Film Foundation
The Day The Earth Stood Still: Film Language And Elements Of Style
In this, the third in a series of four resources that use Robert Wise's 1951 version of The Day The Earth Stood Still as the core text, young film makers examine the language of film including shot composition, camera angle, lighting,...
Film Foundation
The Day The Earth Stood Still: The Filmmaking Process
How are films made? As part of their study of film, middle schoolers investigate the pre-production, production, and post-production process and consider the role of the director, the screenwriter, production designer, cinematographer,...
Curated OER
Exploring Science Fiction and Fantasy
Students view the videos from the Spellbinder series. They focus on analyzing and thinking critically. Students explore the distinguishing features and conventions of the science fiction and fantasy genres and narrative structure and...
Curated OER
Using Science Fiction To Understand Biological Concepts
Students read and discuss," The Andromeda Strain" by Michael Crichton and complete a short writing exercise as a warm-up for a longer piece of science fiction writing. They choose a topic and create a science fiction short story such...
Curated OER
Phineas Gage: The Teenage Brain and Connections: Free Choice Activity
During this lesson, which is all about making connections, learners watch a documentary about the teenage brain and connect it to Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science, their own lives, and the world.
National Woman's History Museum
The Women of NASA
Human computers? Although it may sound like science fiction, the term was used to describe the women who made the NASA calculations before the advent of electronic computers. A 21-slide presentation introduces viewers to the women who...
Curated OER
The Magic School Bus Spins a Web
Students learn along with Ms. Frizzle's class. In this Magic School Bus lesson plan, students explore the world of spiders as they travel into a science fiction film to learn the truth about spiders.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Lactose Intolerance: Fact or Fiction
Around the world, about 2/3 of adult humans are lactose intolerant. Scholars work in small groups to discuss a few statements about lactose intolerance. Then, they watch a video on the topic and readdress each statement. Whole-class...
Folger Shakespeare Library
Julius Caesar Curriculum Guide
Julius Caesar need not be Greek to kids. The background information and suggestions for teachers, as well as the activities for learners, make this curriculum guide a must-have for your Shakespeare curriculum library.
Curated OER
America in Film and Fiction
Students begin the lesson by reading a book on film study. After watching the movie "Citizen Kane", they work together to identify the issues concerning the United States before World War II. As a class, they discuss how the ideas and...
Curated OER
"War of the Worlds": A Broadcast Re-Creation
Why did Orson Welles' 1938 Broadcast of a adaptation of H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds cause such a panic? To answer this question, class members listen to the original broadcast and research the panic that resulted. They then engage...
Curated OER
Mountain Creation: A Drama Exploration
Students explore mountain formation. In this cross curriculum earth science and legend writing activity, students listen to the poem "The Way to make Perfect Mountains" by Byrd Baylor and identify examples of vivid language used....
Curated OER
Counting Crows
Students discuss the fable, The Crow and the Pitcher. In this literature lesson, students read the fable and create a crow sock puppet. Students use their puppets to dramatize the fable.
Curated OER
Fossil Impressions of Ancient Life
Students make a mold using Plaster of Paris and then make a cast using that same mold. They pick a fossil and describe how it looks. They write a fictionalized story about its life, or burial. (
Great Books Foundation
Discussion Guide for Handmaid's Tale
Great literature discussions are a consequence of carefully crafted questions, interpretative questions that permit more than one response, and responses supported by specific evidence from the text. The discussion questions in a guide...
Curated OER
Exploring Film Genres for Telling Hero Stories: Animated Shorts
Students will create short movies. The integration of technology into the curriculum is important for learners to apply in various ways. This lesson is an example of that kind of integration.
Curated OER
Time Travel
Students investigate the concept of time travel and quantum physics. They complete a Webquest, read excerpts from the book, 'The Time Machine,' play an online time traveler game, and read and evaluate newspaper articles about time.
Curated OER
Up, Up, and Away
Fifth graders participate in a WebQuest that introduces them to a study on clouds and how they relate to weather systems.
Curated OER
Weather and Technology
Students discuss daily weather change, that we live in a world of symbols and innovations. They recognize the use of symbols to replace language and the value of technological innovation to improving our lives.
Curated OER
That's Not a Verb! Worksheet 2
In this verbs worksheet, students analyze 12 words in a list that are nouns, but can also be used as verbs. Students select the correct words to complete 12 sentences.
Curated OER
A Passage Through Time
Young learners research and present information about a chosen subject to their peers, parents, instructors, and community. This lesson has a strong research and public speaking component, and would be ideal for your higher level students.
Curated OER
Screening the Silver Screen
Learners write New York Times Movie Guide Reviews using descriptive and persuasive language.
Curated OER
Steven Spielberg
In this famous person learning exercise, students read a passage about Steven Spielberg and then complete a variety of in-class and homework activities to support comprehension, including partner interviews, spelling, cloze, synonym...
Curated OER
Lost World Dinosaurs
Students determine how accurate the dinosaur-makers were in creating realistic dinosaurs for the Jurassic Park ride. They explore how the ride designers are going to top themselves How could the next ride be even better?