Curated OER
Pablo Picasso
Fifth graders research Pablo Picasso and apply what they know in a created piece of artwork. They create artwork out of geometric shapes such as triangles, rectangles and circles. They access the Internet to research Picasso and complete...
Curated OER
Science: Finlay and Yellow Fever
Ninth graders research the work of Carlos J. Finlay and his contributions to science. Once they have discussed his theories about diseases, they create tables comparing diseases that use insects as carriers. The instructional activity...
Curated OER
Different Strokes For Different Folktales
Young readers use graphic organizers, such as Venn diagrams and story maps, to analyze a variety of folktales and the elements of a story. They use writing, sequencing activities, and creative art to identify the morals learned from a...
Curated OER
Mexico Field Trip
Explore how the library or Internet resources function as textual information. Young writers research a chosen topic then read and comprehend the collected information. They structure the information with texts and graphics for a...
Smithsonian Institution
Watching Crystals Grow
Amazing science can sometimes happen right before your eyes! The class gets cozy as they watch crystals grow. They use Epsom salts, rocks, and food coloring to create crystals. They'll observe the entire process, documenting every step...
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Minority Graduation Rates: A 50-50 Chance
Students read the Civil Rights Project report. Students collect data from graduation rates in their school/district or city. Students compare state and local data. Students discuss and analyze minority graduation rates. Students compare...
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Navigating Through Capital History
Fourth graders research the history of Tallahassee using a Website and other materials to determine why the capital is where it is today. They organize the information on a timeline and investigate the "heart" of Florida.
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Omaha Race Riot of 1919
Students analyze primary documents and images. Students organize and evaluate the causes and results of the Omaha race riot of 1919. Students study and recognize key personalities involved. Students relate history to certain quotes...
Curated OER
Plants and Animals: Partners in Pollination
Students describe the complementary relationships between pollinators and the plants they pollinate, identify adaptations that flowers have developed to "encourage" pollination, and create and draw their own "designer" flowers.
Curated OER
Mineral Scavenger Hunt
Students complete a scavenger hunt worksheet as they find examples in their classroom, at home, etc., of minerals. Excellent worksheet!
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Create a Classroom Exhibit: Rocks and Minerals
Students bring in rocks and minerals from home. They observe them and describe them carefully, completing a worksheet. Finally, a classroom exhibit is created.
Curated OER
Plants and Animals, Partners in Pollination
Students participate in multiple hands-on activities to explore reproduction and pollination. In groups, using a cotton swab and powder, students simulate being pollinators and plants. They name the parts of the flowers and the function...
Curated OER
Rocks and Minerals
Students bring rocks and minerals from home to investigate in the classroom. In this rocks and minerals lesson plan, students observe all the rocks and minerals brought into the class and answer 7 questions about the features of the...
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Under the Spell of Spiders
Students examine spiders. In these spider lessons, students will view spider images and live spiders to determine physical characteristics, habits, and habitats. Students will examine fantasy and folklore about spiders to create and...
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How Size Shapes Animals
Students investigate how size affects large and small animals differently. In this animal lesson plan, students determine how size affects different animals by constructing their own animal out of marshmallows. Once students create...
Curated OER
Fossils Footprints Across Time
Students examine fossils to understand how they are formed and how they give information about geological history. In this fossil lesson plan, students research and write about fossils and make models of different fossil types.The PDF...
Curated OER
Going...going...gone? Tropical Rainforests-How They Work, What They Do for Us, What's Being Done to Them...
Sixth graders explore the Tropical Rainforest and come to understand what it is and how it affects the ecosystem. In this rainforests lesson, 6th graders write about the Tropical Rainforest, imagine they are in the Tropical Rainforest,...
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POLITICS AND RELIGION: Targeting Faith When It Counts
Students research current articles about the influence of religion on the presidential election of 2004.
Curated OER
Folk Music
Students explore Folk Music in Iowa. For this folk music lesson, students discuss different types of folk music and how it relates to life in Iowa. They take the tune of a song and write their own lyrics to describe their life.
Curated OER
Thinking About Diversity: One Student's View
Students are asked how would you describe your yourself (Racial/Ethnic). Students read Little Boxes, where it is discussed that the author describes that backgrounds of her parents. They continue to read where they still need to come...
Curated OER
Bittersweet: Diabetes
Ninth graders examine the disease of diabetes. In this diabetes and health activity students examine the disease, the people who are most at risk for diabetes, as well as how to best prevent diabetes.
Curated OER
Human Settlement and Movement
Students are introduced to the way humans have settled and moved throughout history. In groups, they compare and contrast the settlement and movement of two different ethnic groups. They discover why some are more dominate in an area...
Curated OER
Race, Language and Separation
Sixth graders discuss the idea of separation in today's society. In groups, they examine the laws used in the past with a focus on "separate, but equal". They review the Brown v. Board of Education case and determine if it caused or...
Curated OER
Becoming a "Gringo" Immigrants, Language Learning and Acculturation
Students examine the experience by immigrants coming to America who are Spanish-speaking. As a class, they define "Gringo" and read poems whose authors first language is Spanish. In groups, they participate in different sections in...