Seeing is believing! Or is it? With this simple experiment, young scientists can explore the concept of visual perception. Attach Benham's disk to a rotating appliance such as a hand drill; As it spins, the black lines appear to be...

What are the basic first aid supplies that should be on a boat? What should be done when someone stops breathing and/or their heart stops beating? Lesson three is only one of twenty-two lessons on boat safety. This lesson is about first...

This is a nice introduction for first graders to parts of the computer. It includes several resource links to PowerPoints to show the class. There is one activity for the class to do. This is a basic introduction, and could definitely be...

With algebra tiles in hand 7th graders will uncover the wonders of the distributive property of multiplication. They will take a pre-test, define the distributive property, then model and practice using their tiles to solve basic...

Learners map their playground as if it were an archeological site. They locate objects on the playground and determine their location using coordinate points. A related instructional activity is Coordinate Grid: Mapping an Archeological...

Seventh graders investigate what pesticides are and why people use them. They examine the effect of pesticides on prairie grasses and what alternatives can be used.

Students are introduced to the connection between women and the textile industry. Using primary source documents, they complete a handout on how gender roles have changed over the years. They examine a sampler which is connected to the...

Learners discuss the act of selection as a central component in contemporary art making in this visual art lesson ideal for the high school or junior high classroom. Emphasis is placed on the artwork of Duchamp and contemporary artists.

Students work together to complete a simulation on drought days. As a class, they discuss their results and compare water usage of the past to current numbers. After reading short excerpts, they answer discussion questions and review as...

Have a fun Frisbee day! Lesson 1 (of 8) focuses on throwing the Frisbee backhand. Diagrams show learners how to hold and how to release the Frisbee. It includes a block plan, instant activities for warm-ups, assessment references, and...

Bocce ball is all about aiming to hit the target. Seems simple enough. Roll a ball down a lane and try to get closer to the target than anyone else. Stop. It's not that easy. Why? Because other balls get in the way and block the path. So...

Wake board tricks, like the tantrum, whirlybird, and the flip, are pretty advanced tricks to learn. This fun lesson describes how to perform each of these tricks. It takes a lot of practice, along with a lot of spills and tumbles, to be...

Analyze poetry in a group setting. Middle and high schoolers read lyrics to a Tom Petty song and free write about the song's tone, setting, and speaker. They then complete the same activity in a group setting using seven poems. The...

Who would you like to see at your luncheon table? After selecting a character from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, young writers re-imagine The Great Gatsby and how it would be different if told from their character’s point of view....

Use fables as a fun way for English Language Learners to gain confidence and fluency in their reading and speaking skills. After reading a fable in class, they retell their story to a group of their peers. When this jigsaw activity is...

Sixth graders pick a native animal and write a classified housing ad to match the animal's habitat requirements, paste it on posterboard and then try to match each habitat with the animal it represents.

Learners examine cold, warm, and stationary fronts. They also examine the roles of relative humidity and the way air masses move. They are to create forecasts based on the information they collect. Tapes are shared with the class.

Students practice math skills while playing a flash cards game. When the teacher displays a flash card with a multiplication fact on it, students try to be the first to call out the correct answer.

Most middle schoolers probably feel that quilting is at best an activity left to their grandmothers. This activity uses the Zome modeling system to get them to realize how shapes in quilting are really tessellations and repeating...

Students describe the practices they follow to get ready for a new school year. Using those practices, they create a list of resoultions that they might improve on during the new year. They complete a worksheet and share their answers to...

Groups become experts in one aspect of the six traits of writing, prepare a PowerPoint presentation, jigsaw, and teach others about their trait. Writers then focus on these traits as they compose a persuasive essay about a person they...

Using a textbook, learners will examine various aspects related to the Triple Alliance of WWI. They complete a series of handouts, engage in a class discussion, and interpret a map showing both the Triple Alliance and the Triple Entente....

You can teach Bocce ball to most age levels. The biggest concern with younger players is safety; they need to learn how to throw the Bocce balls without inadvertently hurting another player. The focus in this instructional activity is...

Teach your young adventurers about boating basics, such as boating terminology, knots, key aspects of the boat, and how to determine a boat's capacity. This resource is a good way to get started on learning how to water ski. There are...