Would your ideal science lab be filled with bubbling beakers and zapping Tesla coils? Or would it contain state-of-the-art computer technology and data analysis? Dream big with an innovative lesson that connects math and language...

Gun, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond is a seminal work of historical nonfiction from the late 20th century. Use the author's claims and supporting evidence to guide your high school seniors through their research project, culminating...

Have your young scientists explore a single element of the water cycle and write a report to explain findings. Your class can take their writing through all the steps of the writing process and publish it using a Web-based multimedia...

What role did Buffalo, New York play in the Underground Railroad? Young historians investigate the Underground Railroad ties to Buffalo and western New York. They create a web site or multimedia presentation based on the research. If...

What did medicine look like a hundred years ago? Two hundred years ago? Invite small groups to conduct research on the history of a chosen medical advancement before reading Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science....

How has the Internet of Things affected our lives? Scholars examine the massive influence of mobile devices in this analysis lesson, which begins with a seven-minute documentary clip. They also read a New York Times article (linked)...

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,...

How do you convey someone’s creativity? Individuals answer the question as they design exhibitions to showcase the intellect and genius of Benjamin Franklin. After conducting research, classmates work in groups to try to capture and...

Contrary to popular belief, the monster's name in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is not Frankenstein. A teacher's guide for the novel helps readers make sense of key details in the text, define vocabulary words, and discuss prominent...

Students access the Internet and research physical characteristics and route of migration of the gray whale. They complete a database and reproduce the information using Apple Works. They read the novel El Guero by Elizabeth Borton de...

Young scientists develop their observation and writing skills as they craft and then post a detailed description of a plant or animal they have spotted and photographed.

Middle schoolers work with a partner to gather information on a question from two sources using a computer program and the Internet. They also write a report with visuals to air on closed-circuit TV for the school. Use this lesson to...

Practice expository and creative writing with your class. Pupils use magazines to find pictures, cut them out, and create a collage. This work of art is then used as a writing prompt. They describe the collage in either a creative or...

Let me draw you a picture. Scholars read a quote from Roger Tory Peterson and discuss his views on drawings. They then create their own drawings of an ant or butterfly to add to their science journals. 

Young scientists explore the animal kingdom from the safety of the classroom with this short research project. After first choosing an animal, children use the Internet to discover where it lives, what it eats, and how it...

Ninth graders, in groups, research a Canadian astronaut, developing a profile of their astronaut for presentation in a learning center. They visit the other groups' centers to explore more astronauts.

Fourth graders identify six simple machines in real world examples, distinguish between the three different types of levers and explain Newton's three laws of motion. They create a multimedia presentation over the information they've...

Learners investigate a community environmental issue. They document it using traditional scientific methods, digital photography, and videotaping. After collecting data, they graph the results. Students present their findings in a...

Middle schoolers investigate the components food chains and food webs in various ecosystems. They describe how living things depend on one another for food energy (food chain) and how more than one food chain exists in an ecosystem

Middle schoolers investigate the food chain by researching the Internet.  In this ecosystem activity, students view the video "Competitor and Predator" and read a book from the series "The Magic School Bus."  Middle schoolers...

Students use the computer to discover animals. For this animal lesson, students look at online webcams to view animals and write in a daily blog discussing what the animals are doing. They use either Pixie or PowerPoint to create an...

Research animals and develop a non-fiction presentation. Students will complete research on a particular animal and determine the animal's characteristics as well as habitat before choosing a differentiated project to present using the...

Students evaluate the school's recycling and waste management practices. After analyzing current methods, teams develop a new recycling plan, and create a slideshow presentation. They present their proposals to the principal for...

Students understand Charlotte's web through the completion of a web-quest. In this Charlotte's Web lesson, students complete comprehension tasks such as role playing their favorite scene, choosing a character and making a multimedia...