Students explore the life and philosophy of Henry David Thoreau. Students watch a slide show on Henry David Thoreau. They visit a quiet, tranquil location and observe nature. After reading and discussing Thoreau's works, students create...

Students observe a documentary on "Escuela" to explore the life and education of migrant families. After discussing the related topics in the movie, students share their conclusions migrant farmworkers. Using the Internet and other...

Students study and learn to use keyboard shortcuts. In this computer usage lesson plan, students learn to keyboard shortcuts to use in Windows programs. Students practice using the shortcuts and may come up with their own as an extension.

Seventh graders identify the different components of the circulatory system. In this biology lesson, 7th graders use an interactive website to further study the parts and functions of each component. They create a "glog" or PowerPoint...

Redecorate a classroom on a budget. Middle schoolers rebuild a classroom after a disaster. They conduct Internet research to determine construction supplies needed and the most cost effective way to reach the predetermined results. They...

It's important to make sure houses can withstand winds. A hands-on activity has learners create a structure out of household materials. They use a fan to simulate hurricane-force winds to see if their structures can withstand the...

Blend art, adolescent snacking habits, and math to create new cereal boxes. Secondary learners review scale drawings. They use this information to construct cereal boxes to scale and will compare their creation to the original product to...

Students explore the concept of linear regression. For this linear regression lesson, students find the line of best fit for a set of data pertaining to a frog population. Students use their line of best fit to predict the frog...

What do lab tests reveal about a patient's health? Scholars perform a simulated urinalysis on two different patients by testing color, pH, glucose levels, and protein levels. Then, they compare their findings to what they know passes...

First, introduce rank badges, which were used during the Qing Dynasty. Then, the class will work together to uncover the meaning of the images they see. They'll examine and research the meaning behind the symbols found on Leopard Rank...

Class members choose a current social, political, environmental, or economic problem presented in Tyson Miller's Dream of a Nation: Inspiring Ideas for a Better America, research this problem and a variety of suggested solutions, before...

Should junk food be banned in schools? Should the US open its borders to all immigrants? Should the US impose term limits for the House of Representatives and for the Senate? Using Tyson Miller's Dream of a Nation: Inspiring Ideas...

Your young architects use the Internet to research tall structures or sky scrapers to help in the design of their scale drawings. This is activity one of three in which learners design, build, and test model skyscrapers for seismic...

Students utilize prior knowledge to erect and assemble a building from a drawing using spaghetti noodles and marshmallows. For this building lesson, students visualize a three dimensional structure from looking at a picture and...

Students make an earthquake simulator and test their structure to see if it lasts through the earthquake. In this earthquake lesson plan, students make a structure and test and record the results from an earthquake simulator made out of...

Learners explore the concept of volume. They develop formulas for volume of prisms. Then use their formulas to find missing dimensions of various prisms such as height, length, width, radius, and diameter.

Social media and United States history combine as your young historians design a Facebook page for two major defendants of landmark Supreme Court cases. The resource includes a detailed rubric for research and page design, as well as a...

Middle schoolers aren't too young to feel strongly about politics, social issues, consumer rights, or environmental problems. Demonstrate the first steps toward social change with a project about action-oriented writing. Eighth...

Students collect and analyze data on a fictional cereal company's products. In this measurement instructional activity, students collect data from cereal boxes (weight, volume, surface area, etc.) to determine if the boxes labels...

Students copy and figure out the Mystery Codeword each day. They copy Mystery Code into journal. They match the number with the letter to decipher the code word. They draw a picture to match code word. At the end of the week, the...

Students listen to data on African American women in Texas before the Civil War. For this Civil War lesson, students compare and contrast the lives of slave and free women, and discuss case studies, locating areas on a map. Students...

Students analyze ozone data.  In this atmosphere lesson, students will use a NASA resource to gather data for different regions of the Earth.  Students will then create a graph for their data and answer related questions. 

What is a parfleche? It is a box used by the Plains Indians to carry goods as they traveled. First, the class will discuss the uses of these highly ornate boxes and the nature of the Plains Indians' nomadic lifestyle. Then, the class...

Imagine you are a Plains Indian, a nomad getting ready to follow a herd of buffalo. Now imagine what you would have to pack for your trip. Little ones examine images of a traditional parfleche (packing box), and then create packing lists...