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Making Pretzels
Young scholars explore how people use plants for food. They use pretzels to see how wheat can be turned into food.
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Prairie Scales and Prairie Smoothies
Sixth graders explore the animals that live on the prairie and identify differences between amphibians and reptiles and the adaptations each have made to live on the prairie.
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The Emancipation Proclamation
Middle schoolers read one of the most important documents in our nation's history: The Emancipation Proclamation of 1863. After everyone reads the proclamation, they set out to write a "You Were There" type of report on it. They pretend...
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Pacifism vs. Patriotism in the 1920s
Students examine the philosophy of different organizations after World War I. They discover the impact of the "Red Scare" and how this affected peace organizations of the time.
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Spraying Strawberries
Young scholars examine the concept of dimishing marginal productivity. They role play the role of a farmer who has to decide how many times to spray his strawberry crop. They complete a chart and discuss the results.
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How Do Species Become Extinct?
Students examine reasons that animals become extinct. They participate in a simulation to discover that animals loss of home is the main factor that puts species near extinction in North America. Students examine over-hunting and...
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Graphing Pendulum Results
Sixth graders set up a pendulum experiment deciding which variable to manipulate (length of string or weight on the string). They create a hypothesis, collect necessary equipment, and write out each step of their experiment. They then...
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Special Interests: How Would A Legislator Vote?
Students act as elected officials who must make decisions that will make someone unhappy. They consider five bills that are up for vote in light of the contributions that many special-interest groups made to their campaigns. Students...
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Related Lessons Break It
Students brainstorm about the kinds of things that they use at home and school each day. They consider the types of materials out of which these things are made. Keep a list of their repsonses on a large sheet of paper or on the blackboard.
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Author's Purpose
Sixth graders brainstorm the reasons authors write, and they list their responses on the board. Students discuss each purpose they have listed.Students work independently to read the selection "Tarantulas and Typhoid" by Stephanie Moss....
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What Kind of "Person" Would Become a Scientist?
"Scientist Stereotypes" could be another name for this lesson! Begin by drawing from middle schoolers' preconceived notions and media portrayal of scientists, and then explain that anyone can be a scientist. Even though there is an...
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Urban Heat Islands: An Introduction to Energy Transfer and Transformation
Elementary school physical scientists explore kinetic mechanical energy by dropping a golf ball on different surfaces. They discuss how human made materials might react to light differently from nature made materials. This lesson plan...
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Problem Page Letter
Young scholars discuss a dramatic situation involving realistic characters and create response "letters" to the situation in this Drama lesson for the high school classroom. The lesson emphasizes the study of empathy and sympathy as it...
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Life Before Kindergarten
Students investigate the life that takes place before going to kindergarten. They brainstorm about some of the key events that are common for children entering school. Students create two drawings about life before kindergarten and...
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Transitioning To Kindergarten: Life In Kindergarten
Students investigate Kindergarten and the different activities that are found there. They are introduced to the classroom and procedures with the help of a puppet show. Then students color in a worksheet that focuses around the...
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Talk is Cheap
Second graders listen to the tale, "The Tortoise and the Hare" and discuss the moral of the story. Afterward, they brainstorm words that encouraged the Tortoise to accomplish his goal. Students then review the concept of goal setting and...
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What is Comfortable and Uncomfortable Touch?
Students fill in a worksheet that shows their ability to determine the difference between safe and unsafe touch after a counselor demonstrates with stuffed animals. They cut and paste cards that show situations and place them in the...
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Getting Ready for Success, Part 1
Third graders verbally respond to the following questions: Which category does each skill fall into? and "Do skills fall into more than one category?" They review what personal, ethical and work habit skills are: personal skills, ethical...
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My School Goal (Part 3)
Third graders, while working in small groups, determine the meaning of evaluation and why they are evaluated in school. They individually assess themselves to determine how they did on their goal sheet, and prepare to continue the use of...
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Social Studies: Kite Venn Diagrams
Third graders, in pairs, complete Venn diagrams in the shape of kites displaying the attributes of a smoothly operating home and school. On the tailpieces they write roles and responsibilities for home and school. Once completed, 3rd...
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Conflict Mediation - Part 2: Practice
Fourth graders work in small groups and try the mediation process, taking turns as mediators and disputants. They discuss and review the handouts over the concepts of mediation. Students volunteer to participate in the class role-play.
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Conflict Mediation - Part 1: Getting ready
Fourth graders (two) enter the classroom arguing loudly. They are asked to tell what they observed. Students look through the mediation packet and begin to brainstorm answers to "What is conflict?" They discuss various conflict scenarios...
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Who Will Get The Job? (Part 1)
Seventh graders are asked a variety of questions and identify the skills as job-task or not. As a class, they discuss how they could lose a job before they start working and review how to sell their skills for the job posting. To end the...
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Personal Code of Ethics
Tenth graders develop a personal code of ethics and relate their personal code of ethics to school situations. They discuss steps they will take to resolve ethical issue at school and develop a personal plan to advocate for an ethical...