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Digitizing History: Exploring Moments in Time Through Web Design
Students create a home page or small Web site based on a theme related to a recent history or social studies lessons.
First- and Third-World Challenges
Students develop an understanding of third-world and first-world problems and discuss issues related to the role of computer games in education.
Podcasting and the News
Students listen to a news podcast and use a graphic organizer to record what they learn.
From the Land, Of the Land: An Interdisciplinary Lesson on Indigenous Peoples
Energize a geography or language arts lesson with this online activity for grades 7-12. Students research the concept of indigenous people then write a diamante poem about what they've learned. Both the research and the poem creation are done online.
Biography Brainstorm: Using Word and the Web to Jumpstart Research
Students use Internet resources and Microsoft Word drawing tools to brainstorm (through webbing) questions about a person they will research and write about.
No Place Like Home
Students learn to "read" digital content as they analyze photographs of high plains sod homes and read accompanying narratives. They then choose one photograph and identify characteristics, points, differences, and questions they find in that photograph.
Will the Leaning Tower Fall?
Students in grades 9-12 research the Tower of Pisa and write a report about its history. They examine the physics of why the Tower leans and whether it might fall. Finally, they plan a trip to Italy to see the Tower, developing an itinerary and budget for the trip.
Upping the Odds on Standardized Tests
Help your high school students perform their best on upcoming college admissions or state standardized tests with this fun and informative lesson plan. Students research test-taking tips focusing on nutrition, sleep, stress reducers, and more, and then present their findings -- in a variety of fun projects -- to another class or grade level.
Four Days in Paris
In this foreign language or social studies lesson for grades 4-6, students research a travel destination, set up a four-day itinerary, and then use iWork's Pages program to create an illustrated travel journal detailing their "experiences."
Create A Poetry Calendar
In this lesson, students research, design, and create a school-year calendar based on the work of famous poets. The activity, which can take 4-5 class periods to complete, is a great culminating activity for a poetry unit for grades 3-12.
Design a Community Flag
In this interdisciplinary lesson, students in grades 3-8 research basic principles for flag design, find out how their city's flag (or the flag of a nearby city) ranked in a national survey, and then use the computer to create their own community flags.
Definition Expedition
Students in grades 9-12 learn three ways to define a term in technical writing, search the Web for scientific text, then copy and paste sections into a Word document. Finally, they use the highlighter feature of Word to highlight examples of definitions within the text.
Prehistoric Pen Pals
Students research dinosaurs, then assume the personality of a specific dinosaur species in this lesson for grades 3-5. Each student/dinosaur writes an online "getting to know you" letter to another student/dinosaur in class. Students swap letters and reply to each other's questions, improving research and letter writing skills while learning fun dinosaur facts.
Country Comparisons in Current Events Class
Do you have middle or high school students who are eager to debate current events, but sometimes lack evidence for their arguments? Or, are students struggling to understand the challenges faced in a developing country? If so, this lesson plan, using online resources and a spreadsheet program, may be just what you need to inform and inspire classroom discussions!
Little, Medium, Big: A PreK-2 Ordering Activity
Students love to spend time on the computer, especially in early childhood. Why not use that time to practice classroom skills? In this lesson, students use the computer mouse to order sets of clip art in a Word document.
A+ Lesson Plans from Alexandria Middle Magnet School
Seventeen teachers at Alexandria Middle Magnet School for Math and Science in Alexandria, Louisiana, have shared their favorite lessons. You're sure to find a lesson or two here to add to your bag of tricks!
Five "Eggs-traordinary" Lesson Plans: Just Add the Eggs!
Looking for a teaching theme to welcome spring? We have "eggs-actly" what you're looking for! Toss eggs into the curriculum mix. Eggs can be used to teach skills in math, geography, and science. And don't forget the art "eggs-hibit"!
Word Wall "Active-ities" Build Vocabulary, Spelling, Writing Skills
A classroom word wall has many uses. A wide variety of activities and games can be used to reinforce vocabulary words on the wall -- and to build students' vocabulary, spelling, and writing skills. Included: Teachers share favorite word wall activities.
Make This Week's Lessons Pop(corn)!
These lesson plans will engage students as they create popcorn timelines, maps, and graphs; do popcorn science and math; explore popcorn history and nutrition; and -- don't forget the best part-- eat popcorn snacks.
Take Note: Five Lessons for Note Taking Fun
If recent surveys are any indicator, cheating and plagiarism are on the rise. As teachers, however, we might be able to reverse that trend by teaching our students to take good notes. Included: Five fun lessons that teach needed note-taking skills.
Icebreakers: Volume 9
Icebreaker activities offer fun ways to get to know your new students -- and for them to get to know one another. Get the year off to a good start with one of the twelve new icebreakers below. Included: Links to our library of more than 100 icebreakers!
Pet Week Lessons for Every Grade
It's National Pet Week! Have you been feeling like the proverbial "old dog"? Learn some new tricks with five lessons that bring the delightful topic of pets -- from feline to fish to fowl -- into the classroom to improve language arts, math, and science skills.
Trees Sprout Classroom Lessons Throughout the Year
Why not go out on a limb! Springtime and Arbor Day are great times to branch out and include in your curriculum timely lessons about trees. Included: Lessons for measuring trees, reading a color key map, creating tree silhouettes and a "good behavior tree," more.
Iditarod Math: Ten Math Work Sheets Teach About the Iditarod
The Iditarod is a "teachable moment" that rivals few others. Wise teachers use this annual sled dog race to teach geography and language skills, history, and science. This week, Education World provides 10 math work sheets for students in grades 4 to 8.
Iditarod Brrrreathes Life Into Tired Curriculum (Brrrr!)
Alaska in March is the place to be -- if you want to breathe life into tired lessons, or if you simply need to engage students who have a little cabin (or classroom) fever. Included: Ideas for working in language arts, geography, math, history, spelling, more!
It's a Mystery!
If it seems that something has been sneaking up on you this month, it is probably Kids Love a Mystery Week! Included: Five mysterious lessons -- focused on language arts, history, and forensic science -- to ignite critical thinking and spark interest in reading.
Fifty States, Five Lessons
Stuck for fun or new ways to teach about the 50 states (or Canadian provinces and Australian states)? Education World offers five lessons to liven up your 50 States unit.
Following Directions: A Skill Worth Teaching
No names on papers? No titles on compositions? No answers rounded to the nearest tenth? If you find yourself confronting such problems while grading papers, your students may not be paying attention to directions. Although most successful students recognize the importance of reading instructions thoroughly and following them, some students may master the skill slowly. Education World provides five intriguing lessons to help your students read, write, follow, and even evaluate directions.
School "Rules"! Ten Activities for Establishing Classroom Rules
Starting the school year on the right foot includes establishing classroom rules that will last the whole year through. Many teachers involve students in establishing their classroom rules. (Surprisingly, student-created rules are often much the same as -- or even tougher than -- rules a teacher might create. After all, students want to attend school in a safe environment, and they want to know the boundaries when it comes to classroom behavior.)
25 Ideas for Using Education World Monthly Calendars
Each month, Education World provides a monthly calendar that teachers can use to help students practice essential skills. Regular practice will keep students' skills from getting rusty -- and should improve test scores too!
Lessons from the Library
April is School Library Media Month, a great time to reexamine your students' library know-how! Do your students know diddly about Dewey? Do they believe that "biography" is a television show? Do they think call numbers belong in a telephone's memory? Are your students convinced that a "librarian" is a person born under the sign of Libra? If so, it's time to reel them in and get them reacquainted with reading, researching, and the library!
Whiteboards Stimulate Student Learning
Start with a clean slate next semester -- introduce mini-whiteboards to your classroom! Students love working on their own whiteboards; it's a great way of keeping an entire class actively involved in a lesson. This week, Education World offers five lessons to engage students in learning with whiteboards.
I Read It on the Internet! Teaching About Web Literacy
Can you trust everything you read on the Internet? Can you trust anything you read on the Internet? Teach your kids which Web sites to trust!
Ten Games for Classroom Fun!
Do you need ideas for occupying students during the last ten minutes of a busy day? Perhaps you want to reward kids at the end of a particularly productive day. These ten games are great for end-of-the-day fun. You can link many of them to classroom curricula too!
Don't Waste a Minute!
What do you do with those awkward moments that arise in every teacher's day, those times between classes or before specials, when there's no time for a new lesson but plenty of time for kids to act up? Try some mini lessons, quick activities that fill time without wasting it! Included: Dozens of mini lessons to keep kids busy -- and learning -- every minute of the day!
Substitute Survival: Mini Lessons for Unexpected Moments
Whether you are a substitute teacher whose lessons fall short of filling up the day or a permanent classroom teacher whose days involve lots of little transitional moments, these lessons will work for you!
'Every Day' Activities Across the Curriculum
Everyday reinforcement of basic reading, listening, math, vocabulary, and geography skills can go a long way toward ensuring that kids learn and retain the skills you teach. You're sure to see the results of daily reinforcement in end-of-year test results too!
The Secret's in the Little Things: Simple Tips for Successful Teachers
Here they are -- 12 quick tips to help make managing your classroom a breeze! Included are tips for getting to know your students, communicating with parents, getting your day of to a good start, and much more!
Time Out for March Madness and Mayhem
If you can't beat 'em, join 'em! Make the most of your students' interest in the NCAA basketball tournaments with these cross-curricular lessons and activities.
Don't Waste a Minute: QuickTivities for Awkward Moments
So much to do! So little time! You can't afford to waste a minute. What do you do when every day is interrupted by at least a few transitions that never seem to fit into the natural rhythm of your lessons. Fill those minutes with real learning by introducing your students to one of these valuable mini lessons.
Ten Games for Classroom Fun!
Do you need ideas for occupying students during the last ten minutes of a busy day? Perhaps you want to reward kids at the end of a particularly productive day. These ten games are great for end-of-the-day fun. You can link many of them to classroom curricula too!
Brush Up Those Study Skills: An On-Line Scavenger Hunt
The Infoplease Kids' Almanac is a great Internet fact resource for kids of all ages. This week, Education World has created three scavenger hunts using this terrific on-line resource. Each hunt challenges students to find interesting facts about the world they live in --- while they practice and improve their study skills! Included: A different "hunt" for kids in grades 1-3, 4-5, and 6-up.
A Dozen Candy-Coated Classroom Activities!
Do you have a sweet tooth? A mouth full of them? Your students, no doubt, share your passion for sweets, and so does the Internet. Whether you need a novel approach to teaching graphing skills or a unique way to motivate students to write, you will find food for thought on the Net. "Treat" yourself to a dozen activities -- activities that enlist all types of candy to grab and hold your students' attention!
School Stats: Real Numbers = Math and Geography Fun!
Combine back-to-school talk with the Internet to create a perfect learning activity! Students surf a special site created with them in mind and compare their school numbers with those of schools in other parts of the United States. Work in math, geography, graphing, and much more! Included: Teaching masters for use across the grades.
The Secret's in the Little Things: Simple Tips for Successful Teachers
Here they are -- 12 quick tips to help make managing your classroom a breeze! Included are tips for getting to know your students, communicating with parents, getting your day of to a good start, and much more!
On-Line Lesson Plans: Fresh Approaches for Tired Topics
Looking for ways to liven up the classroom lessons you teach year after year? This week, Education World takes you on a tour of some of the best on-line sources for creative lesson plans and other classroom activities.
The Iditarod: The Last Great Race
Alaska's annual Iditarod Dogsled Race is a perfectly "teachable moment." Wise teachers are using the race and the many Web sites connected with it to teach geography, math, reading, and language arts. More than that, this annual race can teach students a thing or two about fairness in competition and about the pride and dignity that comes with seeing a job through to its completion. Included: Iditarod activities for use across the grades!
From Maize to Milk: A Barnyard Full of Activities!
Put on your straw hat and grab a pitchfork -- it's time to go down on the farm! These activities -- centered around pigs, corn, milk, and more -- are guaranteed to make your students "hoot and holler"! Activities for all ages!
Popcorn Isn't Just for Movies Anymore!
According to The Popcorn Institute, Americans consume more than 17.3 billion quarts of popcorn each year. This week, Education World provides you with activities -- just in time for National Popcorn Month -- that will help your students discover that there's more to popcorn than good taste.
Planes and Trains and Automobiles and Study Skills!
Celebrate National Transportation Month -- "transport" students to a dozen activities that provide practice in reading maps, schedules, timetables, and more. Included: Four study skills teaching master activities for students!
The Sky's the Limit!
The anniversary of the Sears Tower "topping out" is the perfect time to explore some of the world's tallest buildings! Skyscrapers are a great curriculum topic -- with lots of concepts and numbers for students to wrap their minds around! Included: Activities across the curriculum!
Why All the EGGS-citement About EGGS?
Eggs-ploit the egg with an eggs-plosion of across-the curriculum egg-tivities for all grades!
Webs (The Discussion Kind!) in the Classroom
Spiderwebs and Halloween go together. But, this Halloween, let's turn the "discussion" to webs of another kind -- Discussion Webs! Included -- Tons of ideas for active discussions across the curriculum and across the grades!
The World Almanac: A Tool for Building Study Skills
The World Almanac for Kids is an ideal tool for developing your students' study skills. And a scavenger hunt for information is a fun way to use this useful tool!
Meet James Gurney: Dinosaur Stamp Artist
The story behind the creation of the U.S. Postal Service's new dino stamps is an ideal tool for building listening and sequencing skills.