When making decisions, it might be wise to revise Newton's Third Law of Motion to read, "For every decision, there are options and consequences." Although in decision-making, not all these forces may be equal. The third lesson in the...

Before making important decisions, gathering as much information as possible is best. That's the take-away from the second lesson in the Decision-Making module of the Overcoming Obstacles course. Middle schoolers engage in a series of...

Middle schoolers continue to study the problem solving process by identifying the pros and cons of different options they listed on their "How Could I Do This" activity sheet from the previous lesson. After weighing the options, they...

The hunt is on! Young mathematicians follow clues and complete a series of ten math puzzles as they try to crack Dr. Integer's code and find the location of his hidden treasure.

Sticking to a physical fitness plan can be tricky. Support young athletes' personal fitness goals with a helpful and strategie lesson plan. They reflect on their daily habits through a pre-assessment and questionnaire, create short...

Want your class to digest text more thoroughly? Middle schoolers learn about the digestive system in the lesson and reinforce informational text reading skills through a variety of strategies. They engage in a close reading...

How much of your daily life is influenced by Latin American music? Take a listen—the answer may surprise you! High schoolers keep a journal to note any instances they see Latino culture represented, including the media, their school, and...

What can someone do to increase the peace? Pupils take small steps toward a big peacebuilding role in the final lesson in a 15-part unit. Individuals identify their roles as a peacebuilder and create a stepping stone that reflects their...

Freshen up your classroom (and students) with this personal hygiene presentation. Colorful images and clear language help adolescents learn about the changes their bodies are undergoing and the things they can do to ease the transition...

You'll have no regrets when you use the perfect lesson to teach regression! An interactive resource has individuals manipulate the slope and y-intercept of a line to match a set of data. Learners practice data sets with both positive and...

Trench art is a nontraditional art form created by soldiers in trenches during wartime. Artist Allison Smith connects her art to the American Revolution and the question: "What are you fighting for?" Kids examine her art, how it connects...

Physics is phun in this lesson. Young physicists use a lightbox to test how and where light is refracted and reflected as it travels through transparent materials. Angles of incidence and refraction, sine of both angles, and the...

Identify tasks, prioritize these tasks, and schedule a time for the tasks. As part of the Managing Personal Resources Module, middle schoolers practice these three good time management steps by engaging in a series of activities. They...

Often the most challenging part of any journey is the first step, the getting started and figuring out where to start. Middle schoolers engage in a series of games and activities to learn the importance of setting short-term goals,...

The big idea in the last lesson in the Decision-Making module is that responsible decision-making is a process rather than a knee-jerk reaction. Participants practice the five steps in the decision-making process they have learned in the...

Focus, confirm, respond.  Middle schoolers engage in a series of activities designed to help them improve their listening skills. They listen to and try to solve a riddle and play a version of the telephone game. Participants learn...

Problems come in all shapes and sizes, but the first step in solving a problem is to identify just what the problem is. Through a series of games and activities, middle schoolers learn first to identify a problem, decide on a solution,...

Middle schoolers apply all they have learned in the Problem Solving module by participating in a contest to see which group can build the tallest tower using only sheets of paper and masking tape.

Are you being watched? Class members determine where to place security cameras protecting a shop. They then evaluate their own and several provided solutions.

Middle schoolers craft a letter to themselves describing what their life will be like in four years using a prewriting organizer to guide their work. 

Did you know that jumping spiders sometimes wear water droplets as hats? A seventh grade science lesson introduces the concept of what makes up water: tiny molecules that are attracted to each other. Starting with a...

Who likes magic shows? In the fourth of five lessons, pupils view a scientific magic trick. The ball fits through the ring easily, but then moments later, it won't pass through anymore. What changed? Can we reverse the change? Scholars...

Engineers team up to design and construct an 18-inch-long robotic arm that can successfully pick up a paper cup. Each group is given the exact same set of materials, but it is up to them to decide what to use and how to use it. It is a...

Unfortunately for young mathematicians, the world isn't made entirely of parallelograms, triangles, and trapezoids. After first learning the area formulas for these common shapes, students apply this new knowledge to...