Space scientists investigate the cosmic phenomena in order to search for answers to possible origins of the solar system. They consider the concepts of elements and  isotopes. Data is analyzed looking at tje abundance of elements...

Students, working in groups, create "artificial seeds" for a wind dispersal experiment. After trial runs, they redesign their seeds, and re-test them under the same conditions. Finally, they interpret, compare, and evaluate the original...

A video leads off this activity on fables, introducing the class to this important form of traditional storytelling. The group defines fable and hears an explanation of the origin of this type of folk tale. They summarize the story they...

Connect a scene from a class play to events in your middle and high schoolers' own lives. First, they act out a scene from A Midsummer Night's Dream in pairs. They work to role play a scene as an extension of the one they have read,...

Everyone is a writer! Youngsters compose an original piece of writing. In this writing lesson plan, they come up with their own idea for a piece of writing, revise it, and then publish it with illustrations. This lesson plan includes...

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...

Help your English language learners deduce meaning from context clues. Eight multiple-choice questions are provided here; each one has five answer options. Example vocabulary words include refused, absent, and original. 

Did you know that prior to the American Revolution, Alabama was a part of the British empire and called New West Florida? Class members research the economic, political, and social realities of this territory and compare...

Support children with finding meaning in unknown words using this graphic organizer. While reading a piece of writing, learners identify unfamiliar words, using context clues and reference materials to find and record definitions before...

The origins, goals, and struggles of the women's movement are the focus of a five-day series of lessons about the accomplishments of the movement and the continuing struggle for women's rights.

After researching an issue introduced in Tyson Miller's Dream of a Nation: Inspiring Ideas for a Better America, writers develop an original thesis statement and craft an analytic essay using evidence collected in their research.

Need a less abstract approach to introducing extraneous solutions? This is it! Young mathematicians explore properties used to solve equations and determine which operations maintain the same solutions. They...

Fourth graders research how cities are named.  In this states names lesson, 4th graders discuss whom the state of Kansas was named after, work with a partner to write down what they've learned about Kansas, research the origins of...

Students focus on the origins of the families that make up their community by exploring their family's origins through themselves, parents, and grandparents. Students create a map marked with family origins for the class.

High schoolers use on-line resources to research their own name, determine its language origin and meaning. They take an on-line quiz to determine their "naming-style."

You can't publish a story until after it has been revised and edited! Budding authors investigate the writing process while drafting an original story. They select a topic, complete a rough draft, edit it, revise it, and finally publish...

Develop the techniques needed to analyze and synthesize literature well. No matter what students read, they need to be able to think critically about the material. Give thinkers these tools to effectively ponder and consider the world...

Here's an engaging, meaningful, and clever lesson plan on map skills for elementary schoolers. Pupils combine story writing with mapping skills to create an original piece of work. They utilize a worksheet embedded in the plan to guide...

Students read several fairy tales of Russian origin. They brainstorm common elements of a fairy tale and identify those elements in several examples. They retell a favorite fairy tale through a skit, oral storytelling, a sketch, or a...

Young scholars explain the complexities of environmental decisions, rather than to recreate the actual circumstances and outcome of the original case. They simulate a real environmental case a regarding the Pine Barrens of Long Island, NY.

Math novices examine how math can help them in real-world situations. They listen to the book The Math Curse by Jon Scieszka, solve various word problems from the book, explore various math websites, write original math word problems,...

Students work in a group to prepare a poster about a new number system. They research a variety of number systems, create new symbols for their original number system and develop a tutorial for the class.

Learners examine what daily life is like for children living in other countries around the world. They read different books in the "Maya's World" series of books by Maya Angelou, write and illustrate an original story about a child in...