Authentic Lessons for 21st Century Learning
In this lesson about the Emancipation Proclamation and expanding the goals of the Civil War, students will analyze the Emancipation Proclamation in comparison to an excerpt from President Lincoln's first inaugural address. Students will work in groups using a Card Sort strategy and Paired Text Analysis... Read more »
Created by: Sarah Brewer
Date Updated: July 16th, 2025
Expanding the Goals of the Civil War
This lesson builds on the inquiry questions that students developed in the lesson "Hall of Injustice, Part 1." Students will use their inquiry questions based on the Tulsa Race Massacre to write an informative research paper that focuses on how remembering history impacts the present. Students will... Read more »
Created by: Polly Base
Date Updated: June 4th, 2025
Guided Inquiry Research
Students will read and interact with the short story, "The Most Dangerous Game." They will focus on making predictions, analyzing the text, and evaluating the characters—namely protagonist v. antagonist. Read more »
Created by: Lindsey Link
Date Updated: June 9th, 2025
Students will discuss and evaluate the importance of managing and reconciling a bank account. Using a scenario, students will create a fictitious bank account register. Students also will investigate various local banks' checking account policies and compare them. Finally, students will draw conclusions... Read more »
Created by: Susan McHale
Date Updated: June 16th, 2025
Standard 4: Managing a Bank Account
In this lesson, students will build on their knowledge of parallel lines by incorporating perpendicular, vertical, and horizontal lines. The goal is for students to understand the characteristics of different types of lines and then apply their knowledge to design a structure as an architect might.... Read more »
Created by: Brittany VanCleave
Date Updated: September 12th, 2024
Parallel, Perpendicular, Vertical, and Horizontal Lines
Be ready to move! Classroom practices that engage and maintain student interest while promoting student-centered learning and real-world connections are highlighted in this lesson. Students use video technology to gain opportunities to communicate in a new and exciting manner. Students experience a... Read more »
Created by: Polly Base
Date Updated: October 14th, 2024
Building Relationships & Community in the Classroom
Designing YouTube Content Using World Languages
Students discuss their favorite content creators on YouTube. They explore different content creators on a Wakelet and consider what it is about the video that makes it intriguing. Students learn from a YouTube content creator that creating YouTube videos is "kind of like an octopus"—you need a lot of... Read more »
Created by: James Doyle
Date Updated: August 19th, 2025
Designing YouTube Content Using World Languages
Many teenagers and young adults are concerned about life in the “real world” and the adult skills needed to navigate this landscape. In this lesson, students will explore “adulting.” Students will research necessary life skills and create a presentation to be delivered to their classmates. In the process,... Read more »
Created by: Bethany Farley
Date Updated: March 6th, 2025
Researching Life Skills
In this interactive lesson, students explore the purpose, types, and effects of taxes at the local, state, and federal levels. Through group research, real-world scenarios, and math-based problem solving, they learn how taxes fund public services and impact individuals and businesses. The lesson wraps... Read more »
Created by: Lydia Baker
Date Updated: July 23rd, 2025
Understanding Taxes
This lesson is designed to help students use an excerpt from “In Praise of Bats” to identify the author’s purpose by analyzing word choice and figurative language use. By examining an author’s purpose and the mood of a text, students will be able to better identify with texts on a deeper level. Read more »
Created by: Polly Base
Date Updated: November 12th, 2024
Identifying an Author's Purpose and Intended Response
Students will be immersed in the world of manga and Comic Con by exploring key concepts and analyzing an ICAP interview with a local comic book store owner. They will be introduced to the history, cultural impact, and fan engagement aspects of both manga and conventions (cons). Finally, students will... Read more »
Created by: Jessica Armstrong
Date Updated: May 19th, 2025
Manga Comic Convention
In this lesson, students will investigate the proportion of one of the colors of M&Ms in fun-sized bags and test a hypothesis regarding the claimed distribution of M&M colors using statistical methods. Students will collect data to test the distribution of one color of M&Ms by creating confidence intervals,... Read more »
Created by: Ryan Murphy
Date Updated: June 17th, 2025
Hypothesis Testing for Proportions
This professional development session is designed to help teachers employ effective instructional strategies to help students interact with and deepen new content knowledge. These strategies provide in-class opportunities where students can reflect on critical content through cognitively complex tasks.... Read more »
Created by: Lindsay Hawkins
Date Updated: May 14th, 2024
Be ready to move! Classroom practices that engage and maintain student interest while promoting student-centered learning and real-world connections are highlighted in this presentation. Participants will use video technology to understand how students can communicate their learning in a new and exciting... Read more »
Created by: Daniel Schwarz
Date Updated: September 18th, 2024
Districts review their previous Strategic Action Plans. They work to adjust their plan for updated student achievement data. Leaders determine action steps to keep, delete, or add for the next 3 years. Read more »
The Leading Educators in Authentic Development (LEAD) workshop is a series of professional learning sessions that develop teachers’ skills in leading professional development at their school sites. This workshop features four sessions over a two-day period. This first session, Leading Educators in Authentic... Read more »
Created by: Mariah Warren
Date Updated: November 11th, 2024
In this lesson, students learn the history, culture, and importance of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Students begin by becoming familiar with some of the many famous and successful people who attended HBCUs. Then, after reading a short article about the history of HBCUs, they perform... Read more »
Created by: Mariana DeLoera
Date Updated: September 22nd, 2025
In this activity, students design and construct a protective container to prevent a raw egg from breaking when dropped from a height. They will apply the engineering design process to brainstorm, to create a prototype, to test, and to refine their designs, emphasizing iteration, problem-solving, and... Read more »
Created by: Bradly Cusack
Date Updated: October 14th, 2025
This intervention explores how voluntary, peer-led book clubs can improve students' attitudes toward reading. Even minimal participation in a book club can positively impact reluctant readers, and book clubs are a practical literacy intervention. Whittingham and Huffman (2009) investigated the impact... Read more »
Created by: Karen Scheaffer
Date Updated: September 30th, 2025
In this activity, students create a scaled model of the solar system to understand planetary distances and sizes. They will collaborate, plan strategically, and adjust their designs based on real measurements, reinforcing the importance of accuracy, observation, and iterative improvements. Read more »
Created by: Bradly Cusack
Date Updated: October 28th, 2025
In this activity, students design a functional app concept to solve a real-world problem. They will use brainstorming, prototyping, and testing to refine their designs, emphasizing creative thinking, planning, and iterative problem-solving. Read more »
Created by: Bradly Cusack
Date Updated: October 14th, 2025
In this activity, students construct a building model capable of withstanding simulated environmental stress (like wind or weight). They will apply the engineering design process to explore materials, improve stability, and reflect on design choices. Read more »
Created by: Bradly Cusack
Date Updated: October 14th, 2025
In this activity, students design and build a model vacuum cleaner or component that demonstrates suction, airflow, or efficiency. They will plan, test, and revise prototypes, learning the value of iteration and collaboration in engineering solutions. Read more »
Created by: Bradly Cusack
Date Updated: October 14th, 2025
In this activity, students will create a short commercial showcasing a STEM invention or solution. They will collaborate on planning, storyboarding, producing, and revising their videos, learning to communicate scientific and engineering ideas effectively. Read more »
Created by: Bradly Cusack
Date Updated: October 14th, 2025
In this activity, students design and build small vehicles (Pot-Kin Cars) powered by gravity or other forces. They will create a prototype, test, and refine their designs while exploring principles of motion, friction, and engineering iteration. Read more »
Created by: Bradly Cusack
Date Updated: October 14th, 2025
In this activity, students design and test a model high-speed train or track system. They will investigate speed, stability, and efficiency while applying the engineering design process to improve their prototypes through iteration and testing. Read more »
Created by: Bradly Cusack
Date Updated: October 14th, 2025
In this activity, students select a real-world problem, research solutions, calculate parameters, build a model, and test it. They will iterate their designs while reflecting on the effectiveness of their approach and the importance of data-driven decisions. Read more »
Created by: Bradly Cusack
Date Updated: October 14th, 2025
In this activity, students design and build a wind turbine model to generate energy. They will test different blade designs, angles, and materials, refining prototypes through iteration and learning to apply scientific principles to engineering challenges. Read more »
Created by: Bradly Cusack
Date Updated: October 13th, 2025
In this activity, students construct original structures using provided materials. They will plan, create a prototype, test, and refine designs to meet criteria such as stability, height, or aesthetics, emphasizing creative problem-solving and collaboration. Read more »
Created by: Bradly Cusack
Date Updated: October 27th, 2025
In this activity, students investigate the principles of force and motion using probes and sensors. They will design experiments, collect data, and refine their approaches, integrating engineering problem-solving with scientific inquiry. Read more »
Created by: Bradly Cusack
Date Updated: October 14th, 2025
In this activity, students design and construct a working kaleidoscope using mirrors and reflective materials. They will iterate their designs to enhance visual effects, learning the importance of careful planning, testing, and collaboration. Read more »
Created by: Bradly Cusack
Date Updated: October 14th, 2025
