Encourage your charges to pick up a book (or two, or three) over the summer! They'll find 25 different ideas on this list of summer reading books for kids. Each book is paired with publication information and a brief synopsis, so your...

Students discover bodies of water in the United States by investigating the Eerie Canal.  For this U.S. Geography lesson, students discuss Lake Eerie and the canal that was built in order to transport goods.  Students research...

The lesson starts out with a brain drain, which is a great way to get students to activate prior knowledge and build lasting connections. They tell everything they know about prime factorization, use their knowledge to...

Students research about the function of MPA's. In this marine science lesson, students explore how humans influence changes near these areas. They explore different MPA's in the Great Lakes region.

Students locate the Great Lakes on a US map, then read a news article about a sled being used as a wintertime school bus in Wisconsin. In this current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a map and vocabulary activity,...

Students work together to identify and describe the various types of mussels. Using a color-coded system, they plot the arrival date of zebra mussels in North American waters. They discuss the increase in their population with the class.

Explore soil, genetic traits, natural resources, and pollution in a series of lessons that focus on biodiversity. Kids complete experiments to learn more about the importance of varied genes and organisms in an ecosystem.

Connect the geography and history of Illinois using an art-centered lesson on the railroads. The railroad connected once-distant places, particularly in the Midwest. Using research, class members create postcards of fictional cross-state...

You'll be a star at your next grade level meeting with an educational unit on Louis Sachar's Holes. Based on both the novel and film, the lessons include applications to language arts with character studies and movie reviews; social...

Students explain the importance of having Marine Protected Areas. In this ecology lesson, students research MPA's in any of the Great Lakes. They play a MPA simulation game and identify MPA's on the map.

It's a shame that there are no photographs in this presentation because the information is fascinating! Each identically fashioned slide contains bullet points of information about Antarctica that will enhance an earth science...

Pupils investigate the different organisms found in the Great Salt Lake. They collect water samples in order to create an environment that replicates the lake and observe the organisms in a close to natural environment. The observations...

In this mystery state worksheet, students answer five clues to identify the state in question. They then locate that state on a map.

Challenge your class to find the three purposes for writing. After they read three short passages, kids note whether the author's purpose was to inform, persuade, or entertain.

The last battle during the War of 1812, was the Battle of New Orleans which is outlined in this detailed PowerPoint. This particular battle is described from the beginning until the end, when General Andrew Jackson became a hero....

What is your idea of paradise? Middle and high schoolers share their visions of paradise on earth in this lesson, in which they view a video segment about Shangri-La. Your high schoolers can discuss and then write about their ideas in a...

Groundwater is an essential natural resource, not to mention a fascinating topic to study. Here is a series of twelve amazing lessons on the water source and how we use it in our daily lives. Concepts require higher math and physics...

Information is provided on Gray's Reef, Florida Keys, and Flower Garden Banks marine sanctuaries. Young marine biologists then visit the FishBase and REEF databases to collect fish species information for each location. They then...

Fourth graders use critical thinking, evaluation, and geography skills to find alternative locations that Brigham Young could have taken the Mormons to settle.

Students study about the different landscapes in Africa. In this social studies lesson, students research about one location and answer questions about it. They share their findings with the class.

Students analyze the physical geography of the United States and how we have adapted to or altered the land to create the country we know today. Students complete maps with physical features, states and cities of interest.

In this homophone cloze activity, student complete 13 sentences using the list of homophones that is at the bottom of the page. They re-read each sentence to be sure it makes sense.

Sixth graders compare the relative sizes of the five Great Lakes and their human populations. They describe some of the problems that arise when many people depend on a limited resoure. Students discuss how the Great Lakes and the...

Fifth graders analyze the Mayan culture. In this Mayan culture lesson, 5th graders study the Mayan culture noting similarities and differences between the Mayan culture and their own. Students examine hieroglyphic writing and the Mayan...