Curated OER
Satire and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Does Mark Twain’s satire become sarcasm and does he cross the line of propriety in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn? As an introduction of satire, class members view an excerpt from The Daily Show and discuss Stewart's use of this...
Santillana USA
Celebra Kwanzaa
¡Celebramos Kwanzaa! Celebrate Kwanzaa through the fictional story Celebra Kwanzaa con Botitas y sus gatitos to delightfully explain the seven principles of Kwanzaa. Dual language learners participate in reading and vocabulary activities...
Curated OER
Scientific Method Experiment: Factors Affecting How Ice Melts
Students demonstrate the scientific method by conducting an ice cube melting experiment. They make predictions and observations, and conclude what factors make ice melt more slowly or quickly than normal.
The New York Times
News and News Analysis: Navigating Fact and Opinion in the Times
Help your class understand the difference between fact and opinion by exploring the New York Times homepage and articles. In pairs or small groups, pupils complete a scavenger hunt, answering the provided questions. Next, discuss the...
Rainforest Alliance
Knowing the Essential Elements of a Habitat
To gain insight into the many different types of habitats, individuals must first get to know their own. Here, scholars explore their school environment, draw a map, compare and contrast their surroundings to larger ones. They then write...
Curated OER
What's Along the Coast?
Learners research an area with at least one dominant geographical feature. Then they display their findings in a realistic 3-dimensional presentation. Students also prepare ancillary material to support their project. Finally, they chart...
US Mint
Desert Dwellers
What can a quarter possibly teach young learners about desert ecosystems? More than you might think. After displaying and discussing the included picture of the Arizona state quarter, the class participates in a series of shared reading...
Willow Tree
Angle Measurement
What do you create when you rotate a ray? An angle! Teach all the angle basics including naming, measuring, supplements, and complements.
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Is Democracy in Decline?
Has democracy outlived its usefulness? Pundits debate the topic, and now pupils weigh in, too. A reading on how democracy may be on the decline around the world, along with a structured conversation guideline, help guide scholars through...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Learning about Early Modern Era Empires
You are a diplomat during the Age of Empire: prepare a briefing about your country. Young scholars take on the challenge using a role-play exercise to examine various empires during the rise of global interconnectedness. Materials...
Curated OER
AAA Plan Would Change Teen Driving Laws
Students research and discuss the Graduated Driver Licensing program, and examine reasons that contribute or cause automobile accidents. They prepare a speech from the perspective of a lobbyist either for or against the AAA plan.
Curated OER
Suncsreen
This is a terrific resource for practicing the scientific method or for examining the claims of different sunscreens when learning about electromagnetic radiation. You may have to improvise, however, as it was written to accompany a...
Media Smarts
Unit Two: Celebrities and World Issues
Develop media smarts by considering the power of celebrity involvement in world issues. A look at the work of such celebrities as Angelina Jolie, Oprah, and Bono prepare learners to develop their own media campaign for a global...
James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation
Application of the Principles of the Constitution
If you want to challenge your US government class, this assignment requires them to identify a contemporary issue or event that reflects the four main principles of the Constitution (federalism, separation of powers, protection of...
Education Outside
Garden Detective Sensory Tour
To prepare for a sensory walk outside, the whole class engages in a discussion of the five senses, kids close their eyes, and share what they sense. Groups then follow a guide, tour an area, and share what they experience through their...
Ford's Theatre
Socratic Seminar/Group Discussion: The Crisis of the Civil War
High schoolers work in four different groups to examine the many factors that led to the American Civil War. They research an assigned topic, prepare questions, and finally engage in a class discussion using the Socratic Seminar method.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Campaign Photo Analysis
It's the art of the image! As part of a study of the 2020 Presidential race, groups analyze an image of a candidate, first from an objective point of view and then subjectively. They then prepare a presentation detailing what they...
Texas Education Agency (TEA)
Investigating Careers Using O*NET
Let's investigate! Scholars use the O*NET website to investigate career options and complete a scavenger hunt. They also embark on an in-depth career project, researching three careers and then preparing a cover letter, resume, letter of...
Texas Education Agency (TEA)
Prices in Private Enterprise System
Learning sure is in demand! Pupils explore the economic principle of supply and demand with a series of engaging, hands-on activities. They practice comparison shopping for a bottle of soda, conduct research on ticket scalping, and...
Newseum
Weighing the Arguments
To understand how personal perspectives can affect policy and politics, scholars examine the woman suffrage media map and historical artifacts to analyze arguments for and against women's suffrage. Class members then take on the role of...
Nebraska Department of Education
Phone Etiquette
High school freshmen prepare for the world of work by practicing a phone interview. After examining a list of "Do's and Don'ts," pairs take turns being the job applicant and the interviewer.
Newseum
You Can’t Say That: Right to Know vs. Security Risk
Print or block? That is the question young journalists debate as part of their study of the freedom of the press. Half the class represents the journalists' legal team, and the other half represents the government's legal team. Teams...
Overcoming Obstacles
The Big Day
Check and double-check! That's the big idea as teams prepare to launch their Service Learning Projects. They review their action plans, materials lists, timelines, schedules, and memos, brainstorm last-minute project needs, issues, and...
Curated OER
To Quote or Not to Quote
Introduce your middle and high schoolers to the correct use of quotation marks. They identify examples of correct and incorrect quotations in magazines and edit a paragraph in groups. Use this lesson as a way to reinforce proofreading...