Ironically, science was the reason why the Civil War was so deadly. Despite the use of medical practices now considered barbaric—such as conducting surgery with bare, dirty hands—developments in weaponry meant that more men died on and...

Prove the best way to keep up in Geometry. Scholars first review algebraic properties from Algebra. Learners then use the properties to create two-column proofs to solve linear equations before completing algebraic proofs by providing...

Proofs may be as easy as 1, 2, 3 ... maybe. Pupils participate in creating four example proofs. The presentation uses a list of geometric properties to develop the proofs by filling in both the statements and reasons. Scholars practice...

Make a structure too sturdy to fail. Scholars first watch a video and consider the reasons for the Tacoma Narrows bridge collapse. They take part in two engineering challenges, one using newspapers and the other using spaghetti sticks...

Do not try this at home! At school! Or any other place! Groups of young journalists discuss the ethics of publishing photos of school peers performing dangerous stunts. They share their decision with the class and explain their reasoning.

Be curious! Seek out different opinions! Be conscious of your thinking process! After reading an article about confirmation bias and motivated reasoning, class members apply these strategies to the topic of school start times. They read...

Introduce young historians to primary source analysis with a lesson that teaches them how to use a four-step process to analyze a photograph of a 1913 Suffrage Parade. Groups practice the process and share their observations with the...

"Equal pay for equal work!" may sound logical but it is not the reality. High schoolers begin a study of the gender wage gap with an activity that asks them to position themselves along a line that indicates whether they strongly agree...

Ordinary and extraordinary readers will find much to contemplate in a lesson on Crime and Punishment as they examine the dichotomies in Dostoevsky's novel. Scholars reflect on Raskolnikov's theory that extraordinary individuals are not...

Teenage brains are different! Understanding that the teenage brain is still developing and thus more impacted by substance abuse is the key concept in a three-lesson high school health unit. Participants learn about how the brain and...

It's time to decide. Class members review the decision-making process (define the issue, gather information, develop alternative, and analyze the consequences). Groups then decide which of the six characters they have chosen for the...

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 plan in...

One only has to watch MSMBC and FOX News to realize that media can present the same story in very different ways. Middle schoolers have an opportunity to test their ability to determine the validity and trustworthiness of information by...

Ethics, emotion, reason—scholars investigate advertisers' persuasive techniques to attract buyers. After examining the techniques used in infomercials, writers craft a persuasive essay on a topic of their choice.

Young scientists examine pictures of plants, then explore plant reactions found on the Missouri Botanical Gardens website. Scholars investigate why plants lean, then observe a plant of their own for six weeks to make new claims,...

The Reconstruction Treaties of 1866 and their impact on the Five Tribes in the United States Civil War are the focus of a lesson that asks young historians to consider how these treaties affected tribal sovereignty. Class members do a...

Equal pay for equal work? High schoolers research the reasons for the inequity in women's pay. They read articles, examine graphs, engage in discussion, and then craft an essay in which they suggest a way to address the gender wage gap.

Bacteria get more resistant to antibiotics every year. Learn the reason for this pattern and how scientists are addressing the problem in a six-week unit. Learners analyze different types of bacteria and their adaptations.

Let's go fishing together. The lesson looks at the giant catfish from two perspectives. Mathematically, pupils develop a scatter plot and a best-fit line for the size, while others take a scientific look at the reasons for their...

Scholars read King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail" paragraphs to identify his arguments and reasoning. They discuss their ideas in pairs and small groups, complete a Model Argument Delineation Tool, and respond to a quick writing prompt.

Help readers go deeper and gain an understanding of purpose and justification while analyzing a letter written by Martin Luther King, Jr. Literature lovers discuss the letter in a variety of settings, including in pairs, groups, and...

Using the resource, pupils consider how the author structures her argument in "An Address by Elizabeth Cady Stanton." Scholars complete a written response to identify one of Cady Stanton's claims and analyze how she uses reasoning and...

After completing a fluency practice set on subtracting, multiplying, and comparing decimals, pupils begin learning about dividing decimals by whole numbers. They see how to use place value reasoning to find compatible numbers for...

Scholars partner up to review a model essay and talk through the process leading up to writing their essays. During a second reading of the essay, learners locate and underline the claim given, reasons, and counterclaim. They then...