Heat water up like a NASA engineer. Using the engineering design process, investigators create a system to trap and move heat through a water-filled tube. Designers participate in a post-activity discussion that highlights the role of...

Changing one aspect of a mission impacts all the others. Learners consider a list of criteria as they develop their own science questions related to Mars and design a solution while considering all the important systems: computer,...

Having the right tool for the job is a must. Young space explorers design their own missions to Mars by deciding what they would like to learn about the planet. At the end, they draw and write about the tools they need to accomplish...

Minerals on Mars are not that different than those on Earth. Using mineralogy concepts and satellite images, individuals use color to highlight the different surface minerals on Mars when creating a model of the planet. They enhance...

Bring the science of space exploration to the classroom. Young learners explore the mechanics of the parachute-landing mechanisms on the Mars Rover. They design and build their own parachute models and test their ability to land a probe...

Learn what it takes to explore Mars in the comfort of a classroom. Individuals experiment with computer programming using a free online resource while learning about the factors affecting Mars Rover explorations. They create a...

Light, distance, and mathematics come together to help scientists plan for space missions. Groups examine the relationship between distance from the sun and light availability in a hands-on exploration activity. They model the inverse...

Video game designer meets science in a lesson examining the science of space exploration. Young learners use online software to create a video game that mimics the process of sample collection on Mars. They must make appropriate...

Ideas take flight in an exciting activity on the NASA Gemini Program. Young scholars analyze photos from NASA's Gemini Program and place photos in the correct sequence of events. Academics also discuss the program and how the steps to...

Race to the moon! An engaging activity focuses on NASA's Project Mercury and the Space Race. Scholars read a memorandum regarding the project and explore how it fueled Cold War tensions. Academics complete a worksheet and discuss the...

The civil rights movement: An ongoing battle for change. The activity focuses on President Johnson's speech in response to the massacre at the Selma March. Academics study the speech, complete a hands-on-activity, and discuss President...

Who is to blame when a peaceful protest turns deadly? Scholars research the impact of the civil rights march in Selma, better known as Bloody Sunday. The activity uses files from the FBI's investigation to help academics understand the...

1964: A victory for the civil rights movement! Scholars read a section of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and discuss what affirmative actions means to them. The resource is a jigsaw activity, with each group focusing on one section of the...

Heroic civil rights leader Harry T. Moore is murdered! An eye-opening activity delves into the past to understand the murder of prominent civil rights leader and educator Harry Moore and his wife. Academics also read President Truman's...

Find clues to the past with photos! Young historians use a photo from one of Martin Luther King Jr.'s peaceful protests to practice photo analysis. Academics look at the image to gain clues about what is happening and why. To finish,...

Uncle Sam wants you to integrate the military! The activity uses images and documents to help scholars understand the integration of African Americans into the mainstream military. Academics analyze a series of military photos and...

The story of the Vietnam War is often told through images. Young historians analyze images and primary sources —including the Vietnamese Army's Seven Commandments poster and photos of the daily life of soldiers—to construct a...

Unlike most children, Edith Lee-Payne of Detroit went to the March on Washington with her mother to celebrate her 12th birthday. Pupils walk the march with her by analyzing a closeup image of her that has come to represent the pivotal...

The Vietnam War was the first war to come into American living rooms with its images of American soldiers fighting in jungles far, far away. Young historians analyze and curate photos from the conflict, deciding how they would create a...

To conclude a unit study of Octavia E. Butler's Kindred, groups use MovieMaker or the class website to publish an original story about slavery in America. The detailed project assignment sheet includes a list of possible topics,...

A 13-page workbook walks scholars through the California CareerZone website. Class members start by creating accounts then take an interest survey. Results from the survey are used in activities that explore lifestyle choices, budgeting,...

An activity challenges scholars to make smart money choices. While visiting the California CareerZone website, pupils choose between budgeting for one's lifestyle or salary and complete a two-page worksheet based on the information...

Scholars visit the California CareerZone to complete a Quick Start Activity. Once on the webpage, learners complete an interest survey then browse a list of occupations based on the survey's results. Pupils choose three and write why the...

Scholars register an account with the website then complete an interest survey. Using the results, pupils choose three of the recommended professions to compare and contrast.