This lesson on black holes is aligned with ELA standards in regards to reading, researching, and writing about science. Independent learners will research information about black holes and discuss their findings with peers. There are online tests, Kahoot and Socrative, a student-produced podcast, and a number of videos and online reading assignments that offer opportunities to engage independent learners in using technology throughout the leason. While this is an ELA lesson, students with scientific minds and/or interests will be motivated to investigate the scientific information provided in the lesson. This lesson may be completed in a day by highly intelligent students if a flipped classroom component is included. However, average students may need up to a week to complete all tasks. Discussion groups should be formed and guided by students with teacher support. Parts of the lesson can be used to teach an entire class with independent learners acting as group leaders and mentors to other students. Collaborative learning and Vygotsky's. Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) are the learning teaching upon which strategies in this lesson - cooperative learning, nonlinguistic representations, and technology-based learning.

Wikipedia, while not suited for scholarly research, is considered appropriate for basic basic informational research by many educators. This online site is easily accessed by students and its interactive component that allows users to edit content provides students with possibly their first opportunities to contribute to a widely used source in a more educative and intellectual manner than posting on social media. This lesson's standards-based goal is to engage eighth grade students in determining research reliability based information published and sources used by Wikipedia. Another major part of the lesson is to develop a question that drives the research with a strong emphasis on using digital sources and tools. When students complete this lesson, which introduces research with a focus on credibility of sources, they will be prepared to start learning how to conduct more in-depth research. A follow-up project also encourages students with exceptional writing skills to become Wikipedia editors, either contributing research to the site or looking for and correcting inaccuracies.

Goal: To give students an historical view of the food pyramid and it's effect on the eating habits of Americans at home and at school Objectives: 1. Students will study the history of the food pyramid and how it has changed. 2. Students will investigate how the food pyramid is used to promote good nutrition in school lunches and meals at home and elsewhere and how food is part of culture. 3. Students will create their own "healthy food" posters based on eating foods from outdoor markets, fast food, food trucks, restaurants, taco stands, vending machines, bakeries, vegan eateries, etc. 4. Students will contribute to a healthy snack food pyramid for their classroom. 5. Students will compare and contrast the traditional food pyramid with the recent "my plate." 6. Students will create a food pyramid for fictitious and real foods featured in a popular movie. 7. Students will create a new concept for a food chart and create a graphic of it as an ad promoting their new and improved food chart with a catchy name, 21st century "app" logo, with hypothetical nutritional information for each for food item, as well as recipes and suggestions for complimentary foods.

Quizlet provides practice for learning or practicing skills. This Quizlet written for middle school students provides both learning and practice in defining literary terms and testing understanding of those terms in alignment with CCSS. Combined with activities using familiar stories as examples, this lesson provides numerous technology-based learning assessment that scaffolds learning and understanding literary terms through a variety of methods. Collaborative learning and Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) also make learning cooperative and engages students in uses of a variety of instructional strategies that are in engaging and theoretically proven.

TES the largest network of teachers in the world Geneva Chapman Resources News Blendspace Let Girls Learn STEM: Elementary Science Geneva Chapman As part of the U.S. government's commitment to Let Girls Learn, First Lady Michelle Obama and the Peace Corps have formed a powerful collaboration to expand access to education for adolescent girls around the world. Educating girls is essential to healthy and thriving communities but, globally, 62 million girls are not in school, and barriers to adolescent girls completing school are particularly significant. In some countries, fewer than 10% of teenage girls complete secondary school. This program will address that challenge by empowering local leaders to put lasting solutions in place. Peace Corps Volunteers who live and work at the grassroots level will serve as catalysts of community-led change, and every American can get involved and make a difference. https://letgirlslearn.peacecorps.gov/ FOR GIRLS' SCHOOLS AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS FOR GIRLS Let Girls Learn STEM: Mathematics Goal: Students will use mathematics to learn skills for a variety of fields, starting with culinary arts. Objectives: 1. Students will understand mathematical concepts related to culinary arts including: measuring, time, volume, temperature, portions, and ratios. 2. Students will be able to calculate equivalent fractions, temperature in relation to time, and amounts needed for various dishes. 3. Students will learn the above skills to follow and create recipes. Link to videos: http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/chopped/chopped-full-episodes.html

Fairy Tales: 5/4 Fitness Fantasy Game Like it or not, Pokémon Go has gotten children and adults away from their computers, playing video games and off their couches, watching TV while surfing social media. People of all ages are walking, riding bikes, and probably skate boarding around towns and cities, as well as college campuses, searching for the popular little creatures to capture in their cell phones. The downside - distracted players not watching where they're going and risking accidents, predatory attacks, and the zombie-like throngs walking the street - has put a damper on this internationally popular game. However, this curriculum reflects the influence of the upside of Pokémpn Go: getting people moving. Physical fitness has become a real health concern in the digital age with people of all ages playing video games for hours on end with little or no physical movement except to click a mouse or work the controls on a game console. Physical Education is not provided in many schools at a time when it's needed most. This unit that spans all grades (older children involved in the activities can also work with younger children as coaches and mentors) uses familiar fairy tales that are reflected in the various fitness activities inspired by these age-old stories that most children have either read (or heard as bedtime stories) or seen in movies. Note: Older children can also create their own games based on Super Heroes in comic books and/ or movies. Since most schools do not have the tech tools to make this a digital game like Pokémon Go, 5/4 Fitness activities use available or inexpensive materials (some of which schools may have in the supply room). A few purchases will have to be made for things like plastic and actual eggs, apples, climbing ropes, etc. Safety concerns should be observed at all times. Older students may also need to wear protective gear to avoid scrapping knees and elbows, as well as helmets, for some activities. Students' medical needs and limitations must also be taken into consideration for some activities, such as five minutes lying in a "coffin," running with a pea in each shoe, or running in only one shoe, etc. There are also bonus rounds for students to play to earn extra points or break a tie. Points can be traded for Golden Coins that can be used to purchase free time. Information about the games will be posted on social media (Facebook). If enough schools get involved, sponsors will be added to provide schools with the highest scores at the end of the school year a chance to win tech tools like laptops, tablets, smart boards, cells, etc. This would allow the game to be supported by technology to keep track of points earned, interact with players from other schools, provide videos of games and players, etc.

Goal: To help students learn how to develop a hypothesis and create an experiment to test it. Ojectives: 1. Students will examine a diagram to try and determine which of 4 cisterns will be filled with water first using pipes that are used to fill them. 2. Based on observation and critical thinking each student will create a hypothesis, then team up with students with the same theory of the problem. 3. Students will work in groups based on their hypotheses to create 3D versions of the drawings to test their hypotheses. 4. Students will discuss their findings with the entire class and share how they came to their conclusion. 5. Students will revise their hypothesis based on the results of their experiments and class discussion. *6. Students will follow up the discussion by following links online to see various approaches to the problem. *7. Students will tackle problems related to the topic to use mathematics to find solutions. *Grades 6 and 7, 4-7 gifted only Materials Needed (Grades K-3, Special Education Middle School): 1. Milk cartons 2. Straws 3. 1 liter bottles half full of water Materials Needed (Grades 4-7, Special Education High School): 1. 1 or 2 liter bottle 2. Straws 4. Plastic water pitchers THIS RESOURCE ALSO INCLUDES A FLIPPED CLASSROOM ACTIVITY

$$$$$$$How to Succeed in Business$$$$$$$ This project is based on a successful school business: “Chapman’s Chips,” a six-week mini-course for gifted students, grades 4-6. Goals 1. Students involved in running a business providing a product or service for half an hour each day will be responsible for their specific jobs and will work together to make their business a success. Each student will be responsible for performing the job they chose and helping support other students who may have difficulty. 2. Students will have the opportunity to share their experience after working in groups or individually, varying the method of sharing, as well as keep a written, artistic, or recorded summary of their experience each day. Students’ reflections will be part of their portfolio, along with their job and job description, and any other artifacts they have.

This curriculum for students. grades 4-8 encourages the study of a series of activities requiring critical thinking, scientific study through research, hypothesizing and testing a hypothesis, encourages scientific study and research based on the video introducing the curriculum and a detailed article: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iNcRJGzzxs ARTICLE: https://myweatherupdatenow.com/post/asteroid-wiped-dinosaurs-caused-years-long-winter?notifid=10362&cid=998&segid=1&impid=697476bc2e2bf50228434df4ded2abHave students read article in groups of four or less, paying attention to underlined words: GOAL: Understanding how dinosaurs became extinct through research and simulation. OBJECTIVE: Students in grades 4-8 will understand how asteroids can affect the earth and how to reproduce the extinction of dinosaurs due to an asteroid that hit earth 66 million years ago causing a prolonged nuclear winter, and apply what they learn to predict and prevent future extinctions on earth.

The Common Core asks students to read stories and literature, as well as more complex texts that provide facts and background knowledge in areas such as science and social studies. Students will be challenged and asked questions that push them to refer back to what they’ve read. This stresses critical-thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills that are required for success in college, career, and life. http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/ From Reading to Writing: CHAPBooks Using ELA CSCC Skill Development, Students Will Transition From Reading Books to Writing Books With Skills Acquired The goal of this extensive reading, comprehending, and writing literature using the ELA CSCC, students will learn how to identify story elements, language usage, how to summarize and re-tell the stories and/or information, distinguish different genres, recognize books by title and author and illustrator, analyze structure and theme is various types of literature, along with the other standards, as well as choose genres that appeal most to them when they get the opportunity to write their own poetry chap books (Assignment 1) and other types of books: non-fiction, storybooks, novels, science books, art books with descriptions of illustrations, how-to-books, cookbooks, etc. which will be available to check out in the classroom’s library. From Library to BookStore Students in higher grades (5-6-elementary, 7-8-middle school, and 9-12, high school) might want to create a bookstore and invest in having a few books printed, along with a poster advertising their book with illustrations created by the author or an artist commissioned to illustrate the cover.

Students in grades 3-8 will locate types of soil using several resources provided in the lesson plan: Students will engage in ten methods of inquiry to study the various types of soil collected. Soil is an important part of our ecosystem and various types of soil are useful for specific reasons. Using inquiry students will discover the differences in the types of soil and how each type interacts within the environment, how various types of soil provide things needed for our survival, and how we can preserve and care for our soil. While engaged in observation, collection, and interaction with various types of soil and their properties, students will engage in scientific inquiry as specified in the standards. "Science as inquiry is basic to science education and a controlling principle in the ultimate organization and selection of students' activities. The standards on inquiry highlight the ability to conduct inquiry and develop understanding about scientific inquiry. Students at all grade levels and in every domain of science should have the opportunity to use scientific inquiry and develop the ability to think and act in ways associated with inquiry, including asking questions, planning and conducting investigations, using appropriate tools and techniques to gather data, thinking critically and logically about relationships between evidence and explanations, constructing and analyzing alternative explanations, and communicating scientific arguments. The science as inquiry standards are described in terms of activities resulting in student development of certain abilities and in terms of student understanding of inquiry. " https://www.nap.edu/read/4962/chapter/8#105

GOAL: Help students create their own flash mob dance to an oldie or current song and challenge every classroom to learn the dance and meet in the gym at a specific day and time to perform the flash dance to promote physical fitness. OBJECTIVES: 1.Students will suggest songs for the flash mob based on popularity and rhythm (could be an oldie or current hit song, hip-hop song, or popular jingle). 2. Students will create movement in rhythm with music with guidance from gym, music, and/or drama teacher (if available) using vintage dance move or current ones. 3.Students will rehearse the dance each day until they master it. 4. Students will be recorded on video performing their flash dance. 5. Students as a class will challenge every classroom and all staff to learn the dance by a specific date and time when the school gym or other space is available. 6. Students will continue to perfect their movements every day, increasing physical activity. 7. Students will join with students in other classes that accepted the challenge on the appointed day and time. There are links to flash mob videos. Here's a link one that focuses on bullying: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmDId5UPhIM

Standards-based unit focusing on how observing nature has influenced technology development and solve a problem related to natural phenomena. Students are encouraged to create projects to solve a problem in nature or design technology based on their observations of natural phenomena. A number of technologies are used, students are taught how to locate and use online information in inquiry project and/of problem based activities, and embedded performance-based formative assessments, as well as summative assessments of prior and acquired knowledge are included.

Students learn how literature and history coincide as writers describe and immortalize historical events. The goal of this lesson is for students to understand how media like poetry and drama evoke emotional responses of historical figures, events, and their effect of those event.

Using classic fables and fairy tales to analyze themes that are easily identified, this two-part lesson prepares 8th grade Language Arts Students to read and analyze themes in classic children's literature.

Goal: Connect typical students with students with special needs as coding mentors during Hour of Code initiative. Objectives: 1. Typical students will assist students with special needs to learn a simple coding game as a code mentor. 2. Students with special needs will be introduced to code by a mentor. 3. Students will decide after activity if they want to continue collaboration. Technology tool: Lightbot. ISTE Standards NETS - are included

This short guide shows teachers how to use Duolingo to increase their students' Spanish vocabulary and usage. Students can download the free app on their laptops, tablets, or cells. The app is easy to use and engages students with its colorful content. The interactive drills include verbal, visual, and auditory items and require students to use both reading and writing skills. Self-assessment is built in, allowing students to repeat items using various approaches and learning material for multiple intelligencies. Repeated content and assessment help conceptualize content and remember related vocabulary and usage. This guide also includes a link to a VoiceThread that provides more ideas for individualizing and differentiating Spanish learning.

In honor of African-American History Month, Gettysburg University in Pennsylvania is sponsoring a production of flow theater's iconic choreopoem, "Our Young Black Men Are Dying and Nobody Seems to Care," written by my late brother in 1983. First performed at the Castillo Theatre in New York''s Theatre District in 1990, this series of vignettes addressing the violent deaths of black youth has been staged across the nation in colleges and universities, as well as other venues. I am offering this series of five units based on the themes presented in OYBMADANSTC free of charge to high school and college/university teachers. These materials are also suitable for advanced middle school students. The subjects addressed include history, civics, English and composition, and social problems. One of the units includes research projects specifically for students interested in service careers. These materials will be offered free of charge through March 2016. (c) 2016, Geneva J. Chapman. All rights reserved.

In honor of African-American History Month, Gettysburg University in Pennsylvania is sponsoring a production of flow theater's iconic choreopoem, "Our Young Black Men Are Dying and Nobody Seems to Care," written by my late brother in 1983. First performed at the Castillo Theatre in New York''s Theatre District in 1990, this series of vignettes addressing the violent deaths of black youth has been staged across the nation in colleges and universities, as well as other venues. I am offering this series of five units based on the themes presented in OYBMADANSTC free of charge to high school and college/university teachers. These materials are also suitable for advanced middle school students. The subjects addressed include history, civics, English and composition, and social problems. One of the units includes research projects specifically for students interested in service careers. These materials will be offered free of charge through March 2016. (c) 2016, Geneva J. Chapman. All rights reserved.

In honor of African-American History Month, Gettysburg University in Pennsylvania is sponsoring a production of flow theater's iconic choreopoem, "Our Young Black Men Are Dying and Nobody Seems to Care," written by my late brother in 1983. First performed at the Castillo Theatre in New York''s Theatre District in 1990, this series of vignettes addressing the violent deaths of black youth has been staged across the nation in colleges and universities, as well as other venues. I am offering this series of five units based on the themes presented in OYBMADANSTC free of charge to high school and college/university teachers. These materials are also suitable for advanced middle school students. The subjects addressed include history, civics, English and composition, and social problems. One of the units includes research projects specifically for students interested in service careers. These materials will be offered free of charge through March 2016. (c) 2016, Geneva J. Chapman. All rights reserved.