One only has to watch MSMBC and FOX News to realize that media can present the same story in very different ways. Middle schoolers have an opportunity to test their ability to determine the validity and trustworthiness of information by...

John Hughes' The Breakfast Club takes center stage in a lesson about annotating nonfiction texts to keep track of evidence that may be used later in discussions and writings. Scholars consider the stereotypes and conflicts presented in...

Which came first—the painting or the poem? In this case, it is the painting. Scholars closely examine a work of art and then craft an ekphrastic poem in response. A carefully scaffolded nine-page plan leads young poets through the process.

Is Antigone relevant to today's readers? After reading Sophocles' tragedy, scholars must decide if the themes are universal and timeless. Class members engage in a series of activities designed to have them closely consider the...

"What is the theme of this story?" Now there's a question that can strike fear in the hearts of learners. Here's a lesson plan that uses photographs to introduce the concept of theme. Scholars examine six photographs and then attach a...

Two sonnets, both alike in theme and story, break from ancient language to new glory. The prologue to Act I of Romeo and Juliet provides scholars with an opportunity to examine the language Shakespeare uses to create timeless stories....

The author study gets an update in a research project designed for high schoolers. Scholars search for information about literary figures that connects them to their times, their works, their themes, and other writers. Researchers also...

"How come there's no ending?" After a close reading of Frank R. Stockton's tale "The Lady, or the Tiger?" in which scholars examine each of the main characters' conflicts and motivations, writers craft their own ending using textual...

But it's just a game! Learners play a game to learn basic concepts of statistical hypothesis testing. After using the digital-game module, pupils develop their own statistical hypotheses and test them.

How many prime numbers are there between 1 and 100? By using a prime time resource, your scholars should be able to answer this question. Using arrays, they determine if numbers are prime or composite, and then write a prime...

Classify quadrilaterals quickly. After playing a game to identify quadrilaterals, your young scholars should come away with knowledge of the properties of quadrilaterals. They then apply this knowledge to create a decision tree to ease...

Connect the dots on trigonometry with K'nex. Scholars use a K'nex model of a Ferris wheel to collect data points to plot on a height versus time graph. They'll then consider what type of function best models the data in the graph—and...