A picture speaks a thousand words, no matter how old! Scholars use political cartoons from the era of Prohibition and the Temperance Movement to analyze what, a primary document (in this case, a bootlegger's notebook) is telling them...

  Students create their own butterfly garden and follow a participation plan to ensure that everyone will have a hand in the garden.  In this gardening lesson, 5th graders log their progress with their garden by taking photos,...

How do painters use and manipulate light in their artwork to give emphasis and establish mood and emotion? Pupils will analyze a few examples of landscape and portrait painting in order to explore the how light is used in art,...

Take two days to examine the symbolism inherent in color, and how this relates to Lois Lowry's The Giver. Small groups first discuss the meaning of colors and then come together as a class to explore the impact of color. The activities...

The first lesson plan in a unit that uses Christopher Paul Curtis' award-winning depression-era novel, Bud, Not Buddy, as the anchor text establishes the routines that will be used throughout the unit.

The second lesson in a unit on set design focuses on the importance of historical and stylistic research. Working in teams created in the previous session, groups consider what resources they will use as they consider design concepts for...

A lesson plan instills the importance of locating reliable sources. Scholars are challenged to locate digital sources, analyze their reliability, search for any bias, and identify frequently found problems that make a source unusable. 

Some things are beyond comprehension. Scholars read an excerpt from "Comprehending the Calamity," a primary source text about the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. After identifying the gist, pupils complete anchor charts to analyze how the...

The Buttonhook by Mary Jo Salter is the focus of a unit that explores the immigration experience to Ellis Island. First, scholars bring in an artifact that represents their heritage. A group-exercise allows them to share and discuss...

Students investigate migration issues. In this global studies activity, students examine photographs that feature migrants from Canary Island and their movement to Spain by smugglers. Students view a PowerPoint presentation and discuss...

Students identify butterfly habitats. In this butterfly habitats lesson, students read and discuss Where Butterflies Grow. Students study pictures and guess which are butterfly habitats. Students list the life needs of butterflies and...

Students create a PowerPoint presentation and oral report on the history and future of flight. In this flight lesson, students work in small groups to research the history and future of flight. Students then write a report with...

High schoolers interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. In this child labor instructional activity, students examine photograhs by Lewis Hines and discuss the implications of child labor in America.

Modern art is great to experience because it brings contemporary issues into everyday conversation. Upper graders consider the work of Mickalene Thomas, an artist that uses photo collage techniques to capture the beauty of African...

Pupils take photos from a given distance and determine the height of the person using a scale factor. Pupils calculate the ratio of student actual height to student photo height. They take pictures from 3 different distances to see if...

A large data table is given to your elementary earth scientists in which they record observations that they make while viewing pictures of Alaskan glaciers. They compare and contrast recent photos with older photos. Hold a discussion...

How the Kansas-Nebraska Act created Bleeding Kansas is complicated—until scholars research and examine documents from the time. After completing activities that include mapping, photo, document analysis, and discussion, learners...

One of the great things about technology is that it lets youngsters visit museums that may be many miles away. With this resource, middle and high schoolers can visit the portrait galleries at J. Paul Getty Museum, located in Los...

Applying photography basics they learn for this project, first graders take pictures of an adult at work focusing on the tools used, the work site, and job responsibilities. After making a career book that includes photos and...

Learners study a way to quantify the process of photosynthesis during a given time using the Elodea plant. They design a hypothesis that they test in the hands on activity. They compare the amounts of photosynthesis that occur during low...

Students conduct Internet research and answer worksheet questions regarding the Spanish royal family. They list the family members they would like to meet, write Jeopardy answers, and create a family tree or a photo album for their own...

Students collect information about dangerous streets and intersections in community, interview law enforcement officials and safety experts to find out what they think can be done to reduce accidents, write in-depth article using these...

Three lesson plans are shown on this site, two of which pertain to Read 180. Start the year with the first lesson by having your learners create a brochure about themselves. In the computer lab, they find clip art and photos to make a...

High schoolers work with pre-loaded images as well as with a digital camera to manipulate digital images. At the end of the lesson, they analyze and write about their work using complete sentences, correct grammar, and spelling. For a...