Curated OER
Learning About Hurricanes
Students write a research paper on hurricanes. In this weather lesson, students use a science text book to write down facts about hurricanes on note cards and then outline their essay. Students use the outline to create an organized essay.
Curated OER
Science Fair Frenzy
Pupils examine the steps for developing science fair projects. They visit stations where they examine posters, books, and paper that describe how to research and design a science fair project. Additionally, they take notes on how to...
Scholastic
Voyage on the Mayflower
After completing an online activity about the Mayflower, scholars draw a picture about what they know of the Thanksgiving holiday, including a one-sentence summary. A reading of If You Were at the First Thanksgiving by Anne Kamma is...
Teach Engineering
Let's Take a Spin: One-Axis Rotation
Investigate the effect of one-axis rotations on geometric figures. Scholars learn to use snap cubes and the right-hand rule to draw figures after rotations about the x-, y-, or z-axes. They try their hands at examples created by the...
California Education Partners
Seeing Eye to Eye
A performance task challenges scholars to read an informational text then respond with an explanatory essay. The exam begins with an independent reading of Seeing Eye to Eye by Leslie Hall. A second reading follows with the...
Curated OER
Grammar Re-review: Now You Teach Us!
Turn the tables on your language arts pupils by letting them be the teachers! With a list of grammatical topics to choose from (subject, adverbs, direct objects, etc), eighth graders plan a presentation to "re-review" the concept with...
Curated OER
Verb Tenses
Why is it so important to have consistent verb tense when writing? Discuss some of the implications with your middle and high school classes. Examples are provided, and both incorrect and corrected sentences are shown. There's a lot of...
Curated OER
Stem Cell Development
Like a fresh canvas, stem cells can turn into almost anything. In a comprehensive instructional activity, high school biologists use clay to build a 3-D model of cell division and the processes that occur during the first 14 days of...
Virginia Department of Education
Creating Thesis Sentences
Growing writers explore what it takes to develop and support a thesis statement with pre-fabricated ideas provided by the Virginia Department of Education. Learners take notes on what makes a thesis statement and a topic sentence, and...
EngageNY
Connecting Ideas in Primary and Secondary Sources: What Led to the Attack on Pearl Harbor?
Let's make some sense of those thoughts! Scholars continue thinking about the different perspectives on Pearl Harbor. They analyze quotes from War in the Pacific, Day of Infamy, and Fourteen-Part Message. Readers tape each quote to chart...
Curated OER
Phases of the Moon
Sixth graders learn that the moon orbits the Earth in a predictable cycle. Each learner engages in a two-week observation of the moon. They sketch its appearance, and take note of its position in relation to objects in their yard. Some...
Jumpstarting Journeys
Vowel Digraph Activities for au and aw
It can be awfully hard teaching young children how to read, but this phonics resource will make the job a little easier. Focusing on the au and aw vowel digraphs, this collection of engaging activities teaches beginning...
Keep Your Children Safe
Fleeting Happiness
Shed light onto the subject of happiness with a learning exercise that focuses on how the emotion—much like other emotions—does not last forever. Scholars read brief passages and answer nine short-answer questions that examine their...
James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words
This exercise on the Constitution requires small groups to design a visual metaphor that expresses the concept behind one of seven principles: popular sovereignty, federalism, republicanism, separation of powers, checks and balances,...
PBS
Stories of Painkiller Addiction: The Cycle of Addiction
Drug addiction, including prescription drug addiction, begins with a reason that's different for every user. High schoolers learn more about the reasons people begin abusing drugs with a set of videos and worksheets that discuss four...
Curated OER
What Has Brown Done for You?
Learners review the facts of the court case Brown v. Board of Education. Next, they research recent court cases that uphold contrasting views on the landmark decision. They write opinions about these recent court cases from a 1954...
Curated OER
Pens, Paper and ... Cellphones?
Students consider the benefits that so-called disruptive technology can have in the classroom, then design class activities that feature such technology prominently. They write essays responding (as students) to their classmates'...
Curated OER
All's Well for Stem Cells
By exploring the latest research on cell and tissue renewal your young scientists can understand the various internal body parts and systems examined in these studies.
Curated OER
Fighting for Control
Engage your class in a class discussion examining and defend different sides of an argument about whether the Environmental Protection Agency should have the legal authority to regulate carbon dioxide emissions. They will have to...
Curated OER
A New Era for Palestinians
Get a global perspective and examine the challenges facing Mahmoud Abbas, the newly elected president of the Palestinian Authority. Thoughtful classroom citizens write letters to Mr. Abbas, asking him questions and suggesting advice....
Curated OER
Final Topic Selection
Read The Quicksand Book by Tomie dePaola while taking notes about the story. Perform a read-aloud, and work your way through the text with your youngsters. With this plan, learners also write about ideas from a previous day, and...
Curated OER
Early Explorers Project
Students choose an explorer from a given list, create an original song or poem based on the life of their explorer, make puppets to represent their explorer and then present their original piece to the class while students take notes on...
Novelinks
Lord of the Flies: Themes and Notetaking
William Golding's Lord of the Flies is a treasure trove of symbolism and literary themes. Help your kids note the richest passages in the book with a instructional activity and graphic organizer. The instructional activity prepares...
Curated OER
Let's Take Care of Our Teeth!
Young scholars identify types of teeth, tools for teeth, the people and behaviors associated with dental care. Then, they create a list of ways to take care of their teeth. Students also create a chart of dental care using key terms...