Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Codex Comes Home: Leonardo Lives in Seattle

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners complete a unit on the life of Leonardo da Vinci and the content of the Codex Leicester. They write an encyclopedia entry, watch a film, complete a data sheet, conduct Internet research, and write a letter to Bill Gates about...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

No Publicity, Bad Publicity?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine the factors that can influence a celebrity's media image and marketplace viability. They read an article, answer discussion questions, role-play advisors to a studio head, and write a letter to a studio head.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Starry Night Time and Day Time

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders complete a unit of lessons on the solar system. They complete various art projects inspired by Van Gogh's 'Starry Night,' create a moon phases book, create a moon phase wind chime, develop a timeline of space exploration,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Just how broken is the Senate?

For Teachers 12th
Twelfth graders examine the role of the Senate in the United States.  In this American Government lesson, 12th graders read various articles and answer questions to these articles.  Students write a letter to their Senator on a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tree Hunt

For Teachers 1st - 6th
Students identify the common trees of Iowa and make observations while creating a key. In this tree hunt lesson, students write a letter to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to receive a pamphlet of Common Trees of Iowa. Students...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

China CultureQuest

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students use the internet and other tools to examine the culture of China. In groups, they brainstorm a list of topics they want to know more about and practice writing Chinese letters. They create a collage to show the class what...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Effects of Alcohol Use

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders identify short and long term effects of alcohol use. In this effects of alcohol lesson plan, 5th graders participate in activities to understand what it feels like to have alcohol in their system. With the teacher they make...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

It's All in the Making: Our Local Organizations

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students study African American nonprofit organizations. For this nonprofit organizations lesson, students discuss African American organizations. Students research the NAACP and NUL website. Students design posters for both groups....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Marcus Garvey and the Rise of Black Nationalism

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students answer preview questions about different terms to describe African Americans. In this Black Nationalism lesson, students listen to background information on Marcus Garvey, then read an editorial by Garvey on the Return to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Metric Cookies

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders convert English to Metric units.  In this converting English to Metric units lesson, 6th graders convert a cookie recipe in English units to Metric units.  Students write a letter to a pen pal in England where...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

African American Community and Culture

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders explore areas of concern to the African American community in the 1820's.  In this American History instructional activity, 11th graders examine how the establishment of the nations first African American newspaper...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gold Mountain

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students read primary and secondary sources to find jobs as a Chinese immigrant. In groups they create a chart listing jobs for Chinese and write a letter about employment and living conditions to a Chinese friend.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Whitman and Lincoln

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students determine if Lincoln and Whitman ever met and write a dialogue between the two men. In this Whitman and Lincoln lesson, students read Whitman's poem "Beat! Beat! Drums!" and connect it to the events of Lincoln's presidency....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sexual Selection in the Animal Kingdom

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students research how sexual selection plays a role in driving evolution. They experiment how variation exists within not just obvious physical traits, but metabolically and behaviorally. They write a letter describing a problem, and a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Government Lesson Plan: Lesson Plan 7

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students examine the impact of Franklin Roosevelt's executive order on Japanese-Americans. They discuss Presidential executive orders, read a handout, answer discussion questions, and write a letter to President Roosevelt.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Germans and Irish in Augusta and Franklin Counties

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine 19th century newspapers, a last and testament, and census manuscripts to analyze the Irish and German immigrant communities in the 1850s and 1860s. They write a letter from the perspective of an Irish or German immigrant.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Self-Image: The Fantasy, The Reality

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students examine the issue of body image and the media. They watch and discuss a video, identify ads with unrealistic images, write a letter to the magazine, develop a timeline of changing body types, and conduct research.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dealing with Tragedy in the Classroom

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students explore the concept of human tragedy. In this September 11 terrorist attacks lesson, students write condolence letters, discuss the qualities of heroes, and investigate volunteer opportunities.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Desert Views - First Impressions: Travelers on the Gila Trail

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Pupils draw animals and plants that are described to them as they read passages of people who traveled across the Gila Trail in the Southwest. In this Gila Trail lesson plan, students also write a letter describing a plant or animal in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Soldier's Valentine

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students create Valentine's for soldiers in Iraq. They review how to write a friendly paragraph and discuss the military and duties of soldiers in Iraq. They create postcards and write reasons why they are rpoud of the military and how...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Letters From The Diaspora

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students investigate the concept of mass migration and conduct research using a variety of resources. The information is used in order to create letters written from the perspective of a person who may have migrated during the time period.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Denial on Trial

For Teachers 6th - 12th
What is the "Faurisson Affair”? What is “Holocaust Revisionism”? What does freedom of speech entail? Do revisionists have a right to voice their ideas? Such questions are at the heart of a richly detailed, thought provoking lesson...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Justice Is Blind, Colorblind That Is

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
It's so interesting to see kids respond to articles about education. To start the day, prompt learners to discuss the words colorblindness and diversity. Then, split your class in two and have one side read an article from 2007 and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Christmas Candy

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Here is a tasty topic for a lesson: Christmas candy! Third and fourth graders research classic Christmas candies, then create their very own! They write a descriptive paragraph about their candy, then use KidPix to create an illustration...