PBS
Broadcast News
Just because a story is on the news doesn't mean it's being presented fairly. Analyze news broadcasts with a lesson focused on evaluating television journalism. At home, kids watch a news show and note the stories presented, including...
Positively Autism
"The Napping House" Big and Little
The dog is big. The mouse is little. Using vocabulary words introduced in the previous lesson, kids read, or are read, sentences and examine images that contrast big and little.
Chymist
Esters: An Introduction to Organic Chemistry Reactions
Scratch and sniff an introduction to organic chemical reactions. A creative lesson has individuals study the esters commonly used in scratch-and-sniff stickers and advertisements. Following the lab procedure, scholars create the organic...
NOAA
Biological Oceanographic Investigations – I, Robot, Can Do That!
How do you decide the best person for each job? Would it be easier if you didn't have to consider their feelings? The lesson begins with a discussion of underwater robots. Then groups research one of these robots and present their...
Project Maths
Trigonometric Functions
From a circle to a cycle! The final instructional activity of a five-part series challenges learners to use points from the unit circle to plot a repeating pattern. The repeating patterns become the graphs of the trigonometric functions....
Stanford University
Prohibition
Prohibition banned the selling of alcohol in America—but why? Designed for high school pupils, the lesson explores the causes of Prohibition including the Temperance Movement. The lesson pairs a PowerPoint presentation with worksheets...
Encyclopedia Britannica
Election Issue Comparison Chart
As part of a study of the issues raised in the 2020 presidential election campaign, class members investigate and then create a pro-con comparison chart that reveals each candidate's position on a variety of issues.
K20 LEARN
Grandmother, What A Big Culture You Have!: Cultural Characteristics
A word splash activity introduces scholars to the lesson's theme—cultural characteristics. First, in examining Little Red Riding Hood by The Brothers Grimm, learners highlight the cultural characteristics and then spot the differences in...
Time Warp Trio
My Big Fat Greek Olympics
The Olympic Games are indeed a significant and far-reaching cultural component in our international community today, but from where do they originate? Where do our traditions stem from, and how do we choose the sports that constitute...
Curated OER
Insect or Arachnid?
Students compare and contrast the characteristics of insects and arachnids through research, observation, and discussion. They write accurate statements describing insect and arachnid life cycles and anatomies. Afterward, they listen as...
Curated OER
Magnificent Mosaic
Students examine the ancient art form of mosaics. They compare and contrast mosaics from different cultures and time periods then create and design their own mosaics using Crayola Model Magic. They blend primary colors, or add white to...
Curated OER
Rice Is All Around Us!
Learners grasp the complexity and similarities of traditional foods in various countries and cultures. Then they compare and contrast family food traditions with their classmates. Students also create a decorated box to store recipes...
Curated OER
Sandcastle Rooflines
Students research the architecture of Antonio Gaudi and his first buildings of Gothic architecture. Then they combine, texture, and paint recycled containers to construct a detailed castle. Students also fill in surrounding areas with...
Curated OER
Call it "Macaroni"
Who knew there were so many fun educational opportunities featuring pasta? Scholars read a brief informational text about the history of pasta (note that "macaroni" is spelled two different ways, so address this if kids are reading...
Concordia University Chicago
Winter Landscape with Skaters by Hendrick Avercamp
In need of a quick set of ideas to use on a wintery day? Why not analyze Winter Landscape with Skaters with your class? After a thorough discussion, learners compare and contrast two paintings, research what curators do, draw landscapes,...
Newseum
The Tools to Persuade
After reviewing persuasion techniques, young historians examine how a specific technique was used in the pro- or anti-suffrage messages. They then examine how that same technique is used in modern-day media messages.
K20 LEARN
Criminal Motivations: Irony and Characterization In "The Cask Of Amontillado"
Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Cask of Amontillado" is a bit of a puzzle. Critics have long debated Montresor's motives for killing Fortunato. Young scholars examine examples of the three types of irony (verbal, dramatic, and...
Academy of American Poets
Teach This Poem: "Instructions on Not Giving Up" by Ada Limón
What do the myth of the phoenix bird and Ada Limón's poem "Instructions on Not Giving Up" have in common? Young scholars create a list of what they notice about both the myth and poem, then consider what the similarities might indicate...
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
A Different Perspective on Slavery: Writing the History of African American Enslaved Women
Students examine the experiences of African-American women during the Civil War. Reading letters and autobiographies, they gain insight into how they dealt with slavery and losing their children. They create a model to evaluate the...
Curated OER
Animal Dance
The image Painting of Bear and Sun Dances by Louis Fenno contains an image of a traditional Ute dance. The class will hone their observation skills, as well as their ability to describe in detail, as they take a close look at the piece....
Curated OER
Comparing the Oneota of Wisconsin to the Aztecs of Mexico
Students study the Oneota Indians of Wisconsin. They compare and contrast them to another group of natives in the Americas around the same time. They conduct intelligent discussion of the Oneotas that gives evidence to support statements.
Curated OER
Science: Comparing Beer and Bread
Young scholars compare and contrast cellular respiration in yeast and plant and animal cells. After discovering the role of yeast in making beer and bread, they describe the short and long term effects of alcohol on the nervous and...
Curated OER
The Hopi Indians
Fourth graders make a mask of who they are as an individual after studying the Hopi Indians. In this Hopi Indians lesson plan, 4th graders compare and contrast the Hopi life with theirs, make predictions, and learn about culture.
Curated OER
Comparing the Similarities and Differences of Medieval Castles
Students compare and contrast a Japanese castle with a Welsh castle. In groups, pupils use the internet to research specified topics on a castle. They explore the government, construction and military function of the area. Classmates...