Midwest Institute for Native American Studies
Introduction to Pre-Columbian Lessons
Native peoples established civilizations all over Central and North America. Introduce native civilizations with a unit that promotes discussion, reinforces map skills, enhances reading comprehension, and exposes young historians to the...
EngageNY
Vectors and the Equation of a Line
Represent linear equations in both two and three dimensions using parametric equations. Learners write parametric equations for linear equations in both two and three variables. They graph and convert the parametric equations to...
NASA
Simulating Weightlessness
Floating across the top. Class groups examine the parabolas, written as parametric equations, that model the flight path of NASA's C-9 as it simulates weightlessness. They continue their exploration by changing the parameters to...
WindWise Education
How Does Energy Affect Wildlife?
Is wildlife affected the same way by different electricity generation methods? Teams work together to research four electricity generation sources and their impacts on wildlife. The teams create a summary report and share their findings.
S2tem Centers SC
Seasons
Winter, spring, summer, and fall—take the learning of the seasons beyond the elementary level to the middle school classroom. Curious learners begin by watching videos about the seasons and the rotation of planet Earth. Then, they...
Balanced Assessment
Red Dots, Blue Dots
Count the connections between dots. Young mathematicians come up with a method to determine the number of connections between pairs of dots. The assessment leads the class to determine the connections they can make when groups are...
National Park Service
Fitting In
Birds help other birds find food? Scholars are placed into one of five groups of different birds. Each group then "feeds" on letters of paper in a field and gather five pieces per person. As each group plays, more food is exposed,...
Cornell University
Sun or Water? or Both?
Over the course of 10 days, young scientists observe their cups of seed and soil—one that gets sun and water and one that gets no sun and only water. Then they reflect on the results of the experiment to determine if their hypothesis was...
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Immigration: Why Come to the United States?
Don't limit your curriculum to texts! Young historians listen to a song, read an interview, and examine a cartoon as they explore motivations for immigrating to the US in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
PBS
Going Back In Time
History detectives eschew that time machine and follow the paper trail to go back in time to investigate an unfamiliar object. The goal is for class members to develop their skills as historical detectives.
Cornell University
Who’s Got The Flu?
Become an immunologist for the day. Scholars elicit the use of the enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA) to diagnose an infectious disease. Through the process, they learn about the immune system response to infectious diseases.
Novelinks
Words by Heart: Level 3 Writing Assignment
Get in touch with the emotional side of writing by reading Words By Heart. The writing assignment helps learners make personal connections with the text and hone their writing skills by exploring a time that they had to forgive or be...
Saddleback College
The Wonder of Words
If your language arts students think etymology isn't relevant to their everyday lives, show them a presentation that will prove them wrong! The slideshow provides explanation about various words, roots, and suffixes that have adapted in...
Stephen F. Austin State University, College of Fine Arts
The Ugly Duckling
It's not about what you look like on the outside! A study guide for the stage adaptation of The Ugly Duckling reminds learners that being cruel to those in need is not helpful—and that we all belong somewhere.
Biology Junction
Mollusks
Mollusks created every shell on Earth. Young scientists learn more about the phyllum mollusca in an informative presentation. It covers their characteristics, body plans, and relationships in the ecosystem. Then, it details each class of...
Serendip
Mitosis and Meiosis Card Sort
Cells divide by one of two processes, either mitosis or meiosis. Scholars sort cards into two sets, one representing each type of cell division. Then, they sequence the cards demonstrating an understanding of the movement of chromosomes.
Biology Junction
What Is Ecology?
Do you know the name for the biological study of interactions? A short presentation with accompanying worksheet introduces individuals to ecology. The materials offer a broad overview of the subject and the levels of organization to...
ProCon
Obesity
Is obesity a disease or just a preventable risk factor for other diseases? Scholars attempt to form their own opinions by reading a background of the issue and watching videos that explore the main pro and con arguments using an included...
American Museum of Natural History
Going, Going...Gone?
Young environmentalists consider how scientists are attempting to save endangered species. They read about what causes extinction and steps to take to minimize the threats.
Missouri Department of Elementary
“Re-Solutioning”: Practice Brings Out Our Best
Seventh graders create and perform a skit that demonstrates their conflict resolution skills. They begin by examining the process of crafting a performance and review what they have learned about conflict resolution. Next, they...
American Museum of Natural History
What's This? Reproduction
Attracting the right mate is as important for humans as any other species. An interesting lesson teaches individuals about several strategies that animals and plants have adapted to attract their mates. From colorful nests to powerful...
Curated OER
Animals
Second graders discuss the term "endangered". They identify the reasons some animals are in danger of being wiped out. They discover ways humans can help the species survive.
Curated OER
Environmental Education
Second graders examine how their choices affect the environment. They identify different types of pollution and its source. They ask questions to end the lesson.
Curated OER
Responsible Citizenship
Sixth graders investigate the problem of crime in the United States. They conduct class discussion and roleplay the types of actions that should be taken when witnessing a crime. They discuss the roles of social responsibility and its...