ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Road to Freedom Through Research and Historical Fiction
Students learn how to walk a mile in someone else's shoes by reading historical fiction about the Underground Railroad. This is a lengthy unit of four lessons that spans thirty instructional activity periods where students examine...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Peer Instruction
A lesson where students take on the role of the teacher with peer instruction. Lesson includes examples and resource links.
University of Richmond
History Engine: Tools for Collaborative Education & Research
The History Engine is an educational tool that gives students the opportunity to learn history by doing the work-researching, writing, and publishing-of a historian. The result is an ever-growing collection of historical articles or...
University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin: Collaborative Learning: Introduction
This comprehensive site presents the concept of collaborative learning, which encourages active student participation in the learning process. There are five sections: Stories (from teachers describing how they implemented collaborative...
Other
Unboxed: Collaboration, Critique and Classroom Culture
Create a classroom where students collaborate with others, recognize improvement in their work, and help each other strive to work harder.
University of Wisconsin
National Institute for Science Education: Doing Cl
How do you start building collaborative learning structures into your coursework? Authors provide some practical considerations to make this learning style work for you.
Other
Habitat for Humanity: At Home Around the World [Pdf]
In this lesson plan, students read about types of housing in different nations, the housing issues faced in these areas of the world, and how Habitat for Humanity has been able to help. Students conduct online research and work in groups...
ArtsNow
Arts Now Learning: My Sound Is the Best! [Pdf]
In this lesson, students will use music as an impetus for stating and supporting opinions. They will compose an opinion poster based on a narrative about a train using percussion instruments. This will involve group work which can lead...
AdLit
Ad lit.org: Guidelines for Teaching Students to Read and Write Well:six Features
Building on their research in secondary classrooms, the Center on English Learning and Achievement has developed guidelines that describe six essential features of effective literacy instruction and how teachers can implement them.
University of Illinois
University of Illinois Extension: Character Education "Take a 2nd Look"
Excellent classroom activities for building students' character. This strategy's focus is to promote higher-order thinking skills and cooperative learning.
PBS
Wnet: Thirteen: Concept to Classroom: Cooperative and Collaborative Learning
Discover how to create a cooperative and collaborative learning environment in your classroom. This site features a definition for this type of learning strategy and ways to implement it in your classroom.
Other
Gdrc: Collaborative Learning
This site provides a thorough introduction to collaborative learning including terms and definitions, benefits of collaborative learning, strategies, tools, methods and making collaborative learning work.
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: The History Behind Song Lyrics
Critical listening, research and historical information are all part of the material in this multi-disciplinary lesson.
Indiana University
Indiana University: Benefits of Cooperative Learning [Pdf]
Article describing the benefits of cooperative learning, and the positive effect that this classroom and schoolwide approach has on student learning, as well as how cooperative learning benefits students with special needs.
Other
Kim's Korner: Graphic Organizers for Writing and Reading
What are graphic organizers for reading and writing? Use this site to learn more about these learning tools.
Other
Center for Teaching Excellence: Activities to Engage Students [Pdf]
This resource gives numerous strategies to engage students in different types of collaborative discussion.
Other
Social Psychology Network: Jigsaw Classroom
The "official web site of the jigsaw classroom",- a cooperative learning technique which was developed by Elliot Aronson. The jigsaw approach is considered to promote better learning, improve student motivation, and increase enjoyment of...
Brown University
Brown University: Group Work
How can one design and facilitate group work that helps students learn? This collection of resources explain that process.
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Mechanical Monsters
In this lesson plan, learners read the description of the mechanical dog from Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 and then work in groups to create and write descriptions of their own futuristic pet.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Women in the White House
In this lesson plan, students will consider Women in the White House. Worksheets and other supporting materials can be found under the Resources tab. In this instructional activity, students explore the role and impact of recent First...
Other
Pumpkin Patch: A Collection of Pumpkin Poetry
An awesome collection of student-generated poetry about pumpkins. The site is fully illustrated with student work.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: Alone: Research for Survival
This role-playing lesson enhances students' creativity and develops critical thinking skills. Small groups of students conduct Internet research on the skills necessary to survive when marooned on a Pacific island. Groups present their...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: All About Us: Writing and Presenting Poetry
For this lesson learners write a poem about their class and classmates. Students then transfer their poems to individual presentation slides which are combined with their classmates' slides to create a class slideshow presentation. This...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: Animal Adaptations
Students use technology tools to research and produce a multimedia product on animals and their habitats. This a collaborative project involving the library media specialist, classroom teacher, and special education teacher.