Elementary schoolers make and use bar graphs to picture information. They learn how choosing the right scale for a bar graph can help make a persuasive argument. This is a terrific lesson on graphing which should excite your kids. There...

Learners, utilizing video clips and Web sites, compare specific passages from original texts to moments in Broadway musicals on which they were based, analyzing similarities and differences between them. They adapt literature into a...

Have your upper graders watch the documentary, "The Persuaders" as they explore how advertisers try to gain potential customers. The video is followed by a discussion and close examination of new marketing trends and strategies.

Why do books end up on the banned book list? How do these banned books contribute to the literary canon? Start by showing the photo slide show, and discussing notably banned books. Then focus on some of the most popular objections:...

“. . . one man in his time plays many parts,/His acts being seven ages.” Jaques famous speech from Act II, scene vii of As you Like It sets the stage for an examination of the roles people play. Class members not only consider the roles...

After challenging themselves to correctly choose the form of erosion and length of time required for a given landform to develop, earth science class members model mechanical and chemical weathering with various lab demonstrations over...

Watching Great Performances’ Eric Clapton Crossroads Guitar Festival Chicago launches an investigation into and discussion of how the electric guitar and guitarists have changed the sound of the blues over time. An engaging way to...

What do yo-yos and pennies have to do with linear equations? Learn about writing and solving linear equations while considering the Yo-Yo Problem and Penny Pattern Exploration from the High School Math Project. Learners utilize algebra...

Here's a fun lesson which will pique your pupils' imaginations. A brainstorm session about things that kids are good at takes place. A large cardboard box is made to look like a TV set, and each child gets to perform a special skill...

Students research and analyze polling data in journalism. They discuss reasons that polling data is included in media coverage of presidential elections.

B.B. King and Muddy Waters are two of the most famous blues performers of all time. In this music instructional activity, middle schoolers study the early careers and lasting musical contributions of both artists, each of whom carried...

This lesson will focus on the aspects of Shakespeare's comedy that become more evident in performance. By viewing clips of the same Shakespeare scene in different film versions, high schoolers have the opportunity to engage in a close...

The dynamics between the economies and politics of the United States and the Middle East are here to study. Upper graders read and discuss scenarios relating to OPEC and the current oil crisis, then in small groups role-play members of...

Bring the historical relevance of baseball into the classroom, as pupils discover the lessons learned from the breaking of baseball's color barrier by Jackie Robinson. Learners view video and analyze Robinson’s character, as well as his...

Baseball is a relatively high-interest topic through which social studies classes can explore racial prejudice in the US. Video clips provide much of the background information that groups record on their handout and then share with the...

Students are introduced to Frederick Jackson Turner and how early Census data, when combined visually with maps, effectively demonstrated the end of the frontier.

Students conduct research and develop a matrix demonstrating the introduction and spread of common household items from 1900 to 2000 in the U.S. They conduct Internet research, watch and discuss a video, and develop the matrix.

Students work in pairs to measure their arm span and height and record them on a class chart. The class works together to create a scattergram to display the data. Class discussion focuses on interpreting the scattergram.

Young scholars develop a plan for ecotourism after researching a nearby national park or wild area.

Students explore development of jazz music in the 1930s by forming imaginary jazz bands which tour several cities in Depression-era America. Jazz band members create imaginary identities for themselves, develop publicity for their tour,...

Learning about proportions through measuring and mapping distances is the focus of this real-world math lesson that doubles as an activity. Mathematicians complete a course designed to measure and map locations in order to put the...

Students explore the use of matrices and graphing calculators to solve a complex linear programming problem. They test their solutions to determine the best division of land use for the city.

Students discuss the right to vote and the significance of mid-term elections. They research and discuss mid-term issues and the importance of voting in these elections.

Students work together to develop a classification system for planets. They take a class vote and read an article about an astronomer's classification system. They write an essay on how scientists make decisions for the general public.