Working in groups, middle and high schoolers describe and discuss photographs depicting working conditions experienced by child laborers in the 19th century. They then write a persuasive paragraph supporting an amendment to regulate the...

Students analyze the meaning and process of categorizing items, people and events as 'the best.' students then defend pieces of literature, images, and sounds that they feel most represent 'the best of the 20th century.'

African-American history is an integral part of what America is. Learners examine important events, read informational texts, and create quilts depicting specific eras in African-American history. Each image created for the quilt will be...

Have your class do research on natural disasters and create a presentation using this resource. In completing this activity, learners apply the five geography themes to their research. They write a paper describing their results. It's a...

Students analyze and interpret poems.  In this poetry lesson, students are read poems aloud, discuss the meanings in groups, and complete two worksheets after listening to the poems.  Links to the worksheets and discussion...

Opinion, audience, purpose. Fourth graders are introduced to the three characteristics of persuasive writing in the third unit of a year-long writing program. The 98-page packet is complete with plans, model essays, graphic organizers,...

Whether new to the Kodály Method of music instruction or an experienced veteran, you'll find much to make your heart sing in a teacher guide that was designed for a music appreciation project. 

New-to-school learners create a fall quilt consisting of three different paper geometric quilt squares. They use various geometric shapes that when assembled will form a scarecrow, pumpkin, and a crow. Assembly will require sorting...

Middle and high schoolers look at historical photos and analyze some of the changes brought about by the automobile revolution in Arkansas during the 1920's. The book, A Journey Through Arkansas: Historic U.S. Highway 67, is used for...

Students hike a local mountain and examine its life zones. They measure various components at each zone and collect leaf litter at the sites. At the mountain top, students make descriptive observations and complete a handout about the...

Have your class react to a number of statements about The Cat in the Hat, then read a news article about a special event honoring the birthday of the popular book. The teacher introduces an article with a discussion and vocabulary...

What? A long-lost poem from Robert Frost? Introduce your class to a poem recently found and published from Robert Frost's personal collection. The lesson includes background information on the author, the poem itself, and a list of...

Students brainstorm about video games that are designed to teach. They create and perform in small groups a live action "video game" that teaches a concept covered in class this school year.

Students are introduced to the music technology programs for the next school year. They practice reading notes and playing piano. They use the internet to research careers in music.

Third graders explore simple machines. Using specified Internet sites, 3rd graders gather information on types of machines. They define vocabulary words and locate examples of different types of simple machines. Students invent a new...

Second graders read the poem together, "Quack Said the Billy-goat" and discuss what makes the poem funny and which words rhyme. They observe the teacher writing a new first verse, changing some of the text, but leaving the original rhyme...

Students explore idioms. They divide into groups of three. Each group is given an idiom and three sentence clues. They discuss the meaing of their assigned idiom. Students create a new sentence using their idiom and dramatize the idiom.

Students discuss the topic of freedom and what the National Anthem means to them and to our country. They create a new and original verse for the National Anthem.

While this is not really a step by step lesson, it's a fabulous idea to do a presentation instead of the usual drone lecture on the first day. This project takes a little work each year to take digital pictures throughout the year to use...

Third graders investigate environmental stability through consumption and recycling. They look into how much of a recyclable good it takes to create one new product. Pupils compile a list of these quantities, then create posters that are...

Get to know inventor, Granville T. Woods. Who is he? From what state did Woods come? What did he design? All questions your scholars will find the answers to with this response-to-reading activity.