Railways are an integral part of the history of California. Using a timeline format, class members connect major historical events to the rise of the railroads and their impact on the state. Activities include a mix of independent and...

Students examine the experience of the middle passage of slaves. They review slave songs and discuss their common themes. They develop a monologue in which they integrate a fragment of an actual slave song into a poem they have written.

Students read and discuss the literary elements of "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" by C.S. Lewis. They explore the elements of dramatic performance and create a TV news program based on life in Narnia. They videotape their...

If you're a pest, come and get a tasty meal here! Scholars work collaboratively to construct a mini restaurant out of a shoe box and create a menu that feeds a pest their favorite food. 

Learners work collaboratively to take and download digital images, use iMovie software, and create an iMovie to show at a Back To School Night event. They discuss how to organize the information into a clear and cohesive movie. Then,...

Twelfth graders collaborate and analyze information about our hominid lineage. They discuss evidence researched by anthropologists. Students use spreadsheet data to compare means of locomotion, diet and brain size.

A cut and paste mural activity is a fun activity to complete after reading a Dr. Seuss book. In this shape recognition and art lesson, students read the book The Shape of Me and Other Stuff and discuss the main idea. A class mural...

Examine human resilience across two texts with a detailed unit. Over the course of a week, learners will conduct a close reading of excerpts from Unbroken and Farewell to Manzanar. The resource includes clear procedures for reading and...

Students collaborate to create a painting in the style of Keith Haring. In this subway art lesson, learners study the distinct style of artist Keith Haring and design a large scale canvas on styrofoam. They study the details of Haring's...

Students create an alternate ending with digital animations to illustrate their text.  In this novel creation lesson, students read a novel and analyze the plot in small groups.  Students collaborate on an alternate ending...

Students review the concepts of weather, climate, and seasons. They read and discuss a book about weather. Students collaborate on a class definition for climate and weather. They match weather to the specific season. Students...

Learners read slave narratives and retell the stories to the class, identifying sensory details. In this slavery lesson, students discuss the importance of sensory details, then read the slave narratives looking for specific examples. ...

Fifth graders examine how to respond to bullying in a proactive manner and to identify how to descrease incidents of bullying at their own school. They participate in a discussion and brainstorming activity, watch a PowerPoint...

Students compare the characteristics of a fired porcelain sculpture to the clay used to create it. They discuss the physical and chemical changes that occur in the clay as it is heated and then create their own clay sculpture. This...

High schoolers study the history of Olympic emblems. In this Olympics lesson, students examine the Olympic designs and symbols used to represent different Olympic game years. High schoolers then collaborate to create Olympic emblems for...

Students develop their geography skills. In this Lewis and Clark lesson, students collaborate to calculate the time and distance of different segments of the expedition. Students compare their estimate to Lewis and Clark's.

Was James Monroe the sole contributor of the Monroe Doctrine? Young scholars study the doctrine and cite evidence to show contributions of John Quincy Adams and Thomas Jefferson in its formulation.

Are you effectively integrating technology into your classroom activities? Based on the SAMR model, here is a rubric that will help you consider important standards by which you can measure your instructional practice, such...

Gustav Holst's The Planets provide young musicians an opportunity to examine how composers can create a suite: a collection of smaller pieces grouped to explore a single topic. After listening to "Jupiter," they examine "Mars" in...

Third through fifth graders discover the importance of reading and plan a service project to provide books to children. First, they read the book The Important Book and then they brainstorm about the importance of reading. Afterward,...

Students explore folktales. They create artwork that represents the setting, charactes, and key events of the story. Working collaboratively, students assemble their own artwork to create a class mural. Working collaboratively,...

Students explore basic concepts of heredity and collaborate to see genetics in action through several activities provided in the lesson. Inherited traits are examined and identified as dominant or recessive.

Students hypothesize, collaborate, and present their ideas on uses of simple machines. They research an invention, make a model of their cartoon or invent a new tool.

Students evaluate jazz music and a jazz music performance. They collaborate and create an improvised group short story. They improvise a musical piece on found objects.