Illustrative Mathematics
Illustrative Mathematics: G Co Why Does Sss Work?
In this task, students must show that two triangles are congruent given a set of steps which produce a rigid transformation of the plane. Includes an experimental GeoGebra worksheet that instructors can use to demonstrate the task....
ClassFlow
Class Flow: Formal Language
[Free Registration/Login Required] This flipchart can be used to understand features of formal official language through, collecting and analyzing examples, discussing when, why they are used; and noting the conventions of the language,...
Edutopia
Edutopia: Teaching Your Students How to Have a Conversation
While it is impossible to know all of the reasons, there is no doubt that learning to listen and talk is an extremely important way to broaden knowledge, enhance understanding and build community. Perhaps this is why the core standards...
Lumen Learning
Lumen: Using Sources: Putting It Together: Using Sources
This is a summary of the lessons on integrating credible sources using paraphrase, summary, and quotations and citing sources. Click on the Next button on the bottom right to learn about Why It Matters: Multimodality; you will have the...
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: Reading Like a Historian
During this 8-day unit, students will engage in collecting text evidence and then writing about their findings. They will answer the following question with credible, well-explained evidence: Why did Andrew Jackson and Elias Boudinot...
Illustrative Mathematics
Illustrative Mathematics: G C Placing a Fire Hydrant
You have been asked to place a fire hydrant so that it is an equal distance from three locations on a map. Students must fold a paper so that this point is where two folds intersect, and they must explain why their construction works and...
Other
School Library Services: For Teachers: Research Assignments
This simple page does a good job of articulating why research is an important process to teach to students, and it also provides a number of resources for teachers planning to do this.
Other
Thoughtful Learning: Minilesson: Asking and Answering the 5 W's and H Questions
Students will learn the "5 W's and H questions" needed to comprehend a news story. Then students will apply these question words [who, what, where, why, when, and how] to real news stories and to events in their own lives.
Illustrative Mathematics
Illustrative Mathematics: G Co Origami Regular Octagon
After successive folds of a piece of origami paper, a student must explain why the shape made is a regular octagon. Aligns with G-CO.A.3 and G-CO.D.12.
Illustrative Mathematics
Illustrative Mathematics: G Mg Solar Eclipse
In this task, students investigate why total solar eclipses are rare. They will learn that, in addition to requiring the positioning of the Sun, Moon, and Earth, the Moon can only completely block out the Sun when it is closest to the...
Illustrative Mathematics
Illustrative Mathematics: G Mg Tilt of Earth's Axis and the Four Seasons
This task gives students a chance to explore the effects of the Earth's tilt and rotation using a simple geometric model of Earth-Sun interaction that shows why the seasons occur. Aligns with G-MG.A.1.
Illustrative Mathematics
Illustrative Mathematics: G Gpe Explaining the Equation for a Circle
This problem examines equations defining different circles in the x-y plane. Students must use the Pythagorean Theorem to find equations whose solutions are points on the circle and explain why they work. Includes a GeoGebra worksheet...
Illustrative Mathematics
Illustrative Mathematics: A Rei Reasoning With Linear Inequalities
Students are presented with a solution to an inequality and are asked to find two mathematical errors and explain why they are incorrect. Aligns with A-REI.B.3 and A-REI.A.1.
Other
Frist Art Museum: Before We Visit the Museum [Pdf]
In this lesson, 5th graders are asked to examine the rationale behind a class visit to a museum or other cultural center, what happens during such a trip, and why museums have rules in place for their visit. After exploring images of the...
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments: Traditional Copy an Angle: Compass Construction Using Cabri
Use Cabri Jr to copy an angle. The activity is followed by a student-to-student interview/reflection sheet intended to require students to think, talk, and write about why the construction worked. The reflection sheet could be adapted...
Sophia Learning
Sophia: Appropriate Language
This lesson focuses on using appropriate language in formal writing; it discusses pretentious language, jargon, and cliches. It defines each, provides examples, and explains why and how to avoid each. SL.9-10.6 Adapt to task/formal
PBS
Pbs News Hour: Column: Can Librarians Help Solve the Fake News Problem?
Was it only a matter of time that people would begin buying into any news, even when it was actually fake? This writer felt it was no surprise. Find out why and how a librarian can help educate students how to best vet resources for...
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Counting Unit Squares to Find Area Formula
This tutorial includes a video, questions and explanations around using unit squares to see why multiplying side-lengths can also find the area of rectangles.
CPALMS
Cpalms: Product of Non Zero Rational and Irrational Numbers
[Free Registration/Login Required] In this formative assessment task, students are asked to explain how rational and irrational numbers differ and why the product of a non-zero rational number and an irrational number is irrational....
PBS
Pbs News Hour: Did Fake News Influence the Outcome of Election 2016?
Don't believe everything that is read on the Internet! So many people around the world follow the news, all news, that they find posted on social media. Some news is real, some news is fake. How much of the fake news might have...
Better Lesson
Better Lesson: Rl.1.1 Ask and Answer Questions About Key Details in a Text.
This landing page offers different lessons related to the standard RL.1.1 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
SMART Technologies
Smart: Developing Characters and Settings
In this activity provided by SMART, students will give reasons why they feel characters are important in a story. Students will explore how to create effective characters and settings in their own writing by using a character web.
US Department of Education
The Partnership for Reading: Childhood: Teaching Approaches: Fluency Instruction
A short explanation of why fluency instruction is important and how fluency develops in a child.
Sophia Learning
Sophia: Headings and Subheadings
This tutorial uses two short videos and a PDF handout to explain how and when to use headings and subheadings. Video 1 explains the purpose of headings and subheadings and why and when to use them; video 2 discusses how to format and...