iCivics
Mini Lesson: Supreme Court Opinions
The court of last resort. Historians research, using current cases and issues, the impact the Supreme Court of the United States has on how our nation operates. They analyze recent decisions made by the nine judges and determine how the...
Tumblehome
Resisting Scientific Misinformation
How do scholars determine if a scientific claim is true? Learners investigate scientific misinformation by watching video clips and reading false advertising claims. They engage in discussion in both class and small group settings to...
Learning for Justice
Standing Up Against Discrimination
Expert groups investigate five teens who stood up against discrimination they faced and then report their findings in jigsaw groups. The class drafts proposals for actions the school could take to stop discrimination.
Curated OER
Holy Starbucks Batman
Students investigate caffeine as a potential new pollutant in a northwest river system. Effects of caffeine on invertebrates and salmon fry will be explored through field work and lab work.
Curated OER
CSI on the Deep Reef
After some instruction, small groups prepare a written report on chemotrophic organisms. Though not clearly mentioned, this resource would work best if groups have the Internet available to research the vocabulary and different organisms...
Curated OER
Campaign Signs and Pranksters
Students collect campaign literature and investigate what signs local candidates are using. Students contact local politicians/candidates and interview them about the concepts and creation of their campaign literature. Students compare...
Curated OER
Student Walkouts: Expression or Violation?
Students read news articles/television reports of a Student Walkout that occurred in Ohio and investigate how a citizen group could overturn a school board decision. Students also explore other ways Students could make their voices heard...
Curated OER
Iraq anniversary: No celebration
Students read news articles/television reports about the D.C. protests and other similar war protests. They investigate the laws that relate to such protests. Students present their findings to the class.
Curated OER
Drug and Alcohol Prevention
Seventh graders investigate the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. They prepare a written report on the chosen topic related to drugs and/or alcohol. Students utilize technology to share the information about alcohol and/or drugs with an...
Curated OER
Flour Beetle
Students observe the life cycle of the common flour beetle and make observations of its life stages. They also design and implement an investigation on food preference for the beetle and record data over a period of several months....
Curated OER
Drugged Out Daphnia
Ninth graders participate in experiments to investigate the the effects of nicotine, caffeine, aspirin, alcohol, and sleeping pills on the heart rates of Daphina. They describe the relationships between common drugs and heart rates....
Curated OER
Multiplying Microbes
Ninth graders investigate the techniques of culturing bacteria. They culture bacteria using agar plates. Students identify and describe some environmental conditions that effect bacteria growth.
Curated OER
Preparing a Business Plan to "Be Your Own Boss"
Do your scholars strive to work for themselves some day? Help young entrepreneurs create a business plan for an original idea and present it to a "board of directors." They complete online research (some links provided) and put together...
Curated OER
Reporter Rights vs. Legal Access...
High schoolers explore cases that have occurred in the past in which reporters refuse to reveal their confidential conversations with government sources and investigate the status of the current bills in Congress. Students use this...
Curated OER
Executive Government: Ministerial Responsibility
Young scholars are introduced to the principal of ministerial responsibility and identify ways in which ministers account for their actions. In this executive government lesson plan, students roleplay a situation to determine the level...
Curated OER
Lead Poisoning A Home Health Hazard
Students read background material on lead poisoning, assessing its impact on students. They locate local sources that might contain lead-based paint. Students research what is being done in the community to alleviate the problem. They...
Curated OER
Minority Graduation Rates: A 50-50 Chance
High schoolers read the Civil Rights Project report. Students collect data from graduation rates in their school/district or city. High schoolers compare state and local data. Students discuss and analyze minority graduation rates. High...
Curated OER
Classroom Critters Developing Our Writing Skills
Students investigate animals and how it adapts to its environment. They write notes and gather information on a chosen animal. After research is completed, students create a report about the animal's characteristics, appearance, food,...
Curated OER
"You're Hired!'
Students investigate linear programming using the TI. In this algebra lesson, students collaborate and graph linear inequalities on a TI. They analyze their data and present it to the class.
Curated OER
Written Document Analysis Worksheet
Investigate different types of documents with your middle schoolers. They look at newspapers, letters, maps, reports, etc. and answer a list of questions provided. Introduce them to different primary sources!
Curated OER
Interrogation Tactics in the News
High schoolers investigate interrogation tactics at use in the world. In this global issues activity, students watch "Torturing Democracy," and discuss the implications of interrogation techniques used by the United States following...
Curated OER
Water Wars
High schoolers investigate the water wars taking place in East Africa. In this global issues lesson plan, students watch video clips and read selected articles about the water shortages in East Africa. High schoolers estimate their own...
Curated OER
Calories in a sports drink
How much can a company round numbers without being misleading? Learners investigate the accuracy of claims made by a sports drink company. Teachers could easily modify the activity by bringing in their own beverage bottles, or by taking...
Curated OER
The Mysteries of El Nino: How Much do We Really Know?
Seventh graders investigate the causes and effects of El Nino and explore its global impact on weather related occurrences through this series of activities.