J. Paul Getty Trust
Portraits That Capture Character
One of the great things about technology is that it lets youngsters visit museums that may be many miles away. With this resource, middle and high schoolers can visit the portrait galleries at J. Paul Getty Museum, located in Los...
S2tem Centers SC
Seasons
Winter, spring, summer, and fall—take the learning of the seasons beyond the elementary level to the middle school classroom. Curious learners begin by watching videos about the seasons and the rotation of planet Earth. Then, they...
Curated OER
The Hudson's Ups and Downs
Even rivers have tides. Older elementary schoolers will discuss the Hudson River and how weather, water craft, and the ocean cause tidal fluctuation. They will examine a series of line graphs that depict tidal fluctuation, then analyze...
Curated OER
The Purpose and Power of Persuasion
Examine the power of persuasion and have learners consider how it influences events in their own lives. After reading and analyzing informational texts to understand the author's purpose, class members take a written test and craft a...
Walters Art Museum
The Symbolism of Allegorical Art
Introduce learners to allegorical art with four bronze sculptures by Francesco Bertos. After modeling how to recognize bias and allegory in Bertos' Africa, class groups examine the other three sculptures in the series before creating...
NASA
Soda Straw Rockets
Three, two, one, blast off to a better understanding of force and motion with this exciting science instructional activity! Beginning with a discussion about rockets and gravity, young scientists go on to complete a series of worksheets...
UNICEF
Get Real on Climate
Climate change isn't just about a warming planet; it will affect humans' health, spread of disease, changes in heat waves and droughts, and changes in storms and wildfires. Participants explore global climate change through discussions...
Mathalicious
Pic Me!
Finally! Math and Instagram have come together to discuss the correlation between likes and followers. High schoolers can't help but want to discover what makes one account more popular than another by developing a line of best fit and...
University of Southern California
Coming to America After the War
As part of their exploration of the American dream, class members examine primary source materials to compare immigrant experiences of those arriving early in our country's history to those arriving in the US after World War II. To...
PHET
Planet Designer: Retro Planet Red
What does the atmosphere on Mars look like? This fourth lesson in the series of five is designed for high schoolers. Scholars apply previous knowledge to add atmosphere to Mars in an online simulation. This comprehensive lesson includes...
Science 4 Inquiry
Maintaining Mass
Can you disprove the law of conservation of mass? Pupils observe the teacher weigh each part of a reaction. Then, the teacher weighs the result of the reaction and everyone sees that the products do not equal the reactants. Then they...
Mr. Roughton
CSI: Florence
Who done it? Class groups adopt the role of crime scene investigators and examine exhibits (primary source documents) to determine who attempted to assassinate the members of the Medici dynasty.
American Chemical Society
Surface Tension
A drop of dew holds a sphere shape even when sitting on a seat thanks to the surface tension of water. Learners observe the phenomena of surface tension in water. Through demonstrations, hands-on activities, and discussions they explore...
Curated OER
Be the Change You Wish to See
Students review the lessons from the whole unit before devising a plan of action for a volunteer effort. They work in teams using a worksheet to determine a social cause that they develop an effective idea to promote. They design an...
Curated OER
Preparing to Speak
Young scholars articulate what elements must be present in a successful, persuasive speech by composing a "presentation plan." They explain what they know about speech delivery in preparation for the presentation of their final projects.
Curated OER
Disaster Strikes
Students investigate disaster response teams. In this safety lesson, students simulate the role of a disaster response team and discuss the factors involved in an effective disaster response. Students use decision-making skills to...
Curated OER
The "Clock Reaction" Kinetics Lab
Students investigate the effects of temperature and concentration on the rate of reactions. In this "clock reaction" kinetics lesson plan, students change the concentration of one reactant and keep the second constant. An indicator is...
Curated OER
The Drug Dope Show
In small groups, high schoolers research an assigned drug category including its physical effects, addiction treatments and the societal, academic and economic impacts of drug abuse. They engage in a "talk show" and discussion about drug...
Curated OER
Making Art That Matters
Students plan and execute a mural, in small groups, that attempts to protest or persuade. They focus on effective definition of shape, use of symbols, and impact on their intended viewers.
Curated OER
Air: Fuel For Thought
Students consider the impact of vehicle use in their family and brainstorm viable alternatives to this use. They calculate the total emissions for their family cars during the week, then compare those totals with Hybrid car totals.
Curated OER
Dirty Air And Bright Lights
Students are asked to think about their use of electricity, particularly around the holidays, and how it affects their quality of life and the lives of all of us. They explore the issue by tracing the connections and discussing how and...
Curated OER
Now and Then
Students record transformations and their effects within and across cultures. Students study the life of specific people in a former time period and then in the present time period. This teacher focused on the Winnebago tribe, using her...
Curated OER
Parachutes, Circles and Pi...Oh My!
Learners explore different size circles to discover the relationship between diameter and circumference. In this circles and Pi lesson, students construct simple parachutes using circle patterns of varying sizes. Learners predict the...
Curated OER
Activating Students
Students view and analyze one example of student activism in the 1960's and then apply their learning to their own situations. They work cooperatively to develop and implement their own "activist" or community service learning plan.