Cornell University
Light Waves: Grades 6-8
Explore the behavior of light with different materials. Collaborative groups determine whether certain materials absorb, reflect, diffract, or transmit light waves. They then measure the angle of incidence and angle of reflection.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Zebrafish and Skin Color
You may not know if that zebrafish in your fish tank is a model citizen—but it is definitely a model organism! What can we learn about ourselves from a tiny zebrafish? Discover more about the polygenic trait of skin color through a...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Developing an Explanation for Mouse Fur Color
Whether or not you think mice are nice, you'll love the colorful activity! Scholars examine evidence for evolution in the rock pocket mouse through video, discussion, and collaborative work. Learners watch a video regarding variation in...
Missouri Department of Elementary
Similar and Different
Using a Venn diagram, pupils compare the similarities and differences between two classmates. Next, they review the CARE acronym (Collaboration, Acceptance, Respect, Empathy) and discuss how it applies to diversity in the classroom.
Baylor College
Breathing Machine
Take a deep breath and have your class construct working models of a lung! Using 500ml plastic bottles as the chest cavity, and balloons for the lung and the diaphragm, learners work in groups to make a model. The models help them to...
Foundation for Water & Energy Education
How Can Work Be Done with Water Power? Activity C
Third in a set of lessons regarding reservoirs, dams, and hydropower, this involves a two-day hydropower plant simulation. Collaborative groups build, maintain, and finance the plant. The transparency of the reservoir setup can be...
Curated OER
Increasing or Decreasing? Variation 2
Your algebra learners will manipulate an expression's form in order to make obvious the value of it increasing, decreasing, or staying the same, when one variable is changed as the others stay constant. Your future physicists'...
Curriculum Corner
Helping Students Learn to Collaborate
Keep this attractive display up on your walls to refer to each time you ask your learners to engage in a group discussion. The printable reminds participants to come prepared, complete assignments before meeting, listen and share ideas,...
Curated OER
What's The Story?
Groups of learners get together and are given copies of the state quarter reverses from the 2002 US Mint issue. Each pupil makes up a story that's based on the scene that appears on the reverse side of the quarter. The goal is for all...
Curated OER
Pass the Painting
After reading a story or informational text describing an animal, your class gets creative and collaborative with paint. In groups, they brainstorm all the parts of an animal, they then take turns painting those parts. One child starts...
Curated OER
Sorting Lids
Students work in groups to sort lids in various ways so each group has a different sorting pattern. They share ideas and work in groups. Students are given a large pile of lids, which are placed in the center of a table, students are...
Curated OER
Dancing through Poetry
Get your class up and moving as they explore how to express movement and dance through words. Designed around two poems by Lillian Morrison about break dancing, the activity truly captures the creative and multi-sensory aspects of...
Curated OER
Can You Help A Friend?
Students take on the role of a ten year old girl, "Jessica." Jessica's friend has moved away from the area and is texting people she doesn't know in chat rooms. Students work in groups to write a message for Jessica to send to her...
Curated OER
How Insects Have Changed
Students work in groups to research the different geologic time periods and present their findings. They perform the insect collecting protocol, identify insects to the order level, and organize types of insects in order of appearance in...
Curated OER
T Cells Fight The Flu!
Students examine T cells and the role they play in the immune system. In this interactive lesson students work in groups to complete an online training and make a comic strip with what they learned.
Curated OER
Acrostic Poem Pals
Young scholars work in groups to determine a creative writing theme. They listen to each other to produce a group acrostic poem and then collaborate with their partners to recite their poetry. They then add drawings to add an artistic...
Curated OER
Safety First
Young scholars work in groups to brainstorm safety rules everyone should follow: at home, at school, in very hot or cold weather, in case of fire, or while playing outside, eating, riding in cars, or interacting with animals. They pick...
Curated OER
Story Writing
Students work in groups to create a story that will be presented to the class. In this story writing lesson, students complete a project planning sheet, work together to create a story that includes a hero and at least two other...
Indiana Department of Education
Social Emotional Toolkit
Looking for some tools to help you incorporate social and emotional learning into your curriculum? Then check out this 79-page kit packed with ideas for developing social-emotional learning competencies. The first section provides...
Curated OER
LA CENERENTOLA (Cinderella)
Students work in groups to create a map key. The map key represents the diversity of each of the Cinderella stories previously read. They explore the cultural dimensions and contributions of the arts.
Curated OER
Apples and Apple Activities
Students investigate apples. In this reading comprehension lesson, students read a book about apples then compare and contrast, make graphs, distinguish between fact and fiction and work in groups. Students work in groups to search the...
Curated OER
Team Problem-Solving Fun
Young scholars work in groups to solve a variety of puzzling activities which include math, spelling, anagrams, and geography. They use cooperative skill to accomplish each task and chart their group progress.
Curated OER
Learning Math with Music
Students work in groups to create their own rhymes and songs for an entire family of math facts. They record their math facts creations using an iPod and a voice recorder for future use.
Curated OER
European Vacation
Ninth graders work in groups of two or three to plan a trip through Europe. They present a storyboard for approval, outlining their graphics and display pages. They present their trip to the class using PowerPoint. This is displayed...