Eighth graders recognize and express numbers when written in time saving techniques. They gather data from a variety of sources, including print and electronic media. They develop a presentation using a variety of techniques.

Students discuss their food preferences. Using a flannel board and food models students describe what they would like to eat for dinner. Students compare their selections with their classmates. Students identify the nationality of ethnic...

Students read, review, and write about the presidential inauguration as it appears in the media. They use local local and national newspapers to gain information about the inauguration. Students develop their own editorial on the...

Students create two literacy (reading and/or writing) centers to implement in an elementary classroom. Students review examples of educational software and determine the best potential centers to use in elementary classroom. Two centers...

In this media read aloud activity, young scholars read a dialogue aloud in pairs.  Student A will ask a question about the media, and Student B gives the answer.

Pupils develop grapheme-phoneme awareness. They become more fluent with the letter p and its sound and practice writing the letter p which is extremely important in making the grapheme-phoneme correspondence. They read the book If You...

In this literacy activity worksheet, students identify the picture and meaning for each. Students write the word that explains the meaning of the picture. Students complete 5 examples.

Students examine how to skim textual material. They read an article, and identify the main ideas by reading first and last paragraphs, topic sentences, and other organizational clues.

Young scholars honor an adopted tree with artwork. For this adopted tree lesson, students find a tree in their neighborhood. They follow the tree throughout the year, keep notes, draw sketches, take photos and rubbings. They make artwork...

Pupils investigate podcasting. They read an article related to podcasting. Students access a podcast and using various features such as pausing, rewinding, and fast-forwarding. They work in small groups to produce an original podcast...

Students examine short stories and identify setting, characters, points of view, theme and plot. This lesson develops an appreciation and understanding of short stories.

Students observe how bird flight and machine flight are similar. In this aerodynamics instructional activity, students observe how birds fly and the shapes of their wings, and investigate how observing birds helped develop the concept of...

Scholars of all ages can use the various tools of technology to construct and illustrate a story. Utilizing this resource, learners work with a partner to brainstorm and draft a story based on personal experience. They use computer...

Class pairs select a prompt from a provided list and tell (and record) their story to their partner. They then examine linguist William Labov's model for natural narratives, and apply his model to their tale. Next, class members watch...

Though this presentation is designed for the Texas Academic Skills Program's (TASP) writing assessment, it could work for any class that is preparing to write a five-paragraph persuasive essay. Slides take intermediate writers through...

What is a Socratic Seminar? Discover this type of discussion and it functions. Split the class into two groups with Group A sitting in an inner circle and Group B in an outer circle. Each person in Group B is assigned to a person in...

This is not your ordinary farm! Using a case study, small groups study two proposed locations for a wind farm. After researching all the information about the sites, the groups choose a site. Each team member writes up the proposal...

How does chemistry help deep-sea explorers? Part four of a five-part series of lessons from aboard the Okeanos Explorer introduces middle school scientists to technologies used in ocean exploration. Groups work together to analyze data...

Encourage the spread of knowledge in your class with this cross-curricular epidemic simulation. Pulling together science, social studies, and math, this lesson engages students in modeling the spread of infectious...

Arranged in facing concentric circles, half the class discusses an issue. The other half of the class takes notes which are then used to fuel a class discussion and to prepare editorial opinions on the topic at hand. So much emphasis is...

Examine the contributions of African-Americans in the worlds of art and literature. Over the course of a few days, young scholars will read and analyze a poem, a short story, and a piece of art. They complete a range of...

Study the beauty of the landscape around you with an innovative art lesson. After discussing the foreground, background, and middle ground of landscape art, kids work on making their own piece of landscape art. The lesson provides...

Teach middle schoolers how to develop healthy relationships with activities and lessons designed to create a kind and inclusive classroom. Pupils create guidelines to develop a safe and civil learning environment. They learn how to...