Scholastic
Collaborative Year-End Projects
Coming up with a menu of engaging year-end projects can be a challenge. Never fear, help is here with an article that suggests eight projects sure to capture the interest of learners of all ages.
ReadWriteThink
Looking for the History in Historical Fiction: An Epidemic for Reading
Combine informational reading skills with fictional text in an innovative historical fiction lessons. After reading a fictional text related to diseases, class members read non-fictional text to gain knowledge about specific infectious...
Stanford University
Evaluating Historical Sources on Juana Briones
Most have never heard of Juana Briones, the incredible woman who came to own property and divorce her husband in 1850s California. Yet, her relatively unknown life reflects the historical dynamics of the American West, particularly those...
Curated OER
Design Patterns in Everyday Life
Students find symbols and patterns in everyday life. In this patterns lesson, students break into groups and look for specific patterns and symbols. Students record their findings. Students create a graphic organizer with the information.
Curated OER
A Christmas Project
Seventh graders publish a letter and spreadsheet using the computer. They build a three-dimesnsional object with construction paper and develop a Christmas object using coordinates on a graph. Students compose a response in their journals.
Curated OER
Diversity of Families
Students discuss the word "family" and examine the various types of families, focusing on those of students in the classroom. They create a "School Family Tree" that builds on the diversity of students in the classroom.
Curated OER
Go Down Moses
Fifth graders investigate the workings of the Underground Railroad. In this slavery lesson, 5th graders read personal accounts from slaves, examine secret codes of the Underground Railroad, and play a board game based on the trip many...
Curated OER
Saris, Kimonos, Tagas and Smocks: Exploring Clothing Across Cultures
Learners explore via the internet all types of clothing around the world. Students discuss that the way people dress is an important means of expressing identity. Learners collaborate via Internet research the social purposes of clothing.
Curated OER
The Business of Design
Learners visit the Design for the Other 90% exhibition. In this design lesson, student learn how to design for the population of the world that is poor or impoverished. In addition, students read New York Times articles and watch videos...
Curated OER
I Wonder Why There Is So Much Frass...
Students examine frass and try to determine what it is. They make observations and add to their growth charts on a daily basis. They make predictions and support them to end the lesson.
Curated OER
Math in Literature and Life
Pupils read poems, read phrases, and create a poster for what math is and relate it back to literature. They also discuss the impact math has had on literature.
Curated OER
Why Does the Cocoa Tree Need a Tropical Rainforest to Grow?
Fourth graders explore the requirements a cocoa plant needs to survive. They research where chocolate comes from and how humans can affect the growth of cocoa trees. Students create a 3-D model of a cocoa tree and compare and contrast...
Curated OER
Play: It's Not Just For Kids
Learners realize that play is an important part of life and in the effort to staying healthy. They explore the role of play in society. In addition, they illustrate listening and speaking strategies for different purposes that pertain to...
Curated OER
Student Mad Libs
Students investigate the different parts of speech by participating in a fill in the blank activity. In this Mad Libs lesson, students define the different parts of speech and discuss how they are used appropriately in sentences....
Curated OER
Video Biographies
Who was Alexander The Great? How did Abraham Lincoln’s early life influence his political life? Learners select a historical figure to use for video biography. After developing research questions and collecting information, pupils search...
Curated OER
All Those In Favor
Young scholars share opinions about measures recently passed in their school, vote on and argue for and against hypothetical school policies, and respond to a "president's" decision to pass or veto the measures.
Curated OER
Crossing Borders, Crossing Boundaries?
Students explore how the United States government is using biometrics to secure American borders. They examine the pitfalls of biometrics programs and propose possible ways to strengthen the program.
Curated OER
A World At Peace
Learners view a film segment and identify examples of world conflict. They examine why groups fight for control of land or natural resources. They discover ways in which conflict can be avoided.
Curated OER
Anonymous Poetry
Anonymous poetry can be a way for students to express emotion and ideas without trepidation.
Curated OER
The Great Computer Debates
Students research controversial Internet technology issues concerning security, privacy, and intellectual property. They formulate and present various perspectives on these issues in a mock television panel discussion.
Curated OER
Whose Rights are Right?
Students consider the concept of 'human rights' in relation to the current conditions and history of East Timor and discuss the terms "human rights" and "force," applying their responses to specific historical examples.
Curated OER
Don't Touch That Dial!
Students explore the affects, both positive and negative, that television has had on society in the past half-century. They read the article "Inside the Soap Opera of Television's Early Days."
Curated OER
Sacred Space
Learners consider the two finalists in the contest for architectural designs for the site of the World Trade Center. They create their own designs for a meaningful public space, then critique each other's designs.
Curated OER
Reality Film
Learners propose and create documentary films depicting a slice of "ordinary" life that reveals something unique or surprising about its subject. They, in groups, make films and present them to the school.