National History Day
Helping Life and Aiding Death: Science, Technology, and Engineering at Work during World War I
Science, engineering, and United States history? Pupils research collections of artifacts from the Smithsonian to learn about historical scientific innovations. At the end of the lesson, they write an essay to discuss technology's...
US Institute of Peace
Identifying Conflict Styles
Are you a peace-keeper or a problem-solver? Explore conflict management styles through a lesson, fourth in a 15-part series, that combines individual assessment and collaborative work. Groups learn the basic tendencies of each style,...
Penguin Books
An Educator's Guide to the Works of Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Middle school years can be tough. An educator's guide for the works of Lynda Mullaly Hunt introduces readers to two texts that discuss the struggles pre-teens face during middle school. Chapter-by-chapter questions and activities for two...
Shakespeare in American Life
Tom Hanks and Caliban: Survivor Superstars
Here’s a clever way to combine language arts and social studies. Shakespeare’s The Tempest is believed to have been inspired by the wreck of the Sea Venture on Bermuda in 1609. The class views a brief scene from Castaway in which Tom...
Fluence Learning
Writing Informative Text: Did Shakespeare Write Shakespeare?
William Shakespeare penned some of the richest and most fascinating works of literature—or did he? Middle schoolers read three brief informative passages and conduct additional research to evaluate the claim that Shakespeare did not...
Overcoming Obstacles
Considering Pros and Cons
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...
Curated OER
Respect for Girls
Students gain a greater appreciation of women's contributions to history and culture. They product an iMovie based on the contributions of women.
Curated OER
The Soundtrack of One's Life
Students gather important information about a historical figure. They write a short biography, including illustrations. Students collect songs from the time period when the person lived. They create a play list in iTunes. Students...
Dream of a Nation
Big6 Research Project
Do research projects at your school look like a class of eighth graders staring at a blank screen? Use the Big 6 research method to guide middle schoolers through the process of finding a topic, searching for and evaluating sources,...
PBS
Stories of Painkiller Addiction: Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness Campaign
The I-STOP law was designed to regulate the distribution and tracking of prescription drugs. After reading an article about its signing and implementation, middle and high schoolers work together to come up with their own ideas for an...
Kenan Fellows
Let's Learn About Stewardship and River Basins
What does it mean to be a good steward? Middle school environmentalists learn to care for their state's waterways through research, a guest speaker, and poster activity. Groups must locate and learn more about a river basin and the human...
Rainforest Alliance
Investments in Forest Carbon
One hundred metric tons of CO2 can accumulate in one acre of forest over time—that's a lot of carbon! In the activity, groups of middle school learners determine what makes forests important. They then solidify the concept by using a...
Rainforest Alliance
Trees and Carbon
You'll find everything but the kitchen sink here ... or just a carbon sink. In the activity, pairs or groups of middle school learners go outside and measure a tree's circumference and height to estimate its carbon storage potential and...
US Holocaust Museum
Nazi Olympics: Berlin 1936
The Olympics are about more than sports—at times, the games are also a place of racism and prejudice! Pupils investigate the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany. They analyze the meaning behind the materials included in the United States...
Nemours KidsHealth
Germs: Grades 6-8
As part of their study of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa, middle schoolers create engaging public service announcements for preschool and kindergarten classes, teaching them how and when to wash their hands. To begin, class...
Curated OER
Orangeburg Massacre
Learners study the Orangeburg Massacre. In this social studies lesson, students discuss the Civil Rights Movement and the protest movements that took place. Learners examine the events that led up to the Orangeburg Massacre at South...
Curated OER
The White Mountain Region 213
Middle school classes describe the White Mountains in New Hampshire using the five themes of geography. They discuss the five themes, categorize objects into each, and develop a list of words to describe the White Mountains. This lesson...
Curated OER
Early Greeks-Unit Test
For this social studies worksheet, 7th graders focus on Early Greeks. Students respond to a total of 30 matching, multiple choice, and fill in the blank questions.
Curated OER
The Status Of Private Schools In Utah
Students investigate the status of private schools in Utah. This done by looking at the public school system and make comparisons. The question of private schools being better is not clear and many factors need to be considered in...
Curated OER
Taking the Human Rights Temperatutre of Your School
Students evaluate their school's human rights climate using criteria derived from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They discuss the results and develop a plan of action to begin addressing the problems they find.
Curated OER
The Feudal System: Castles at War
Students study the feudal system of the Middle Ages. In this Middle Ages lesson, students watch "The Feudal System at War". Students listen to an instructor-delivered lecture regarding the roles of monarchs, nobles, knights, and...
Curated OER
The Roots of Religion: Teacher’s Guide
Students explore ancient cultures. For this ancient religions lesson, students study the civilizations of ancient Mesopotamia they watch "Garden of Eden" and discuss their impressions. Students then research Sumer and prepare...
Curated OER
Invention of the radio
Eighth graders study the radio and where it came from. In this American History lesson, 8th graders explore the history of the radio. Students create an invention that will be useful to them today.
Curated OER
The Roman Empire
Students use the internet to research a list of people, places and events from the Roman Empire (753 BC to 476 AD) in this lesson intended for a Social Studies classroom at the middle school level. The lesson suggests using...