prairie and identify differences between amphibians and reptiles and the adaptations each have made to live on the prairie.
Curated OER
Comparing Themes Across Texts
Read various texts to compare the themes across each text. Learners write a journal entry describing the most beautiful scenery they've seen and use a map of the United States to locate the Sequoia National Park and Muir Woods. They then...
Curated OER
Idea-Noun Definition: Source Searching
A great idea for showing language arts pupils the universality of themes, even in the real world! Have class members choose an idea-noun (peace, justice, war, love, etc.) at the beginning of the year or semester. They complete weekly...
Curated OER
Theobroma - Food of the Gods
Students discuss the history of cacao and its use in the production of chocolate. They analyze actual cacao pods and record their observations. Finally they create a five minute contour drawing of the cacao pod and seeds.
Curated OER
Super Gelatin
High schoolers investigate the refraction properties of gelatin to calculate its index of refraction. They discover that as the light travels through the gelatin, its speed and wavelength also change. Students find th indes of refraction...
Curated OER
Migrating to Texas
Fourth graders explore the migration to Texas from other parts of the United States. Through journal entries they write about the trip as if they were the settlers coming to a new and foreign country. Working in small groups, 4th graders...
Brethren High School
Romanticism Through the Eyes of Art, Poetry, and Technology
Use this simple collaborative activity to introduce the definition, art, and poetry of romanticism. Educators will have to provide the poetry, images of the art, and the survey for the learners, but by using this resource, they won't...
Curated OER
Leaf Weight-Loss Plan
Pupils measure the weight of a container of leaves daily to discover how quickly it grows lighter as the foliage dries.
Curated OER
Forces and Motion
Fourth graders study straight line motion and the forces that affect motion, including the terms force, gravity, and speed. They determine that gravity, weight, and other forces have an effect on speed and motion.
Curated OER
Creating Context Mural
students examine the historical, political, religious and culture aspects of the Renaissance. Using this information, they read "Galileo" by Bertolt Brecht. They use the internet to research a specific event of the time period and come...