The gist should be short and sweet! Pupils practice finding the gist of an informational text and then write a summary of the text. Next, they gather with their research teams to discuss a focus question based on the novel Bud, Not Buddy...

What can you contribute? Scholars read text to determine how ants contribute to the rainforest. First, they categorize and sort facts gathered from reading. Next, readers focus on specific terms in each paragraphs of the text Ants by...

Not all heroes wear capes. An impactful lesson focuses on the life and activism of Fannie Lou Hamer during the civil rights movement. Scholars read her speeches and other material, participate in group discussion, and complete a jigsaw...

Are Civil War monuments a kind remembrance or a reminder of a dark past? The lesson focuses on the public's memory of the Civil War and the monuments that represent it. Young academics explore past efforts to change historical symbols...

Teach middle schoolers how to develop healthy relationships with activities and lessons designed to create a kind and inclusive classroom. Pupils create guidelines to develop a safe and civil learning environment. They learn how to...

Here's a new twist in the egg drop competition. Using only six inches of tape, four straws, and 2 pieces of newspaper, teams build a structure that keeps an egg from breaking when dropped. What's different about this project is that the...

To gain an understanding of the importance of professional references, class members engage in two projects. First, individuals examine an online review site (Yelp, for example), paying particular attention to the positive and negative...

Four lessons focus on job opportunities in Texas. In the first lesson, scholars examine the geography of Texas in preparation for analyzing data that showcases the economy of different regions. Lesson three challenges pupils to research...

An activity that focuses on workplace ethical dilemmas asks groups how to respond to a series of scenarios. First, the class brainstorms a list of ethics that apply to employers, then a second one that applies to employees. Using their...

The anti-busing movement in Boston is the focus of a lesson that asks young historians to examine primary source documents to identify the causes and consequences of busing pupils from one area of the city to another in the attempt to...

Why did African American voters switch from the Republican Party to the Democratic party during the Depression Era? That is the question young historians attempt to answer as they study primary source documents from the period. The focus...

An interactive focuses on Colonial Rhode Island. Scholars read a brief informational text, then answer 10 questions. Feedback appears immediately and comes with a final progress report.

Scholars test their reading comprehension skills with an interactive that focuses on the Sioux tribe. After reading an informational text, learners answer 10 questions. 

A "Fist to Five" routine asks participants to indicate how they feel about an opening question, like how ready they are to start learning, how well they understand instructions, etc. Groups then suggest strategies to get learners ready...

The future can be yours to see with a bit of planning. That's the takeaway from a routine that asks participants to first brainstorm a list of personal and academic goals. Individuals then select one to focus on for the week, identify...

Rumpelstiltskin understood the power of names. The second lesson in the First Days of School series focuses on building community by recognizing the importance of the relationships among names, identities, and cultures. Learners engage...

The final lesson in the First Days of School series focuses on how to build a classroom community where all class members can feel safe, heard, and valued. The resource includes step-by-step directions for engaging pupils in developing...

An interactive reading practice focuses on Susan B. Anthony. Scholars read an informational text, then answer 10 questions.

An informational text focuses on the Age of Exploration. Scholars read the passage and then answer 10 questions to test their reading comprehension skills.

Amelia Earhart is the focus of a reading comprehension interactive practice. Scholars read an informational text; then answer 10 questions. 

Students focus on what it means to be a citizen of the United States and why the Chinese Exclusion Act is important when considering the concept of racism.

Students research on the Web, magazines, and newspapers the extent of waste and recycling situation has been solved. They focus on the community, get facts and figures to show how recycling goes on there.

For many emerging writers, essays are completed step-by-step. With the help of this instructional activity, learners will narrow down a topic, develop a thesis statement, develop a preliminary outline, conduct Internet research, and...

Enhance your student's reading with this presentation on the end of WWII. This series of slides contains information,  focus questions to guide student reading, and a video entitled, The Impact of World War II. Note: To view the...