Classmates participate in a variety of getting-to-know-you activities for the first day of school. They make resolutions, become detectives about their fellow classmates, learn about each other by playing switch, and make...

Looking for an interactive back to school activity? Start by reading the book The Kissing Hand, and having your class discuss their feelings about the first day of school. They trace their hand onto paper, cut out the paper hand,...

Building a strong classroom community starts with group activities focused on sharing and respect. The class sits in a circle, shares a talent they possess, then tell peers to throw them a piece of candy if they don't have the same...

Break the ice with a series of silly questions. This slide show asks 10 different, would you rather, questions. Each question has three silly answers to choose from. Great for classroom fun, the first day of school, or as a way to take a...

Should bottled water be sold in schools, or should they only provide tap water? The summative unit in the six-part series encourages scholars debating this topic. The lessons teach how to build an argument, how to gain background...

It's one thing to prevent yourself from becoming a bully, but how do you convince others to follow suit? Take the first step in creating a better world with a public speaking lesson that prompts learners to write and present persuasive...

In this first day of school activity worksheet, learners discover what a goal is and then record their goals for the coming school year on the 8 provided lines.

Whether it's the first day of school, or there's a new kid in the class, it's always great to talk about ways we make new friends and be a good friend. Younger learners are presented with several scenarios to discuss and think about....

What do aspirin and the willow tree have in common? Scholars of chemical synthesis engage in a fascinating reaction to make their own aspirin samples. The lab uses thin layer chromatography analysis, includes stoichiometric calculations,...

Immediately capture the attention of your class with the smell of freshly popped popcorn in the sixth lesson of this series on the needs of living things. Young scientists first use their senses to make and record observations of...

The I-STOP law was designed to regulate the distribution and tracking of prescription drugs. After reading an article about its signing and implementation, middle and high schoolers work together to come up with their own ideas for an...

What should young people think about before drinking alcohol? Have your class consider the eight reasons listed here, some of which are facts, and others opinions. Pupils rank each statement from one to eight, where one is the most...

Students participate in an extra credit activity designed to keep them active over winter break.

This is a nice idea for high school students to organize and present a Health and Wellness Fair at a local elementary school. It looks like it would take a lot of organization, but would certainly build community relationships. There are...

Third graders study the human body. In this health instructional activity, 3rd graders discuss that everyone's body is growing, measure body parts using a tape measure, and color the body worksheet.

Have class members create a recipe flip book for their favorite after school snack. Using ordinal words (first, second next, etc.), young chefs write and illustrate each step in the process on separate cards. They then design a cover,...

Exploitation is a real issue for the disabled community. Secondary Special Education learners learn what exploitation is, their personal rights, and how to say no. They focus on finding a trusted adult to get help if they have been taken...

It's the moment of truth. Previous lessons in the 24-part series had scholars design and develop shampoo formulas using chemical concepts. The 18th lesson asks them to test the function of their shampoos. To do this, they calculate the...

There are a number of social, emotional, and physiological reasons why teenagers start smoking, and why they continue smoking into adulthood. Help class members understand why smoking begins in youth—and how to protect themselves from...

Practice nutritional cooking with a collection of fun meal preparation lessons. Each lesson includes a focus, objective, collaborative activity, and recipe to culminate what young cooks have learned about healthy eating.

Students examine the existence of bacteria all around them and consider the roles, both positive and negative, that bacteria play. Over a period of several days, students conduct an experiment in which they predict, determine, log, and...

Students think about why we worry about what others think, bullying, and learning to respect and accept differences in others.In this Bad Case of Stripes lesson plan, students examine cause-and-effect relationships in a story as they...

Students are introduced to the characteristics of rape. As a class, they identify statements as either facts or myths about rape. In groups, they complete a survey to identify their own perceptions about rape and compare them with...