Lesson Planet Curated
Wax On, Wane Off
My saying for distinguishing between a waxing moon and a waning moon is, "wax on, wane off." When the moon is "turning on" or on its way to a full moon, we call it waxing. When the moon is "turning off" or on its way to a new moon, we...
Lesson Planet Curated
Solar Updraft Towers
Get young scientists energized about all the different energy sources with a five-lesson unit that combines research, direct observations, and hands-on investigation. To begin, scholars investigate a renewable or non-renewable energy...
Lesson Planet Curated
Tales from California’s Channel Islands: Dark Water
As part of their study of the history of the Channel Islands, class members watch Dark Water, a documentary about a traditional Chumash ceremony. The documentary launches a series of lessons about this tribal nation that inhabited the...
Lesson Planet Curated
Tales from California’s Channel Islands: Rotation
How do scientists provide evidence to support the theories they put forth? What clues do they put together to create these theories? After watching West of the West's documentary Island Rotation, class members engage in a series of...
Lesson Planet Curated
Dealing with Dilemmas: Upstanders, Bystanders and Whistle-Blowers
There are upstanders, bystanders, and whistle-blowers when it comes to dealing with dilemmas. The four lessons in this unit module ask young scholars to think about injustice and how to resolve difficult situations. Learners research...
Lesson Planet Curated
California Mission Lessons
The California missions were established by the Franciscans with the hope of converting Native Americans to Catholicism. The three lessons in this collection present fourth graders with primary source documents, paintings, and drawings...
Lesson Planet Curated
Reading Lessons: Townsend Press
Enhance your literacy unit with a set of videos featuring textual analysis and reading comprehension strategies. From discerning the main idea of a text to evaluating an author's purpose and tone, the ten-part series engages upper...