Reading goes beyond taking in information—it also involves forming impressions about what we read. Sometimes we share those impressions through book reviews, a specific type of writing outlined in a handout on the topic. Using the...

The final lesson in the "What Makes Democracy Work?" series examines the connections between imagination, literature, and democracy. Class members listen to a podcast, read an excerpt from Azar Nafisi's, The Republic of Imagination, and...

The big idea in the last lesson in the Health Smart series is that individuals must practice emotional first aid, that just as we take care of physical injuries, we must take care of emotional injuries. Scholars watch a short video and...

Minnie Bruce Pratt's poem, "The Great Migration," offers young scholars an opportunity to reflect on how where we come from influences who we are. Groups conduct a close reading of the poem, recording observations about the poem's...

Wouldn't it be lovely if we all had a space where we were seen, heard, and valued? As part of creating a safe, respectful classroom community, participants envision such a space and then generate a classroom contract that will establish...

Everyone has biases, both explicit—ones we are aware of—and implicit—ones we are unaware of. High schoolers learn the differences between explicit and implicit bias in a short lesson where pupils watch a short video, read articles about...

We all drink milk as babies, so why can't we all drink it as adults? Examine the trend in lactase production on the world-wide scale as science scholars analyze and interpret data. Groups create pie charts from the data, place them on a...

Oceans represent more than 80 percent of all habitats, yet we know less about them than most other habitats on the planet. The instructor introduces the epipelagic, mesopelagic, bathypelagic, twilight, and midnight zones in the ocean....

We know about the light spectrum, the age spectrum, and sound spectrum, but do chemical reactions also occur on a spectrum? Young scientists experiment with partial reactions on a spectrum and observe the color changes. Then, they...

How many daisies did we sell? A classic jump rope rhyme provides the framework for an activity that asks kids to rewrite the rhyme, record their names on the provided pages, illustrate their story, and build a mini-book. 

Do we really need sunscreen? What are the risks of tanning? Learners explore these questions through a series of informational texts and engaging, hands-on activities.

Some of us never feel like we know how to do our taxes! Help scholars understand the process early by using an informative resource. They fill out their own tax forms in a simulation activity and view multiple resources to learn even...

What do we use to determine the exact locations on the earth? Your kids can learn all about compass roses and latitude and longitude. Test understanding with the five reading comprehension questions included on the page.

How far do your pupils think we should go in the name of science? Class members respond to questions relating to chapter three of Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science and then participate in a four corners...

Phrenology, the belief that parts of your brain control certain aspects of your personality, is described in Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science. While we now know much more about the brain, learners use this...

"We, the People of the State of Alabama. . ." Did you know that the Alabama State Constitution has 357,157 words while the US Constitution has only 4,400? And that it has 798 amendments while the US Constitution has...

Clearly communicate to your learners how to stay safe while crossing the street and walking alongside traffic using this collection of 24 picture cards. It reviews basic actions like looking left and right before crossing,...

Holidays are less stressful if we know what to expect. Here's a social skills story that prepares learners with autism for the change in routines that holidays bring.

Not only does this social story tell kids what to expect on Mother's Day but it also offers an explanation for why we celebrate moms and includes suggestions for possible Mother's Day gifts.

Statistics is made approachable, and dare we say fun, in this activity on using box-and-whisker plots to analyze and compare data sets. Specific emphasis is placed on interpretations and explanations while graphing, and in using the...

Why do we use a dictionary? Your scholars will tell you why while demonstrating their dictionary skills. In addition to stating the purpose of using dictionaries, they will also show what they know about guide words, alphabetizing,...

Emerging nutritionists explore what it means to be healthy. In the beginning of the unit, your class will examine the five food groups and learn how food gets from the farm to our plates. This leads into the investigation of...

Don't just look at pictures of the Milky Way galaxy, build it with this hands-on activity in which scientists recreate the galaxy we live in.

What can we find out about the data from the way it is shaped? Looking at displays that are familiar from previous grades, the class forms meaningful conjectures based upon the context of the data. The introductory lesson to...