Fourth graders recognize that the Tejanas were Texas women of Spanish-Mexican origin who contributed to the history of Texas. Students read and research the Tejanas women, complete an essay about a day in the life of a Tejanas woman ,and...

Seventh graders discover who the Tejanas were and how they contributed to World War II. In this World War II lesson, 7th graders listen to their instructor discuss who the Tejanas were prior to researching the contributions of three of...

Students listen to data on African American women in Texas before the Civil War. In 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...

How often do you find a science worksheet that comes with separate teacher's instructions? Here is one of those rare instances. Goals and objectives, materials, and evaluation guidelines precede the actual assignment. Biology leaners...

Students examine how living cells reproduce and how traits are passed on.  In this genetic reproduction lesson students research a topic and present it to the class. 

Who would not want an opportunity to taste jellybeans in class?  During this investigation, life science learners hold their noses as they take a taste test and find that our perception of flavor is connected with our sense of...

Work on adverbs and adverbial phrases with a grammar worksheet. After reading 15 sentences with adverbs, learners circle the adverbs and adverbial phrases and note what question they are answering (when, how, where, and how much).

You can eat a solar cell? A unit on solar energy begins with a discussion about organic solar cells, followed by directions on how to build your own. After following the teacher's directions to build an anthocyanin...

How high did the ball go? Engineering teams build a working pneumatic system that launches a ball into the air. The teams vary the amount of pressure and determine the accompanying height of the ball. An extension of building a device to...

What causes people to move from one place, one city, or one country to another? Using the provided migration questionnaire, learners interview family members about the factors that cause them to be pushed from an area or pulled to...

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...

Turn your 6th graders into detectives while growing their love of reading. Using critical thinking skills, they will be able to describe the five basic elements of detective fiction, read detective novels, make predictions, use the...

Students study the basics of mapmaking, then make a tally walker, (geographic location device used in secret).

When slavery ended, what did the government do to help African American during Reconstruction? An interesting instructional activity uses primary sources such as newspaper articles to help scholars analyze Reconstruction policies and how...

Young mathematicians identify shapes and their correct names. They work with partners using various manipulatives and computer software to reinforce the concept. I really like these lesson plans. They are well-designed, the procedures...

Interested in trying literature circles but concerned about accountability? Check out this resource. The class is divided into discussion groups, members are assigned specific roles, and provided with a worksheet that describes...

Here is an outstanding series of lessons on journalism, writing newspaper articles, and writing editorials. This type of writing has long-been neglected in our schools, so this collection of writing activities is most-valuable. Along...

If basketball players make more than teachers, why shouldn't learners all aspire to play in the NBA? Unraveling the cost and benefits of education and future economic success can be tricky. Economic data, real-life cases, and some...

Patricia MacLachlan’s award-winning novel, Sarah, Plain and Tall, is the focus of a comprehensive study guide. For each chapter, readers answer fact-based and interpretative questions, define and use vocabulary words in a sentence, and...

Learners identify specific passages in the Monroe Doctrine to events in early U.S. diplomacy.

Students produce a web page with an animated snowman using DHTML and JavaScript. The finished project must work correctly in Netscape 4.7 and Internet Explorer 5.0 on both Mac and PC.

Students define a weather forecast, make a forecast using a weather map, identify three prediction guidelines, and explain how computers help to make forecasts. Students make a 24-hour forecast for each of the thirteen states targeted.

Take out a map, a paper, a ruler, and those coveted colored pencils for a lesson on Chinese culture and geography. This is a multifaceted approach to basic geography skills that incorporate story telling, class discussion, primary source...

Learners examine African cultural ideas about death and the afterlife by reading and answering questions about passages from Beloved.