Curated OER
Water Works Wonders
Students examine where water is found in the world, how we use it, and the various forms it takes. They observe the refraction of light through a prism, record the day and night sky over a week's time, and create a topographic model of...
Curated OER
Why is it so hot when I sit next to the window?
Learners investigate how energy travels through glass. In this energy usage lesson, students conduct an experiment in which they decide if window film affects how much energy travels through the glass. Learners use a journal to make...
Curated OER
Justice or Injustice?
Middle schoolers participate in a human rights discussion and define the concepts of justice and injustice. They research the concept justice in order to create a Wisdom Wall identifying human rights issues. Students also participate in...
Curated OER
Veggie Chop and Data Analysis
First graders chop vegetables into fractions. In this fractions lesson, 1st graders cut vegetables, collect data about favorite vegetables and create a bar graph using the information. Students make inferences about the data and record...
Curated OER
Just a Spoonful of Rights Makes the Responsibility Go 'Round
Students explore the concept of philanthropy. In this service learning lesson, students define rights and responsibilities. Students discuss the role of philanthropy in contributing to the common good. They also review historical...
Curated OER
Inside The Harlem Renaissance
Learners explore the Harlem Renaissance to discover where, when, and why it took place and who was associated with the experience. They decide what are the most informative facts, interesting people, and events in this lesson.
Curated OER
Which team?
Students identify the many groups to which they belong and consider how groups are formed. They explore group dynamics and how group rules influence individual choice and develop strategies that might influence their groups.
Curated OER
GPS Treasure Hunt for Knowledge
Learners examine themselves as being part of a global community. In this global community lesson, students investigate GPS systems. Learners gain knowledge on how the device works. Students discover that satellites provide information...
Curated OER
Word Problems
Here is a very nice resource that presents 12 math word problems suitable for third and fourth graders. All four of the basic operations are used in these one-step problems. An answer key is provided on page two. This would make a very...
Curated OER
Plants and Animals: Alike and Not Alike
After reading an informative paragraph that outlines some of the differences between plants and animals, fifth graders attempt to correctly categorize 12 words in a word bank. They must put them in the plant, or animal category. This...
Curated OER
Cinderella
Explore positive and negative character traits and universal themes in the story of Cinderella with primary learners. Story elements are reviewed and discussion questions are listed. Learners practice retelling the story and begin a...
Curated OER
Online —On Stage—and Action
Use your tablets to participate in a culture-sharing project with a class in a foreign country. Your class can communicate and share ideas with a class in another country, swapping information regarding language and culture. Together you...
Curated OER
Six Ways to Appreciate Educators All Year Long
Why, and how, parents should appreciate teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week and all year.
Royal Canadian Legion
Teachers' Guide: Take Time to Remember
The Royal Canadian Legion offers this teacher's guide designed to remind learners of all ages of the sacrifices made by Canadian soldiers in not only World War I but also the Korean and Gulf wars. The 42-page packet is filled with...
Curated OER
"The Beaches of Agnes": Planning a Video Self Portrait
Agnes Varda’s autobiographical “The Beaches of Agnes,” models for young filmmakers the cinematic self-portrait. Far from “old and plump,” Varda is a giant of filmmaking and will inspire your pupils. After watching a clip of this famous...
PBS
Standing Up Against Injustice
“Sometimes things are lawful yet are actually wrong.” Researchers examine primary and secondary source materials as they study five legal cases involving civil rights attorney William Kunstler in which he attempted to use the legal...
Curated OER
The Jacket: Journal Templates Teacher's Guide
Explore this story involving prejudice and racism to enhance learners' comprehension skills. The story The Jacket by Andrew Clements involves an African American boy who is falsely accused of stealing someone's jacket. This teacher's...
Staten Island Zoo
The African Savanna
Are you thinking about taking your class to the local zoo? Kids of all ages love visiting exotic animals in order to learn about biodiversity, habitat, and animal adaptations. Here is a 44-page activity guide that provides educators with...
PBS
Historical Perspectives: Coming Home from War
What do the homecoming experiences of soldiers who fought in WWII, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan reveal about the politics and culture of the US during the time period of each war? Young historians view The Way We Get By, which tells...
Curated OER
The Ethics of Outsourcing to China
After viewing clips from a documentary on factory work in China and US outsourcing, learners have a fishbowl discussion. They work in groups to build both personal points of view and strong arguments on the effects of outsourcing in...
PBS
The Pursuit of Excellence
Who doesn’t love French pastries and the idea of hard work? Discover different philosophies on hard work, and the skills of French pastry chefs as the documentary concerning the “Best Craftsmen in France” or Meilleures Ouvriers de France...
Judicial Branch of California
Separate But Equal - Is It Black or White?
The story of Ruby Bridges and the case of Brown vs. The Board of Education are fantastic tools for discussing the concept of separate but equal. Kids tackle some big questions about what is fair, what is civil, and what rights or laws...
Curated OER
5 Broken Cameras: How Storytellers Shape the Story
5 Broken Cameras, the award-winning documentary nominated for a 2013 Academy Award and winner of the Sundance 2012 Directors Award is the focus of a resource packet that includes a lesson plan, discussion guide, reading lists, background...
American Documentary
The Benefits and Drawbacks of Plea Bargains
The outcome of 90 percent of criminal cases in the US is determined by plea bargains. Clips from the documentary Better This World create the backdrop for an investigation of the benefits and drawbacks of the plea bargaining process....