High schoolers are have begun to learn  the art of diplomacy with each other, but do they understand how diplomacy works at a global level?  The second in a series of four lessons, guides scholars in evaluating primary sources....

A happy discovery occurred in Arkansas in 2004: a woodpecker, believed to be extinct since the 1940s, reappeared! Or did it? Middle to high school ecologists examine scientific evidence and use critical-thinking skills to determine...

Middle schoolers debate one another. In this pollution lesson, pupils work in teams to debate which is more serious, air or water pollution. They research their topic to come up with valid points to justify their side of the debate.

Encourage your young learners to analyze and think critically about how media portrays people or events. Upper graders analyze a political cartoon depicting President Obama as a Muslim and the First Lady as a revolutionary. Guided by...

Introduce your mini-marine biologists to using databases. Tables of how many Chilean Sea Bass were caught and number of hours spent fishing are examined. Using the data, individuals calculate the "Catch per Unit of Effort" for each year....

Here is an activity that you can use to help upper elementary or middle schoolers to meet Common Core literacy standards for science and technology. Youngsters read the article on extreme weather patterns, "Weather Runs Hot and Cold, So...

Set this slideshow up at as an independent work station, or to provide your theater arts class with a look at the many manifestations of modern literary drama. Tennessee Williams, Edward Albee, and Arthur Miller are the focus of the...

Eight multiple choice questions test proficiency with "low advanced SAT level" vocabulary words. Each sentence has either one or two missing words, which readers fill using one of five possible answers. Answers are attached, and contain...

Learners must select the best words to complete the six sentences on a worksheet designed to test their critical thinking skills as well as their vocabulary knowledge. The included answer sheet, which details how to determine the correct...

After the Revolutionary War, the success of the United States was far from guaranteed. Foreign powers coveted the new land, and Great Britain challenged American sovereignty. Learners consider the challenges facing the new nation using...

Here is a thorough Russian history instructional activity. In it, learners read a two-page selection about the Great Terror and Stalin. They respond to four short answer questions based on the selection.

Learners learn basic facts about the Supreme Court by examining the United States Constitution and one of the landmark cases decided by that court.

Upper graders read several passages to gain an understanding of the nations that have adopted a constitution similar to the United States Constitution. This is a scripted lesson that is intended to build content-specific vocabulary and...

On day one of the "Organic Mechanic Part I" lesson, learners try to remove the waxy coating of an apple and consider pesticides that may be represented by this addition to our food. On day two, they research pesticides online and...

Young scholars explore different instruments and what role they play in Jazz. They also each person's role in a democratic society.

Students research the term "racial profiling to help decide if this directive fits in that category. Students explore the reaction of each side and the pros and cons each offers. Students Prepare a debate with one side supporting the FBI...

Students engage in lesson concerned with the concept of the ozone layer. They write a reflective journal using prior knowledge. Students read sources of information about the existence of a hole in the ozone layer. Finally they create...

Students create a timeline that is broken down into significant events that are divided into decades. They participate in open discussion and create some open ended questions to stimulate further conversation.

Students engage in a mock trial to decide if a work of prospective public art is "art" and accepted for a city park. They broaden their definitions of what "art" is. Students distinguish between opinion and informed judgment of art works.

Young ecologists explore the Aswan Dam in Egypt via the internet. Each collaborative group is assigned a specific article about the ecological impact of the dam. Then they prepare a presentation to share with the rest of the class. Some...

Students participate in a mock election. In this election instructional activity, students vote online in a mock election, graph the results, and compare their results to the nationwide results.

Bring your class to the computer lab to read a short passage and practice identifying modals in context. First, they read the short passage about the changing music industry (although the information is dated), and then they answer a set...

Provided are two descriptions, both from famous Spanish explorers. Pupils read each passage and then answer 2 inference questions based on how they think each description shows what Cortes and Diaz felt about the Aztecs. Show images of...