Why did they say that? What did they mean? How did they feel? Using the six levels of Bloom's Taxonomy, challenge your young readers to answer the comprehension questions about chapters 41 and 42 of Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli. Each...

Discover the lovely story of Raimundo Arruda Sobrinho with your class. Over the course of the lesson, pupils practice descriptive writing, write short narratives, collaborate in small groups, watch a powerful short film about Raimundo,...

What can a quarter possibly teach young learners about desert ecosystems? More than you might think. After displaying and discussing the included picture of the Arizona state quarter, the class participates in a series of...

How did colonial settlement and the establishment of the United States affect Native Americans in the Chesapeake region? Your young historians will analyze contemporary and historical maps, read informational texts, and work in groups to...

Learn more about the Grand Alliance with a scaffolded lesson plan that includes four activities. Class members use primary sources to complete a map exercise, understand the goals and objectives of each individual nation, and participate...

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....

An interesting unit explains the American presidency from the campaign trail all the way to the role of the president. Historians participate in discussions, create posters, conduct Internet research, and more to gain an understanding of...

Who exactly was George C. Wallace? A great lesson plan provides young historians with a hands-on activity, direct instruction, and discussion to learn about Wallace, why he was an important figure, and why he changed his mind about...

Why was the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) formed, and what is its mission? Learners discuss NATO's participation in various events throughout the Cold War and work in groups to analyze whether those responses were appropriate.

What if I can no longer justify area by counting squares? Lead a class discussion to find the area of a rectangular region with irrational side lengths. The class continues on with the idea of lower approximations and...

How do 2-D properties relate in 3-D? Lead the class in a discussion on how to draw and see relationships of lines and planes in three dimensions. The ability to see these relationships is critical to the further study of volume and...

Lead a discussion on the similarities between the properties of area and the properties of volume. Using upper and lower approximations, pupils arrive at the formula for the volume of a general cylinder. 

Your taste buds may be saying Pepsi, but your brain is saying Coke! By analyzing experimental research, learners discover ways in which our brains impact decision making. They conclude with a discussion of neuromarketing and how it...

Transform your class' understanding of genes and antibiotic resistance with the Transformation Lab. Junior geneticists create and observe their own resistant strains of E. coli through research, discussion, and experimentation. The...

Estimating a square root is as easy as evaluating a linear equation. Using the derivative of the square root function, pupils calculate an estimation of square roots. Class members determine the equation of the tangent line at the value...

Have you ever wondered where the money comes from to pay for your school, teachers, supplies, and building? The 1989 Supreme Court case Edgewood ISD v. Kirby lays a framework for open discussion on the funding of public schools. Using a...

Which option would most children choose: One marshmallow now, or two marshmallows in 10 minutes? Learners watch the social experiment on video and discuss their observations. They then read articles and work in small groups to analyze...

A four-paragraph informational text details the life of the famous baseball player, Jackie Robinson. A prompt challenges scholars to write or discuss a time in their life when they were not included and how that made them feel. 

Mathematicians solve six multiple-choice and true or false questions using their knowledge of estimation and multiplying decimals. The interactive provides a garden-themed tool that creates a visual aid of three watering cans to assist...

A soccer-themed interactive challenges mathematicians to solve five questions involving percent equations. Question types include multiple-choice, fill in the blank, true or false and a discussion. A color-coded stadium with movable...

Scholars learn effective communication and problem-solving skills with a fun team-building exercise. Next, they work together to build a structure using candy and uncooked spaghetti. Finally, they discuss what they learned about how a...

The California Gold Rush rewrote the history of the American West, but especially that of San Francisco. After analyzing images of the city and primary sources, such as a diary entry, scholars discuss these changes. Scaffolded questions...

Give your Constitution Day celebration a timely slant by discussing the census! An activity that includes analysis of the Constitutional call for a census, along with scaffolded worksheets, help pupils understand the connection between...

Girls like pink and boys like blue. Working in small groups, learners discuss stereotypes about children in advertisements. Then, scholars create their own manifestos about how they plan to respond to the consumer market they see in...