Curated OER
Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site: Monument to the Gilded Age (78)
Learners discover how the Vanderbilts became one of the wealthiest families in America and how their lifestyle influenced business, culture, architecture, and society in ways that still affect us today.
Curated OER
Summary and "The Fallacy of Success"
Suggested to accompany a class reading of The Great Gatsby, this plan begins with a discussion emphasizing the reputation of Vanderbilt University. Then, after the class has a working knowledge of the wealth associated with the school,...
Curated OER
Entrepreneurs in History
Students examine the contributions of American entrepreneurs. In this industrialization lesson, students complete the provided handouts to determine how Vanderbilt, Carnegie, Hill, and Rockefeller impacted American society. Students...
Vanderbilt University
Literacy Teaching Guide: Phonics
You don't have to be a teacher in New South Wales to appreciate this phonics teaching guide. The 73-page packet is packed with information about the principles of effective phonics programs, teaching methods, sequencing, key strategies,...
Curated OER
Osmosis in Potato Slices
You may find this presentation helpful in setting up the classic experiment where potato wedges are used for observing the effects of osmosis. You can view the experimental setup in the text and a lab sheet in the pictures, but you will...
Curated OER
Suncsreen
This is a terrific resource for practicing the scientific method or for examining the claims of different sunscreens when learning about electromagnetic radiation. You may have to improvise, however, as it was written to accompany a...
Vanderbilt University
Dia de Los Muertos
To honor El Dia de los Muertos, scholars work together to create Day of the Dead displays—paper sugar skulls and banners—that bring a festive and memorable flare to the classroom.
Vanderbilt University
Stories from the Panama Canal
The stories of the Silver People, the West Indies immigrants hired to work on the Panama Canal, come to life in a lesson about the building of the Panama Canal. Groups research why the canal was built, how it was build, the working...
Curated OER
To Kill A Mockingbird: Characterization
Students analyze several of the characters from "To Kill a Mockingbird". They view segments of the film, create character webs based on the most revealing film scenes, write journal entries and participate in class discussion.
Curated OER
Segmenting: To Kill a Mockingbird
Students divide the movie, To Kill a Mockingbird, on video disc into meaningful scenes, or segments using a digitizer. They name the segments and then choose examples that illustrate an instance of money, power, or human relationships....
Curated OER
The Holocaust: Retelling the Story
Students compare and contrast two different presentations of Holocaust experiences. They participate in class discussions and write journal entries to explore the differences between the book "Until We Meet Again" and the film "Devil's...
Curated OER
Heat and Conduction
This simple activity is ideal for upper elementary learners when studying physical science. Using their sense of touch to describe how hot something feels, and then comparing their observations to thermometer measurements, they discover...
Curated OER
Dry Ice Activities Mini Lesson
Get your middle schoolers experimenting with dry ice. In the first activity, they place a piece in water and then use phenol red to identify its pH. In the second, they place a piece in a limewater solution and watch as the combination...
Curated OER
Fluorescence
Here are some instructions for leading learners through a hands-on activity for investigating ultraviolet radiation. First, introduce them to light and refraction. Then introduce them to the electromagnetic spectrum. Finally, give...
Curated OER
The Holocaust: Media Anchors
Students explore the Holocaust by reading the book "Until We Meet Again" and viewing the film "Devil's Arithmetic". They identify the political, economic and social context of the Holocaust and complete a research project on a real...
Curated OER
The Holocaust: Watching the Anchor
Students view a film about the Holocaust titled "Devil's Arithmetic" that is based on the novel by Jane Yolen. They write journal entries to predict which characters will live or die and explore their personal reactions to the film.
Curated OER
Oxidation of Iron - An Example of a Combination Reaction
Here are photos and general instructions for demonstrating two oxidation reactions with your physical science beginners. They use salt and hydrogen peroxide to cause iron filings to rust, and they combine hydrogen peroxide with a piece...
Teach Engineering
The Challenge Question
A research position becomes a modeling job. The introductory lesson in a series of nine presents the challenge of analyzing a set of bivariate data. The class brainstorms what the data may represent. Pupils must decide what is needed to...
Teach Engineering
Designing a Sustainable Guest Village in the Saguaro National Park
Brainstorm ideas to design a sustainable guest village in the Sonoran Desert. The first installment of a nine-part unit teaches young environmental scientists about the basics of the Saguaro National Park and about sustainable design....
Curated OER
Modeling an Active (!!) Explosive Volcano
Students examine how gas pressure causes eruptions of explosive volcanoes, and demonstrate how the build-up of gas from dissolving alka seltzer causes the lid of a film canister to blow off. They compare/contrast between the model and...
Curated OER
Garage Band Introduction
Students create a new project. They are told that the Garage Band is a program that comes on Macintosh computers. Students are told that they project doesn't matter what tempo or key if they are recording live music. They go back to the...
Teach Engineering
Bone Density Challenge Introduction
Can you use X-rays to measure bone mineral density? This is the essential question that learners must answer in the first installment of a seven-part series. They brainstorm ideas about necessary background information and what they...
Curated OER
Doggie, Doggie Where's Your Bone?
Students practice matching pitch. In this activity on vocal pitch, students sing a silly song that requires them to match their pitch. This song/game also provides a harmless way to get students to sing solos.
Curated OER
Understanding Primary and Secondary Sources
Students identify legends in Tennessee and U.S. history, and differentiate between primary and secondary sources. They list examples of primary and secondary sources, participate in a field trip to the Country Music Hall of Fame, and...