Youngsters discover who the leaders in their community are and what it means to build a community in this four-lesson unit. 

Jack London's heart for adventure has come to define the spirit of America and its frontier. Selected passages from the foreword The Cruise of the Snark take eighth graders through London's construction and voyage of his ship before...

Technology has undoubtedly improved the lives of people around the world—but has it improved communication? Seventh graders read two informative passages about the rise of texting and emailing versus in-person conversations before...

Everyone has a different point of view, even when it comes to the enormity of the universe. Two separate text passages explain the scope of a galaxy, prompting young readers to write an essay about each author's argument and how the...

Powerful orators make their messages compelling with a combination of factors. Learn how to be an inspirational speaker with a reading assessment activity that presents a list of persuasive speaking techniques, as well as two...

To demonstrate their ability to craft an analysis of informational text, class members read excerpts from James Madison's "The Federalist No. 10," from George Washington's Farewell Address, and from Thomas Jefferson's First Inaugural...

Challenge writers to compose an essay detailing their stance on, and the history of, voting. Three assignments, each broken down into three parts, requires fifth graders to take notes, read and complete charts, write paragraphs, compare...

A three-part assessment challenges scholars to read informational texts in order to complete three tasks. Following a brief reading, class members take part in grand conversations, complete charts, and work in small groups to research...

Not all sources are created equal, so how do you evaluate them? Writers learn how to evaluate print sources based on elements such as audience, tone, and argument in the sixth handout of 24 in the Writing the Paper series from the...

The Scarlet Letter may be a classic, but keeping high schoolers engaged in the reading of Hawthorne's vocabulary, syntax, imagery, and historical references presents it own set of challenges. Here's a guide that offers readers...

First and second graders view art work, have group and class discussions, listen to stories, write themes, make notes, conduct interviews, graph results, chart findings, and plan a career day. These ambitious lessons should lead your...

Discover fashion terms with your class, they will design details while examining the top designers and world fashion centers. Among the topics discussed are: marketing, specializing, and designer labeling. To complete the assignments,...

Fourth graders explore ballet. In this dance and music humanities lesson, 4th graders practice ballet positions and play a card game using French ballet vocabulary. Students count beats in rhythm patterns and listen to classical music...

Here's an activity that uses a reading comprehension strategy based on Bloom's taxonomy to focus readers' attention on key passages from Edward Bloor's Tangerine. Worthy of a place in your curriculum library.

Class members take center stage as groups perform scenes from Ian Doescher's William Shakespeare's Star Wars: Verily, A New Hope. Actors are encouraged to add stage directions to the script, as well as create costumes and props to...

For decades, the sight of blue books has struck fear in the hearts of collegians. Those books usually signal an essay exam, the topic of one of the handouts in a larger series on specific writing assignments. Using the handout, writers...

Students visit the Memorial Art Gallery's exhibit, "About Face: Copley's Portrait of a Colonial Silversmith." They complete a worksheet based on the career of John SIngleton Copley as a colonial American artist. They experience the role...

Students discuss and demonstrate how to play and work cooperatively with other people and with a group. In small groups they role-play how to work cooperatively with each other, with the goal of completing their group's puzzle using...

Students examine cell division and the process of mitosis.  In this cell reproduction lesson students grow yeast and observe the results, and learn about the career of scientific illustration. 

Learners research how childhood was depicted in art in the 17th through 19th centuries. In groups, they research pieces of art and write a paper explaining how the portrayal of students in art changed at the end of the 18th century.

Students investigate the life changing events that can take place in the life of a school age child. They conduct class discussion about some examples of life changing events. The lesson is targeted towards counseling or opening days of...

Mr. Bojangles was born just after slavery was abolished and became one of the most beloved entertainers of his time. Explore key vocabulary, the life of an African-American entertainer, and the impact of the Harlem Renaissance on...

Students discuss the roles people have and how the people they know act after watching a puppet show. Puppets and teacher lead discussion with class and ask them to provide examples of being responsible , cooperative, respectful, and...

First graders examine positive ways to express their emotions. They act out a song to the tune of "London Bridge" and discuss different scenarios. After discussion, they complete a worksheet in which they circle the best action to take...