Curated OER
Panther Exam: Writing a Play
Students demonstrate their knowledge of panthers by writing a play on the subject. In this animal life lesson, students view a slide-show on school computers of a veterinary exam of a panther. Students utilize this...
Curated OER
Lesson Plan: Global Warming
Students explore the concept of global warming. In this climate change lesson, students explore the provided links to PBS NOW sources and research the greenhouse effect and the effects of global warming. Students support their...
Curated OER
Poseidon's Protectors to the Rescue
Students explore the concept of philanthropy. In this environmental stewardship lesson plan, students explore the Greek mythology story of Poseidon. Students write letters to Poseidon that address water pollution today and express how...
Clean Up Australia
Why are Batteries Harmful to the Environment?
Open this lesson by reading together about primary and secondary batteries (such as nickel-cadmium cells), problems they can cause in the environment, and how humans can minimize the damage. Afterward, little ones examine a collection of...
Curated OER
Is the Coast Really Toast?: A Lesson About Volcanoes, Phase Changes, and the Art of Estimation
Clever! Use a clip from the 1997 film, Volcano, to get your chemistry class knee-deep in heat concepts related to lava. In the movie scene, lava flow is stopped in the nick of time. Your class must use calculations to determine if this...
Louisiana Department of Education
Out of the Dust
The Grapes of Wrath may be the most famous novel set during the Dust Bowl, but what other stories cover the same time? The unit focuses on the Karen Hesse novel Out of the Dust. Learners keep a timeline of the Dust Bowl, maintain a...
Curated OER
Nonfiction Genre Mini-Unit: Persuasive Writing
Should primary graders have their own computers? Should animals be kept in captivity? Young writers learn how to develop and support a claim in this short unit on persuasive writing.
Dream of a Nation
Big6 Research Project
Do research projects at your school look like a class of eighth graders staring at a blank screen? Use the Big 6 research method to guide middle schoolers through the process of finding a topic, searching for and evaluating sources,...
EngageNY
Tracing a Speaker’s Argument: John Stossel DDT Video
Which side are you on? Scholars watch a video of John Stossel discussing the use of DDT pesticide. Learners talk about the purpose of the video and the speaker's argument and then complete a Tracing an Argument graphic organizer while...
Newspaper Association of America
Cereal Bowl Science and Other Investigations with the Newspaper
What do cereal, fog, and space shuttles have to do with newspapers? A collection of science investigations encourage critical thinking using connections to the various parts of the newspaper. Activities range from building origami seed...
Curated OER
Unit Plan for The Catcher in the Rye —A “Place-Based” Approach
"People never notice anything." As part of their study of The Catcher in the Rye, class members adopt Holden Caulfield's approach and spend time as quiet observers of their surrounding, recording their observations/reflections in a...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Seasons of a Plant
Reading the cues from nature can be as much an art as a science. The second installment in a six-part unit on climate teaches learners that environmental and biological events have significance. They first learn the difference between...
Curated OER
Understanding the Indoor Environment
Students create and deliver speeches about why their school should have an Indoor Air Quality team. In this speeches lesson plan, students make presentations to school board members about having an IAQ team.
Curated OER
Toxic River
Students explore environmental safety by participating in a class game. In this toxic chemicals activity, students discuss the effect chemicals have on our environment and how to best protect against their dangers. Students participate...
Curated OER
It's Not Easy Being Green
Students investigate the environmental costs of operating golf courses. In this current events lesson, students visit selected websites to study golf course needs and green design options.
Curated OER
Investigations in Aid: Identifying the Need
Students investigate the needs in emerging nations. In this emerging nations lesson, students research the conditions for needs in the given countries. Students are assigned to the country groups of Honduras, Nigeria, Bosnia, Cambodia,...
Curated OER
Let us Help
Students explore water conservation. In this ecology and civic responsibility activity, students identify agencies that monitor and help improve water quality and describe what they do. Students research these organizations and work in...
Curated OER
Scarecrow Recycled
Students create their own scarecrows. In this recycling lesson, students discuss the purpose of scarecrows and discuss how they are constructed. Students make their own scarecrows out of recycled materials.
Curated OER
Making the World A More Beautiful Place: Earth Day
Students study ways to take care of the environment as part of an Earth Day activity. In this environment lesson, student listen to a read aloud of Barbara Cooney's, Miss Rumphius, before discussing how she works alone but is part of an...
Curated OER
Materials and Process: Plastics
Students investigate the development of plastics in the twentieth century. In this plastics lesson, students complete image based discussion activities for the pictures and methods of polymers. Students create an object timeline...
Curated OER
The Extra Place Lesson
Students take up the challenge of deciding what to do when confronted by a difficult and awkward situation. They read the story and highlight sentences or phrases that have particular meaning to them and think about and discuss a...
Curated OER
Recycling & Our Environment
Students present information about recycling to other students. In this environmental protection lesson, students create a puppet show or commercial about the importance of recycling for other students to view.
Curated OER
Predicting the Future
Students examine how scientists predict the effects of global climate change. In this environmental science lesson plan, students participate in a discussion about using computer generated data to create climate predictions. Students...
Curated OER
Upcycled Garment or Art Work
Students explain the importance of recycling waste products. In this art lesson, students research different upcycled fashion designs and accessories. They design their own product and present it in class.