Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Adaptive Device Design
After reading about how engineering has made adaptive devices possible for people with disabilities, pupils work in groups to discuss different devices to determine whether or not they are adaptive. They also disassemble a pair of...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
A Century of Plastics
After reading about polymer materials, engineer trainees examine how plastics have been integrated into everyday products. In groups, they compile a list of products made entirely without plastics and then, as a closing activity, try to...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Biomimicry in Engineering
Take a look with your class at how nature supplies inspiration to engineers. In cooperative groups, youngsters research biomimicry and then develop a system that would help support people living on the moon. Each team also considers...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Can You Canoe?
A neat handout immerses learners in the history of canoe making. After reading, small groups of mini engineers work to craft a canoe that will not be immersed! This is an ideal exercise in engineering design for your STEM curriculum or...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Can You Copperplate?
Introduce emerging engineers to the process of metal plating. This resource provides background reading on chemical engineering, plating, and corrosion. It concludes with a copper plating activity. The standards alignment list includes...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Fun with Speedboats!
After reading about marine engineers and naval architects, it's all hands on deck to design and test a speed boat. This instructional activity is designed for the Next Generation Science Standards in engineering and can be a centerpiece...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Waterproof that Roof!
Stop the raindrops from getting into the house! Eager engineers learn about roofing history and waterproofing by nanotechnology. They get into groups and work on designing a waterproof roof for a small model house. The accompanying...
Compassion in World Farming Trust
Selective Breeding of Farm Animals
Biology learners read about selective breeding in chickens and how it has produced high-yield meat specimens and rapid egg-layers. The unpleasant effects of artificial selection are explored, as well as options to supporting this...
Curated OER
The Global Precipitation Measurement Mission (GPM) Lesson
Introduce your class to one of the ways that technology is benefiting humanity. The Global Precipitation Measurement Mission involves the data collected by nine satellites from different countries with a united focus on studying world...
Scholastic
Scholastic: Writing With Scientists With the American Museum of Natural History
Follow this six-step method and you'll have a good understanding of what a good scientific research paper involves and how it is organized. There are plenty of samples for you to look at. This explanation is also very helpful for...
Beacon Learning Center
Beacon Learning Center: What Caused It?: Student Web Lesson
Students are asked to be detectives while they read and to look for the cause/effect sentences in the paragraphs. In this activity, students read paragraphs and answer questions about it by either typing in their responses or selecting...
Google
Google for Education: Finding Patterns in Spelling Errors and History
In this lesson, students analyze spelling errors and large sets of data to find patterns, develop abstractions, and discover how large amounts of data can tell us much about our society.
Other
Pde: Sas: Identifying and Understanding Use of Testimonials in Advertising
In this activity, 8th graders analyze and compare the propaganda techniques used in informational texts, with a particular focus on the use of testimonials. Includes links to recommended resources, scaffolding suggestions, and an...
New York Times
New York Times: Evaluating Sources in a 'Post Truth' World: Fake News
[Free Registration/Login Required] Need help determining fake news from real news? This seems to be a problem today. Find practical activities and questions to help navigate a media landscape in which it is increasingly difficult to tell...
Sophia Learning
Sophia: Facts
This slideshow lesson focuses on facts; they are true, verifiable, and identical across sources. General facts, commonly accepted, do not need citations; specific facts: statistics, expert testimony, and anecdote do require citation.
Other
The Critical Thinking Community: Tactical and Structural Recommendations
16 brilliant suggestions for creating critical thought in the classroom.
Other
Critical Thinking Community: Remodeling Lessons Grades 6 9
Learn to re-model your lesson plans to include room for critical thought and higher levels of learning. Re-modeled lessons cite specific critical thinking strategies. Wonderful examples include "Human Migration," "Integrated Grammar,"...
Beacon Learning Center
Beacon Learning Center: Trailblazing Conclusions
This tutorial focuses on conclusions for expository writing. It discusses the purpose of conclusions, what should be included, and ways to conclude.
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Think Clearly: Analyze Support a Position[pdf]
This Center for Urban Education resource provides a downloadable worksheet. Students will read a nonfiction article and then write about scaffolded prompts that will help them determine the strength of evidence presented in the argument.
Texas Education Agency
Texas Gateway: Synthesize Ideas in Informational/expository Text
[Accessible by TX Educators. Free Registration/Login Required] Learn how to synthesize and make logical connections between ideas within a text and across two or three texts representing similar or different genres and support with...
Texas Education Agency
Texas Gateway: Synthesize Ideas in Informational/expository Text
[Accessible by TX Educators. Free Registration/Login Required] Learn how to synthesize and make logical connections between ideas within a text and across two or three texts representing similar or different genres and to support the...
Texas Education Agency
Texas Gateway: Revising Persuasive Essay: Analysis of Data, Facts, and Ideas
[Accessible by TX Educators. Free Registration/Login Required] Learn strategies for evaluating and revising specific data, facts, and ideas included in an essay.
Media Smarts
Media Smarts: How to Recognize False Content Online: The New 5 Ws [Pdf]
A tip sheet to help both students and adults learn how to test online content for validity.
NPR: National Public Radio
Npr: Five Ways Teachers Are Fighting Fake News
Since a recent Stanford study showed that students at practically all grade levels can't determine fake news from the real stuff, the push to teach media literacy has gained new momentum. This article gives five quality examples of...