Helpful for an American literature or history unit, this lesson prompts middle schoolers to examine slavery in the United States. They read slave narratives that were part of the Federal Writers' Project and then conduct their own...

Students read slave narratives and retell the stories to the class, identifying sensory details. In this slavery lesson, students discuss the importance of sensory details, then read the slave narratives looking for specific examples. ...

Students explore a sense of place by considering the abstract ideas represented by a place, the concrete demonstration of these ideas in architectural elements, and the sensory experience of being in a place and the way that experience...

Encourage creative, independent, and reflective thinking and writing throughout the school year by having your class members keep Interactive Student Notebooks (ISN). Here you'll find a presentation designed to...

Students create a storybook about Texas missions including the history of why they were built. They research and create pictures depicting how and why the missions were built. They write and illustrate the primary groups of people found...

"The Hare and the Water," a Tanzanian folk tale, lends a global perspective to literary analysis. Learners spend the first two days reading and storyboarding. On day three, they examine folk tale elements (worksheet included), and design...

Young scholars use examples of narrative and expository text to analyze and compare the two styles. Young scholars read articles on life in Lesotho and Madagascar and use graphic organizers and discussion to compare them. Young scholars...

Fifth graders go back through time to examine what would be different if they lived in the 1800s. They explore differences in clothing, leisure, communication, and access to art supplies.

Sixth graders review the steps of the water cycle. Individually, they calculate the amount of water they use in a day and identify ways they can conserve. As a class, they discuss how conserving water today helps future generations and...

Learners read and answer questions on neural processing and the Pinocchio Illusion. They relate and discuss these topics in conjunction with body-image disorders such as anorexia and bulimia . This instructional activity include video...

Fourth graders write a diary entry. In this journaling lesson students examine a 1880's primary source document. Students read about a young girl visiting her Aunt in rural Indiana. Students write about what they did in the last day.

Young scholars examine several writings from both locals and Peace Corps volunteers from several African countries. Students reflect on how the writer's interactions with water are presented through the material. Young scholars write...

Sixth graders summarize how early people interacted to meet basic human needs. They observe how increased numbers of people and the search for food led to migration. Students analyze how the interactions among people led to the...

Eighth graders empathize with how colonists felt when they were taxed without representation. They use a metaphor of students and a school principal to describe the strained relationship that developed between the colonies and Britain.

Seventh graders read a book of poems called "Out of the Dust". In groups, they research the Dust Bowl and how it affected people living through the Great Depression. Using the text, they identify the theme and key turning points and...

Fifth graders discuss the importance of castles in medieval times. Using the internet, they research the parts of a castle and design their own using the components. They use everyday materials to build the castle to a specific scale.

Students examine the history of masks, and create their own mask as a culminating activity. They view and discuss a PowerPoint presentation about the history of masks, complete a class KWL chart, create their own mask, and write a...

Students investigate plant life by creating an art project.  In this arts and crafts lesson, students identify several different native Caribbean plants such as guava, ginger, mahogany and hibiscus.  Students create plants...

Students discuss, write, and identify symbols of the activities of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920's in Indiana. In this Ku Klux Klan lesson plan, students also take a field trip to view the Thomas Hart Benton Murals at Indiana University.

Students research artwork, and create their own using their research as a model. They write a report on the importance of artwork in civilizations.

Students work with their parents to decorate strips of construction paper in primary colors to represent one family member per link on the chain. They sing a gathering song and all share their family chains. They read the story of the...

Students view a film that dicuss the unusual behaviour of the protagonist and narrator of the novel 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.' They discuss how Christopher has Asperger's Syndrome. Students discuss how...