A visual literary lesson provides learners with OPTIC (Observations, Predictions, Themes, Inferences, Conclusions), a reading strategy to help them understand and interpret visual and written texts. Scholars practice the strategy with a...

Here's a fresh take on those first days of school introductions. Learners use Flipgrid to create a video that introduces themselves to their classmates. The richly detailed and carefully scaffolded lesson provides specific directions for...

The battle between code makers and code breakers has been going on for centuries and is a key tool of warfare. The contributions of the Native American Code Talkers of World Wars I and II are celebrated in a lesson that features a...

After examining different perspectives on book banning, scholars select a book from a list of frequently banned books and research the controversies surrounding it. They then craft an argument about their chosen book, including arguments...

"It's alive!" Or is it? Scholars tackle the question of what it means to be human in a lesson that asks them to research the Turning Test and other devices that attempt to prove whether AI devices can pass as humans. After participants...

'Tis not easy to understand the language of the Bard! But, hark! Fret not! With the assistance of this joyous lesson, young players learn how to translate Shakespeare's English into modern language. Groups examine passages from Julius...

Two babies, two fathers, two experiences, two worlds. Partners craft two-voice poems to capture the points of view of two men with very different lives who have just become fathers.

C.E.R = Claim + Evidence + Reasoning. That's the framework behind building a solid piece of argument writing. Introduce young writers to this format with an engaging lesson that uses YouTube videos and a PowerPoint to illustrate the...

Young scientists learn the laws of genetics through data collection and research. They use discussions and online resources to develop an understanding of the related vocabulary.

Identifying the tone of a piece of writing or the author's attitude toward the subject matter can be difficult for learners. Simplify the process with a lesson that begins with skits, moves to songs and their lyrics, and then to passages...

Table the decision to land. Pupils form flight crews by matching up different representations of linear equations. Given a set of coordinates for an airstrip, the crews determine the equation of the line that will position their planes...

Consider the riddle of dragon genetics. Young scientists simulate being dragon parents and determining which traits their child will have. Then they learn of a new relative and must determine how they are related using probability and...

Seventy thousand different types of soil exist in the United States alone. Young scientists learn about the importance of soil to the food supply. They test soil for a variety of factors and determine the best place to set up a community...

Evolution happens over generations, so how do we observe it? Scholars learn to look for patterns and create cladograms. Then they apply those lessons to the evolution of technology over many generations.

Mosses and liverworts lack vascular tissue, unlike other plants. Young scientists learn more about these rootless plants through hands-on dissection and research on their life cycles as they get their hands dirty for a fun science...

Vermont produces less than 35 percent of the electricity it consumes. Young scientists research alternative energy sources to find the best options for a Vermont town. They present and critique each option before voting on the best idea.

Scholars use springs to explore waves and their characteristics. Using data, learners formulate a math problem to investigate velocity, wavelength, and frequency. They will use that same formula to explain examples in nature.

Satellite photographs prove the dramatic changes to the environment over long periods of time. Young scientists observe photographs and make hypotheses. They then check real data on weather and climate patterns to better understand the...

Do scientists really change their minds when presented with new evidence? Young scientists learn about two competing theories and must decide between them. They perform a simulation and have access to actual field data. Then, scholars...

Car crashes provide an excellent way to study kinetic energy transfer. Scholars explore energy through hands-on simulated crashes. They work together to design their own experiments and apply the knowledge gained to a situation that...

Scholars practice opening their minds to observations and make reasonable claims during an out-of-this-world lesson. After group discussions, pupils perform an experiment, relying on their observational skills, and present their findings...

Scholars learn not to overreact as they classify chemical reactions. Starting with learning the basics of classification and moving onto applying all of the correct scientific vocabulary, young scientists master chemical reactions. Six...

What caused the dust bowl, and should we worry about it happening again? Scholars look at various data to come up with their hypotheses. Then, they experiment to find some of the factors that contributed. Finally, the video has them look...

Around six percent of babies are born with serious genetic disorders. Young scientists learn more about what causes these disorders and the effect they have. They begin with a case study of cystic fibrosis before expanding to research...