Second graders observe images of prairie ecosystems and discuss the needs of living things. They create a prairie habitat in a closed jar to observe the water cycle and plant growth.

Students complete experiments to determine how rocket fuel is affected by surface area and temperature. They compare the reaction rates of antacid tablets. They discuss their results to complete the lesson plan.

After an introduction to municipal sludge, middle school ecologists consider the pros and cons of dumping in the Hudson River Canyon. The class is split into two groups: one to debate in favor or dumping and one to debate against the...

An informational text about Lemony Snicket leads to a discussion of the books class members have read in the Series of Unfortunate Events series. Children then compare and contrast the settings, plots, and characters in the...

Students, through modeling and independent practice, are introduced to the different methods of brainstorming. They explore and engage in these different approaches individually, in pairs, and as a group.

Billy finds himself in many difficult situations because he is unsure about how and when to take responsibility. Collaborative groups work together to answer if Billy made responsible choices and what he should have done instead....

Your young architects use the Internet to research tall structures or sky scrapers to help in the design of their scale drawings. This is lesson one of three in which learners design, build, and test model skyscrapers for seismic safety....

Have your class learn about Wisconsin and farming. Learners begin by listening to stories that describe farming and engage in a discussion of goods and services. They could also compare the goods and services provided in different states.

Celebrate the diversity in your classroom with an activity that has children explore the backgrounds and experiences of their peers. Each child is given a worksheet intended to foster a conversation about things commonly associated with...

Twelfth graders calculate the mean, median, and mode of various wages. They apply these skills to asking for pay raises. They discuss whether the mean, median, or mode provide the highest wage increase.

Students explore and discuss Woodrow Wilson's concepts for peace and the League of Nations. They understand efforts made to foster American support for the League and discuss the opposition shown in the Senate.

Students critique actions based on information from both sides of the argument. They analyze impact of slavery on both sides. Students recognize governmental attempts at pacifying the situation. They examine sources and critique them and...

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.

Upper elementary and middles schoolers discuss and solve real world applications of math. They use formulas for volume and percents to answer real world questions. In the second part of the lesson, groups write and solve word problems....

As a way to understand Memorial Day, build citizenship, practice vocabulary, and discuss current international conflicts, learners create their own Memorial Day. They design their own memorial after learning about the various types of...

Learners explore the concept of scientific notation. In this scientific notation lesson, mathematicians discuss how multiplying by a power of 10 affects the decimal. They play Powers of 10 Yahtzee. Students roll a die five times and each...

During Christmas time, use common carols and Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker music as the basis for writing advertisements. Learners can work in teams or individually as they listen to songs via the links provided. A "Christmas Music Comparison...

This comprehensive lesson plan reviews solving and graphing quadratic functions and functions of higher degree.  Using the vertex form of a quadratic functions, one finds the vertex, minimum or maximum, and axis of symmetry. A few...

Is Nick Carraway a reliable narrator for The Great Gatsby? Does he really, as his father directed, reserve judgment? Groups rewrite selected scenes from chapter four and five of the novel from the point of view of another character and...

Although focused on the winter ecology at Crater Lake, this instructional activity could be tweaked to use as a exploration of any region. After a visit to Crater Lake, learners discuss topics relating to winter in this area, such as the...

Focusing on Martin Luther King Jr, this lesson explores the qualities of a leader. First, learners listen to a story about Ruby Bridges. Then, they discuss the life of Martin Luther King Jr. Finally, they discuss the characteristics of...

In part one, your astronomers read an interview dialogue between a reporter and Dr. Maria Ocasio, the chair of the group that assigns names to celestial objects. The topic in question is Pluto's status. Learners research Plutinos and...

Get your little mathematicians moving with this experiential activity in which one child is the "tens" and another is the "ones." They collect the number of unifix cubes (in tens or singles) assigned to their respective place values and...

Students estimate the altitude of a rocket during several flights. They create their own altitude tracking devise. They examine and discuss their results at the end of the activity.