Beacon Lesson Plan Library

   Lesson Plans - Learner Level 3

• 100 Years...100 Movies (Authored by Zerelda Hammer.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: After students choose one of the top 100 movies to view, they research critical reviews and then write their own reviews.

• 101 Equals Five (Authored by Timothy Mark Dillehay.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students enjoy this engaging activity (with a twist) on the binary system. The lesson begins with an intriguing roll playing to gain interest.

• 2004 Summer Olympics Internet Scavenger Hunt (Authored by Elana Collins.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Have you ever been on a scavenger hunt? Have you ever been on one using the Internet? In this activity, students will participate in an Internet scavenger hunt as they search for the answers to questions about the 2004 Summer Olympics.

• 3rd Rock from the Sun’s Baby Rock (Authored by Nicole Micheau.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students have a chance to actively see each phase of the moon and make connections to what they see in the sky when you show how the moon goes through each of the phases.

• 50:50 Chances (Authored by Suzan Smith.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This is the fifth lesson in the unit, Where We Come From. Students reinforce the probability of gender by using a coin toss, as they continue to search for the answers to genetics questions by using mathematical expectations of probability.

• A Bubble Full of Math (Authored by Rita Williams.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This is a fun way for students to compare estimated lengths with actual lengths.

• A Field Guide for Student Identification (Authored by Kathryn Clark.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Dr. M.N. Stair needs help identifying monsters he has collected in the field! Students have fun learning how to use and create a dichotomous guide by identifying cartoon monsters. Students then apply what they have learned to create a dichotomous guide to identify fellow students.

• A Geographic Study of Florida’s Diverse Community (Authored by Kathy Corder.)

Subject(s): Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students use an outline map of Florida and the Internet to identify major population centers and their demographic features.

• A Geopoem about Alaska (Authored by Joyce Honeychurch.)

Subject(s): Language Arts, Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students gather information on the physical and human characteristics of Alaska (geographic theme PLACE).They organize this information on a concept map to be transformed into a geopoem about Alaska.

• A Graphic Scene (Authored by Lisa Ove Gibson.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Using collected information, students compare and contrast characters from various texts within a Venn Diagram.

• A Latin Square Deal (Authored by Cindy Beckham.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students use four squares of geometric design to create a pattern.

• A Moment in Time (Authored by Dawn Capes.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: A moment in time before shooting a foul shot or the moment right before a runner steals a base can make for a fascinating poem. Students study poems to see how punctuation, line length, rhythm and word choice can be used to create a memorable moment.

• A Mysterious Roll-Back Can (Authored by Louise Kent.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Amaze students with a can that rolls away a few feet, mysteriously stops, hesitates, and then rolls back to where it started. Then introduce Newton and his Second Law.

• A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words (Authored by Lisa Ove Gibson.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students compare and contrast characters from various texts and compile the collected information into several graphic organizers.

• A Short, Short Story (Authored by Cynthia Youngblood.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students must write an original short story that cannot contain over 100 words.

• A Whole New World (Authored by Susan Klement.)

Subject(s): Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: The students learn about significant people, events, vocabulary and ideas regarding the hardships settlers faced including how and why some new American colonies became successful.

• Acrostic Poetry (Authored by Farica King.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Using newspapers or magazines, students create an acrostic poem where words are divided into parts of speech.

• Actions Speak Louder than Words (Authored by Vicky Nichols.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: No matter how good a written speech is, the delivery is what the audience remembers. Learning about and practicing volume, stress, pacing, and pronunciation helps students to deliver an oral presentation effectively.

• Alaska the Elephant (Authored by Joyce Honeychurch.)

Subject(s): Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: The global location of Alaska is established when the shape of a map of Alaska is identified as a silhouette of an elephant that moves to reach for contiguous (or nearby) geographic neighbors--and, indeed, to overlay a part of Canada.

• Alike, Different, or Both? (Authored by Christy Simms.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students compare and contrast two characters from the play [The Diary of Anne Frank] on a Venn diagram and write a paragraph showing similarities and differences.

• All's Well That Ends Well (Authored by Vicky Nichols.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Beginning and ending are two of the most important parts of a speech! The middle is rather important also. Students check out the importance of organizing a speech.

• An American Spy with Money To Spend (Authored by Joyce Honeychurch.)

Subject(s): Mathematics, Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Teachers can teach across the curriculum as students use imagination, math, reading, computer, geography, and social studies skills in this unique, innovative, and fun lesson where students pretend to be international spies!

• Analogies (Authored by Amanda Yates.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students learn about relationships between words and then are expected to figure out the missing word for a list of analogies. This lesson is a good lesson to use with ESOL students or students who are having difficulty with word relationships.

• And Your Point Is . . .? Part I (Authored by Lois Christensen.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This is Part I of a two-part series. Part I introduces students to point of view through a structured WebQuest. Part II (See Weblinks) extends understanding through student engagement in a variety of debate activities.

• And Your Point Is . . .? Part II (Authored by Lois Christensen.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This is Part II of a two-part series. Part I introduced students to point of view through a structured WebQuest. (See WebLinks.) Part II extends understanding through student engagement in a variety of debate activities.

• Angle Aerobics (Authored by Amy Gunn.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This lesson introduces students to names of angles. It provides an action activity and then a follow up worksheet to assess.

• Animals in Research - Right or Wrong? (Authored by Carol Houck.)

Subject(s): Language Arts, Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students research and discuss a sensitive or controversial issue and attempt to make a decision based on group findings.

• Are They the Same or Different? (Authored by Lisa Ove Gibson.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Using a graphic organizer, students synthesize and separate collected information.

• Are you a Sexual Harasser? (Authored by Sandra Sicbaldi.)

Subject(s): Health (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students gain insight into forms of sexual harassment, and learn techniques to avoid threatening situations, unwanted effects, dating violence, myths and school and state laws governing sexual harassment.

• Are You Moody? (Authored by Dawn Capes.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Are you moody? Is a novel? Students continue their study of the novel, [Jacob Have I Loved] and their examination of literary techniques the author uses to grab their attention.

• Are You Ready for Personal Independence? (Authored by Shirley Godbold.)

Subject(s): Health (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Through class discussion and self evaluation, students will discover what independence means to different individuals.

• Ask the Antlion (Authored by Jack Petersen.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students learn about basic biological principles through using the scientific processes of observation and recording as they examine live insects (antlions).

• Atom and Eve (Authored by Rebecca Renfro.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: The students will use a concept map to define and share their information about the Hydrogen atom. They will construct a model of a Hydrogen atom using simple, low-cost materials.

• Attack on Hiroshima and Nagasaki (Authored by Rae Harrelson.)

Subject(s): Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students hear a story about the atomic bombing of Japan and write an editorial about the event from the perspective of either a Japanese or an American.

• Attracting an Audience with Purpose (Authored by Vicky Nichols.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Making sure that the purpose of an oral presentation or speech, and the intended audience are compatible will help students become good speakers.

• Attractive Adjectives (Authored by Amanda Yates.)

Subject(s): Foreign Language, Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This ESOL lesson, that is part 3 of a unit, reviews nouns and verbs, then introduces adjectives. Students learn to identify and use adjectives in sentences, identify them in listening activities, and review all three in a commercial.

• Bag It (Authored by Cynthia Youngblood.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Using a paper bag or a gift bag, students create a book report providing information on the elements of the book.

• Balanced Students (Authored by Albert Baggott.)

Subject(s): Mathematics, Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students use a hands-on activity to investigate the relationships between weights and the distance of the weights from the fulcrum in a balanced 1st class lever.

• Bargain Town, USA (Authored by Rita Williams.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Designed to follow your instructions about converting number forms, this lesson is a real-world application of the relationship between fractions, decimals, and percents.

• Base It (Authored by Melanie Malone.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: To expose students to number systems other than the decimal system and explain why we need to know these systems (binary: electronics and computers; octal and hexadecimal: flight test, computers)

• Batty Facts (Authored by Carol Cline.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Go batty! Students use a KWL chart as a prereading strategy to organize and display their knowledge of bats, nocturnal animals.

• Be a “Source”erer’s Apprentice (Authored by Jan Curtis.)

Subject(s): Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students sharpen research skills by studying primary and secondary sources. When students know what kind of sources are available, they can find exciting stories, facts, and photographs which can make history come alive.

• Become a Detective (Authored by Shannon Flynn.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Everyone loves a mystery and now your students can be the detectives! In this lesson, students read a mystery story while searching for clues to help predict the outcome. They record the outcome then finish the story to see how well they predicted.

• Benefits Are All Around (Authored by Brent Johns.)

Subject(s): Physical Education (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students explore the potential fitness benefits of various activities and the places in the community that they can experience these benefits.

• Better to Tell the Truth (Authored by Vicky Nichols.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: The purpose of this lesson is to teach students to distinguish between emotional and logical arguments in advertising.

• Big on Biography (Authored by Lorinda Luther.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students select a person to research for biographical information. Utilizing resources in the Media Center, students record information on note cards; students then interpret and categorize information for appropriate placement on a graphic organizer.

• Bio-Poem (Authored by Cynthia Youngblood.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students write a biographical poem about themselves using an easy formula.

• Biographical Research Paper (Authored by Cynthia Youngblood.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Using resource materials, students write a biographical research paper.

• Book Jeopardy (Authored by Megan Siska.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students participate in a fun, educational game of -Book Jeopardy- which can be used to review material before a comprehensive test on any novel.

• Book Selling Project (Authored by Megan Siska.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students create an oral presentation that uses a visual aid to sell their books to their classmates with the goal of trying to get their classmates interested in reading the book.

• Book Share (Authored by Joan Jackson.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students meet in small groups to reflect on and share their thoughts after reading a short story, poem, chapter in a novel, etc.

• Boom and Fizz (Authored by Cheryle Borsos.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Boom and Fizz is a thrilling discovery of physical and chemical changes. It combines an engaging teacher demonstration with a hands-on student lab experience.

• Brain Game (Authored by Katherine Leftwich.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This is a fun lesson that challenges the student’s ability to respond to stimuli that are mixed word/color messages. (Responses to changes in the environment/stimuli)

• Brainstorm This! (Authored by Jena Lewis.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students learn about brainstorming, and how to effectively use this prewriting tool for four different writing tasks - persuasive writing, expository writing, character development, and the development of vivid and precise details for any subject.

• Break It Down (Authored by Debbie Hartley.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This engaging game may be used as a group activity for the reinforcement of identifying word parts. It could be modified to be used as individual assessment of the same skill.

• Broadcasting World War II (Authored by Richard Johnson.)

Subject(s): Language Arts, Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students create and perform radio broadcasts relating to events and situations that affected American society in World War II. They test their listening skills during these broadcasts. They practice by responding to tasks like those found on the FCAT.

• Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? (Authored by Martha Simmons.)

Subject(s): Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This is an introductory lesson on the Great Depression. Students discuss the Great Depression and the impact that it had on American Society and teens during that era.

• Bubbles Everywhere! (Authored by Annette Nixon.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: The lesson is a fun way to practice measurement, and circle and sphere formulas. It can easily be adapted to fit any level of circle exploration.

• C is for Cookie-A MEAN-ingful Graphing Activity (Authored by Michelle Gowan.)

Subject(s): Language Arts, Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students work in groups to dissect a variety of brands of chocolate chip cookies and calculate the mean for each brand. Students create their own bar graphs, pictographs, and line graphs to represent information

• Calling All Cartographers (Authored by Jane Cunningham.)

Subject(s): Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This is a map lesson. The class participates in a discussion and completes the class K-W-L chart. This allows for review of terminology, symbols, types of maps, etc. Students assist in instruction by drawing symbols they remember on the board. The students begin the culminating activity in class which is to draw a map which will contain their home and a 3-street radius (or its equivalent) of where they live. Next they gather in groups to make oral observations regarding the maps which they have viewed.

• Can We Live Without Government? (Authored by Clifford Snipe.)

Subject(s): Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This lesson helps students understand the role that government plays in the lives of its citizens and how the government protects individual rights.

• Can You Calculate the Speed of Your Pet? (Authored by Edward Williams.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: What is the fastest wind up toy pet? In this lesson students will explore how to calculate the speed of wind up toy pets, average the speeds and identify the correct units of measure of speed.

• Can You Figure Language? (Authored by Robin Ziel.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Everyone always compares themselves to someone else, however, can they understand figurative language or compare two dissimilar objects? This lesson teaches similes and metaphors and how to understand and create them.

• Can You Hear Me Now? (Authored by Miriam Buchanan.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students will explain steps to guide another student to reproduce a drawing. Students will also do peer evaluations critiquing articulation abilities.

• Cartesian Classroom (Authored by Annette Nixon.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: The classroom is turned into a human Cartesian coordinate plane, thereby introducing students to the characteristics of the coordinate system.

• Cartoon Vocabulary (Authored by Leslie Briggs.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: A student’s comprehension of a vocabulary word is tested by having the student draw a picture to illustrate the meaning of the word.

• Cell Factory (Authored by Emily Durney.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This activity is a fun way for the students to demonstrate their understanding of the basic structures of cells and the essential functions in cells. Students build a model of a factory where each factory part is compared to a cell part via the function.

• Cell Types (Authored by J.P. Hamilton.)

Subject(s): Applied Technology, Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students create cartoon characters which compare and contrast two types of cells: nerve and muscle. Cartoon characters show how these two cells are similar, how they are different, and the relationship between the two cell types. Cartoons are presented in the form of a slide show presentation. (NETS for Students 3.2)

• Cellular Cellebrities (Authored by Susan Goodman.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students work in cooperative groups to learn the morphology and function of organelles within plant and animal cells.

• Cemetery of Famous Americans (Authored by Kathy Corder.)

Subject(s): Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students conduct research on a famous American and create a tombstone for a class bulletin board.

• Central Tendency (Authored by Carson Ealy, Jr..)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This lesson provides students with activities to assist them in determining the mean, mode, and median of given data.

• Changes All Around Us (Authored by Sherri Barber.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: After students observe various physical and chemical changes demonstrated in class, they work in groups to create a collage of pictures to illustrate how changes occur all around us.

• Changes in Matter (Authored by Carson Ealy, Jr..)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This lesson is developed to enhance student understanding of physical and chemical changes. It will also review knowledge of the states of matter.

• Changes in the Copper Penny (Authored by Patricia Davison.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This is a unique and fun way to introduce the difference between a physical change in a substance and a chemical change. The student studies the volume, density, altering shape, and chemistry of a copper penny.

• Changing Twines: Exploring Area and Perimeter (Authored by Jessica McDonald.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: In this fun, hands-on activity, students actively engage to determine the relationships between area and perimeter measurements! Students are challenged to discover, prove, and write mathematical conjectures.

• Character and Choices: Dickens' A Christmas Carol (Authored by Jeff Gillard.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: In this three week lesson, the teacher provides instruction in the basic elements of literature. By reading Dickens' novel students are provided the opportunity to understand how their choices can change their attitudes and behavior.

• Character and Plot Development Through Comics (Authored by Monica McManus.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students are introduced to character, plot development, point of view, and tone through the use of comic strips. Students identify these four attributes in the comic strip and present their findings to the class.

• Character Traits and People in Black History (Authored by Cynthia Lott.)

Subject(s): Language Arts, Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students read a one-page biographical essay and write in paragraph form how an African American has demonstrated a certain character trait.

• Cherries are Positive, Lemons are Negative (Authored by Rita Williams.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students discover the rules for adding integers. This lesson should be conducted after students have been introduced to the definition of an integer.

• Cherries are Positive, Lemons are Negative - Part 2 (Authored by Rita Williams.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Designed to follow Cherries are Positive, Lemons are Negative, this lesson has students discover the rules for subtracting integers.

• Cherries Still Positive, Lemons Still Negative (Authored by Rita Williams.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Designed to follow the lesson -Cherries are Positive, Lemons are Negative,- this is an introductory lesson on solving simple addition equations with positive and negative integers.

• Chips Ahoy A Thousand Chips In Every Bag (Authored by Amelia McCurdy.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Nabisco claims to sell 1000 chocolate chips in every 1 pound bag of Chips Ahoy! Students use their problem solving skills and data collection to determine if the claim is true.

• Choice Not Chance (Authored by Rosa Banks.)

Subject(s): Health (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Fact or fiction: Do the foods we choose affect our health? The student researches diets in a country other than the USA, and compares it to the Food Guide Pyramid analyzing the affect it has on an individual’s health.

• Chris' Culture Club Cruise (Authored by Christine Broyles.)

Subject(s): Language Arts, Visual Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Ride the virtual highway on a field trip to museums, cultural centers, and exhibition spaces to discover exciting roles of public and private facilities. Follow various links on a cultural cruise of new knowledge and make local connections.

• Christmas Around the World (Authored by Shirley Godbold.)

Subject(s): Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Every country has its own customs for the celebration of Christmas. This is a look at the customs used in Czecholslovakia and Mexico. Students may have customs from other countries to share.

• Cinderella Around the World (Authored by Monica McManus.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students compare and contrast two versions of the same fairy tale. Students use a Venn diagram to graphically illustrate the similarities and differences in the two stories.

• Civil War Battle Map (Authored by James Humphrey.)

Subject(s): Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This activity is a fun way to report geographic information. The student illustrates a blank map to identify 5 Civil War battles.

• Class Act (Authored by Cynthia Youngblood.)

Subject(s): Language Arts, Theater (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students in small groups prepare a short videotaped presentation dramatizing a poem.

• Class-I-fy (Authored by Timothy Mark Dillehay.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students classify pre-selected art class items to see how classification methods are created and used. This activity gives students a greater understanding of why and how classification methods are used in science. The scientific method of categorizing is revealed in this lesson.

• Classified Clues (Authored by Deborah Shaw.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Using classified advertisements, students work in groups to draw conclusions and make inferences about the writer of the ad and to whom the ad may appeal.

• Clean Air (Authored by Mary LaLane.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students create a graphic organizer to clarify information for a presentation.

• Collaborative Compositions (Authored by Vicky Nichols.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This is the final lesson in an expository writing unit. Students are set loose to develop, draft, and elucidate information for a research topic. Students work collaboratively to write a paper as practice for the final task of writing their own papers.

• Come Work Out (Authored by Becky West.)

Subject(s): Physical Education (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students learn how to correctly devise warm-up, conditioning and cool-down techniques. Then they are split into groups and work together to come up with correct techniques for an exercise of their choosing.

• Common Commas (Authored by April Smith.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: The students identify where to place commas in a word series sentence and is appropriate for ESOL students.

• Common Prefixes, Suffixes, and Roots (Authored by Deborah Jackson.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This activity is a fun way for students to identify word parts, such as prefixes, suffixes, and root words by cutting and pasting.

• Computing Costs (Authored by Robert Pauley.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students are expected to calculate the out-of-pocket money needed to purchase a discounted item taxed at a certain percentage of sales tax.

• Conservation Critters Anonymous, Etcetera (Authored by Wilma Horton.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students access one of the designated Everglades National Park Websites to understand the intricacies of conservation and relationship balance of flora to fauna.

• Constructing a Cell (Authored by Carl Rogers.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students construct a model of a plant or animal cell, using the materials provided to represent each of the different organelles within the cell.

• Construction and Use of an Accelerometer (Authored by Lisa Locklin.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: What is acceleration? The students investigate the concept of acceleration by building and using an accelerometer.

• Contour Drawing (Authored by Becky Hill.)

Subject(s): Visual Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students will be introduced to Contour Drawing. They will view examples and non-examples of student contour drawings. After a demonstration of correct technique, the students will produce contour drawings of the top side of their hand.

• Converting Metric Measurements (Authored by Dale Peterson.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Converting metric measurements is an essential skill for science students. This lesson offers a formula for helping students learn the process.

• Coping with Verbs (Authored by Amanda Yates.)

Subject(s): Foreign Language, Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This ESOL lesson that is week 2 of a unit, gives a review of nouns, introduces verbs, helps students understand how verbs function in sentences, explains verb tenses, and gives visual/verbal/written practice with verbs.

• Crazy Critters are Figuratively Fantastic (Authored by Andrea Farage.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: The -Crazy Critters are Figuratively Fantastic- lesson uses creatures created from student’s imaginations to teach hyperbole, simile, metaphor, and alliteration in association with creative writing.

• Crazy Critters Creative Writing Assignment (Authored by Andrea Farage.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: During the Crazy Critters creative writing assignment, students develop characters that take part in a narrative involving creatures that reside in a student’s imagination.

• Crazy Critters Teach Parts of Speech (Authored by Andrea Farage.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: During -Crazy Critters Teach Parts of Speech,- students examine a paragraph they have written to determine the individual strengths and weaknesses of their writing. Included is a specific study of adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, nouns, and verbs.

• Create Your Island Paradise (Authored by Kerry McMillen.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Create a descriptive essay and map describing your island paradise.

• Create Your Own Kaleidoscopes (Authored by Louise Kent.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students research Sir David Brewster and his ideas on light. They put into practice one of his ideas by creating an inexpensive kaleidoscope using film canisters, microscope slides and beads, that teaches properties of optics.

• Creating and Interpreting Graphs (Authored by Debra Davis.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students use data collected at the beginning of the lesson, such as their favorite brand of sneakers or favorite soft drinks, to create graphs and to interpret the results shown by each graph. Note: This lesson assesses only the creation and interpretation of two types of graphs.

• Creating My Personal Animal ABC Book. (Authored by Louise Kent.)

Subject(s): Language Arts, Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students create an Animal ABC book to present to a young child. Along the way they research specific information about animals.

• Creating Tessellations (Authored by Diane Bates.)

Subject(s): Mathematics, Social Studies, Visual Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Explore the history of tessellations; then use art and geometry to create an original tessellation.

• Creatures From the Black Lagoon (Authored by Joe Brock.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students are taken to an aquatic area such as a small beach zone, bayou, drainage ditch or wetland near the school in an open inquiry lesson to evoke questions from the students regarding their observations. They learn how to use scientific processes in designing experiements that answer the raised questions.

• Critic’s Choice (Authored by Jill Blonder.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students read three to five genres and choose one as his or her favorite. Students write an essay persuading the class to read the genre.

• Cruising Cars (Authored by Stephanie Martinez.)

Subject(s): Mathematics, Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Middle school students love cars. They will have the opportunity to analyze, compare and contrast tables/charts, based on given car data. While working in groups students will generate a list of desired car features and create their own table/charts.

• Cruising the Caribbean (Authored by Kevyn Brown.)

Subject(s): Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students create 4 postcards by illustrating an island in the Caribbean that they will visit. Each postcard will focus on a different feature (historic landmark, mountains, people). The postcards incorporate photos/pictures with concepts and vocabulary.

• Cultural Effects of The Great Wall of China for the Chinese (Authored by Kathy Easom.)

Subject(s): Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Upon viewing a power point presentation or a video on China, and reading the lesson in the textbook, the students will show their understanding of how the Great Wall influenced Chinese culture by writing a 3 paragraph essay. Each paragraph will relate to the following aspects: trading, traveling and interaction with other countries and will show how these aspects of the Chinese culture were influenced by the Great Wall. Correct information is essential and if they fail to recall enough for their writing, they may work in groups and refer to the textbook and notes from discussion. A rubric will be discussed prior to instruction, so the student will know how to construct their writing and what they should include.

• Cut It Out (Authored by Tonja Fitzgerald.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Using a graphic model, students are asked to derive an original formula for calculating the area of an irregular figure. This lesson requires that students use critical thinking, visual perception, and mathematical computation.

• Cutting Up in Class, Fractal Style (Authored by Richard Angelini Sr..)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: A simple to make, hands-on manipulative, three dimensional, model of fractions, mirror images, tiling, fractals, tessellations, multiplying fractions, dividing fractions, and exponents; created from a single sheet of paper.

• Cylinder Surface Discovery (Authored by Carol Spice.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Help your students understand the surface area of a cylinder with this simple lesson where students create their own cylinders.

• Dare to be [Punnett] Square (Authored by Dale Peterson.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This lesson familiarizes the students with Punnett squares, specifically: purpose, application and interpretation. Key terms from previous lessons (included below) are reviewed/reinforced before data is applied to a Punnett square and interpreted.

• Data Daze (Authored by Ann Campbell.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This is a short introductory activity to teach students how to read and analyze data from bar graphs, pictographs, and stem-and-leaf plots.

• Dealing with Data (Authored by Ann Hanson.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students collect, organize, and display data using a bar graph, line graph, pie graph, or picture graph.

• Debating Women's Rights (Authored by Melissa Aldridge.)

Subject(s): Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students debate the issue of -Women's Rights- and compare women of the past to the women of the present.

• Decoding DNA (Authored by Suzan Smith.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This is the sixth and final lesson plan in the unit, Where We Come From and is an extension activity that reflects the standards for Marion County Schools in Florida for eighth grade. Students complete their KWL charts from the first lesson of the unit as a review for the summative. Then they decode a secret message using the four basic components of DNA, adenine, cytosine, guanine and thymine.

• Defining Our Community (Authored by Christy Carpenter.)

Subject(s): Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students begin the process of developing a service-learning project by defining their own community and the problems within it.

• Density Destiny (Authored by Julie Sear.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Which is more dense, a block of wood or a glass marble? Students will answer this question as they measure and investigate the densities of several objects.

• Density Discoveries (Authored by Cheryle Borsos.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Density Discoveries is a hands-on student learning opportunity for students to find the mass, volume, and density of solid matter.

• Density of a Gas (Authored by Jeri Martin.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Gas, like all matter, has mass and volume, therefore, it has a density. Students will investigate the mass, volume, and density of a gas by producing it in a chemical reaction.

• Design a Character (Authored by Janice Wilkins.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Upon completion of the novel, [The Witch of Blackbird Pond], students write a character sketch about one of the two main characters, Kit or Hannah Tupper.

• Designing Detectives (Authored by Lisa Ove Gibson.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students explore the idea of formulating a hypothesis and designing an experiment to test the hypothesis. This is an introduction to the Unit Plan: Statistical Sleuths.

• Determining the President of 1860 (Authored by Thomas Lucey.)

Subject(s): Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: The learner will determine who won the U.S. Presidential election of 1860. Students will find the information online, create a database, manipulate a spreadsheet and present findings.

• Diagonal Lengths (Authored by M Dennis.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students collect, organize, and analyze data while studying the Pythagorean Theorem. They measure the length and width of several rectangular objects and compare the measured results to the calculated results

• Diagramming Annabelle Lee (Authored by Susan Taylor.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Using a Story Diagram Chart and a K-W-L Chart, students examine the parts of the Edgar Allan Poe poem, “Annabelle Lee.”

• Dice Games - How to WIN! (Authored by Wesley Underwood.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This activity is a fun way to teach Data Analysis and Numerical Occurrence. The student works with a partner to play a game. Each player gets twelve counters to be placed on the numbers on the game board. The players take turns rolling two dice. On each roll the sum of the two upturned numbers is determined. If the player has a counter on that number the student may remove the counter from the game board. Play continues until one of the players removes all twelve counters from the board.

• Digital Autobiographies (Authored by Lynn Riddle.)

Subject(s): Applied Technology (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students apply technical skills to take photos and enhance their picture, which they include in an original word processing autobiography.

• Dirty Worms (Authored by April Martin.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students will learn the actions of earthworms and their effect on soil. The lesson will culminate with an earthworm dissection lab activity.

• Disect a Toon (Authored by Debbie Hartley.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This lesson is an engaging way to introduce students to the literary elements of setting, plot, and character development.

• Divisibility Buzz (Authored by Cindy Beckham.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students use the divisibility rule for three to compete in the game Divisibility Buzz. This lesson provides enjoyable reinforcement.

• Do-deca-he-dron-It’s Greek to Me! (Authored by Leslie Briggs.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This activity is great for reinforcing and demonstrating knowledge of the elements of a short story. Students create a “visual” report of the literary elements with a short story. The report is a 12-sided ball called a dodecahedron.

• Does Word Choice Affect the Quality of a Piece of Writing? (Authored by Michelle Gowan.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students will work in groups to rank a list of words from one extreme to the other, such as cold-hot, love-hate, etc. Groups will share their results with the class. After discussion and upon reviewing model descriptive writing, students will apply their knowledge by making more specific word choices to complete a descriptive writing assignment.

• Dog Gone Good Note Cards (Authored by Michelle Gowan.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students research a dog breed and create at least three note cards detailing information obtained about the dog breed. This is the first of three lessons that are part of a unit called, "Dog Gone Paw-erful Writing and Presenting with PowerPoint."

• Domino Effect (Authored by Lisa Locklin.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students investigate a change from potential energy to kinetic energy and discuss the concept of waves carrying energy.

• Don't Eat Your Words (Authored by Farica King.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Using different shapes of macaroni dyed various colors, students work in pairs to apply knowledge of punctuation rules to sentences.

• Double This (Authored by Mary Myers.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Does doubled mean to multiply? Does quotient mean subtraction or division? This activity will provide students practice in changing verbal expression to algebraic equations.

• Dream House (Authored by Amy Gunn.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This lesson should be used as a culmination to a unit on perimeter and area. . Students use scale drawings to solve real world problems problems involving perimeter and area.

• Dream Killers (Authored by Dawn Capes.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: What is a dream killer? A person? An idea? Students continue their exploration of figurative language and point of view in the novel, [Jacob Have I Loved].

• Dreams, Stars, and Beaches (Authored by Bobbi Shapiro.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: In this lesson, students compare their own lives with that of a girl in a tenement building in New York City. Through reading -Tar Beach,- a story by Faith Ringgold, students better understand the hopes and dreams of the less fortunate.

• Dynamic Divisibility (Authored by Tina Davis.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students learn the rules of divisibility for the numbers 2,3,5,6,9 and 10. Students use these rules to check large numbers for their divisibility.

• Dynamics in Concept and in Action (Authored by Paul Dobson.)

Subject(s): Music (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students perform grade appropriate literature utilizing the specified dynamic indications and respond accurately to the cues of the director.

• Easy Essays Step 1 (Authored by Dawn Capes.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This is the first lesson of a three-step Unit Plan: Easy Essays in Three Steps, designed to guide teachers through teaching the five-paragraph essay to students.

• Easy Essays Step 2 (Authored by Dawn Capes.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This lesson is the second step in the UnitPlan: Easy Essays in Three Steps. Students participate in mini- lessons which will encourage better essay writing.

• Easy Essays Step 3 (Authored by Dawn Capes.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This is the third step in a three-step Unit Plan: Easy Essays in Three Steps, which has been designed to guide teachers through teaching the five-paragraph essay format to students.

• Eating More or Less? (Authored by Carson Ealy, Jr..)

Subject(s): Health, Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students investigate by using the Internet to research the types of eating disorders and summarize their effects on the body by creating a PowerPoint presentation or poster presentation.

• Edible Cells (Authored by Lauren Farinas.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students will construct edible models of a plant cell and an animal cell and be able to state the functions of the organelles.

• Efficiency Means Getting More for Less (Authored by Richard Angelini Sr..)

Subject(s): Mathematics, Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Here is a simple experiment. It costs little, the materials will last for 100 years, and it is safe. It is a study of efficiency in nature. Water is measured and predictions are made.

• EggCELLent Diffusion (Authored by Sherri Barber.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students observe the effects of diffusion on eggs by observing the change in the egg's size and the amount of liquid substance that remains.

• Electromagnetic Spectrum (Authored by Carol Houck.)

Subject(s): Language Arts, Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students investigate the properties of the electromagnetic spectrum.

• Email Buddies (Authored by Carol Rine.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Teachers set up an e-mail system whereby students in different classes or schools can communicate research-based questions and answers on a given topic. (NETS for Students: 4.1)

• Endangered Species (Authored by Teresa Lowery.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students will be able to identify endangered species, identify physical & behavioral characteristics, work in a group for research and presentation, and create a PowerPoint presentation with their findings.

• Endothermic or Exothermic – That Is the Question. (Authored by Jeri Martin.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: What happens to the heat energy during a chemical reaction? Students will become familiar with an endothermic reaction by testing a chemical reaction.

• Environmental Mathematics (Authored by Kenneth Blackman.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: The students will explore what food sources are needed to survive in the wild. Then the students will plot on a graph the best food sources for their environments and the survivability rate for each member of their group.

• Environmentally Friendly (Authored by Cynthia Lott.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: The focus of this lesson is to practice researching a project and write a formal letter. Students research using computers to gather information on wildlife management and use the information to write a letter to an agency.

• Escape to Freedom (Authored by Zerelda Hammer.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students read “They Called Her Moses,” create a “Wanted Poster” for Tubman, compose a journal entry imagining they are William Still, and work in groups to create a newspaper depicting the incident of the runaway slaves and events from the time period.

• Espresso Your Feelings in Poetry (Authored by Dee Camp-White.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students discover that using descriptive, figurative, and vivid language to write “free verse” can be a fun form of self-expression. Students create poems using online resources and share their creations in a “coffeehouse” setting.

• Euro English (Authored by Peggy Craig.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students read a short essay and cull out the directions. Then the students rewrite the essay using standard English spellings.

• Evaporation Marathon (Authored by Cheryle Borsos.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Runners take your mark! This lesson involves a student experiment to see which container evaporates water the quickest. The lesson invites students to explore independent and dependent variables as part of the experimentation process.

• Everybody Else Has One! (Authored by Farica King.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Commercials have an amazing impact on buyers of all ages. By creating a commercial, students become more aware of the propaganda techniques used to impact the buying power of the consumer.

• Expensive Choices (Authored by Thomas Lucey.)

Subject(s): Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students work in pairs to discover how to prioritize expenses in a budget.

• Exploring Ancient Greece (Authored by Rachel Farris.)

Subject(s): Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students use play dough to create a relief map of Greece and through personal investigation and class discussion, draw conclusions about the impact of the geography of Greece on daily life and culture in Ancient Greece.

• Exploring Personal Responsibility (Authored by Christy Carpenter.)

Subject(s): Health (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students examine themselves to evaluate their own levels of personal and social responsibility.

• Exposing Expository Text Structure in a Rainforest Setting (Authored by Laura Hobbs.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This lesson represents the first two days lessons of an expository text structure unit. In this unit students explore expository text structure through the creation of a thematic booklet containing examples of different types of expository text structures. Students use graphic organizers that correspond to a particular text structure and aid in clarifying meaning. Students locate, record, and apply their knowledge of signal words in both teacher-selected expository text and their own writing of expository text. This project culminates in the student’s reflection of their knowledge of the different types of expository text structure.

• Fable Writing (Authored by Farica King.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Using fables, students determine the moral or -central theme- of a piece of writing. Students create their own personal fables, editing for grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling.

• Fabulously Famous ABC’S (Authored by Christine Broyles.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Surf the Internet, library or even a textbook to find famous individual for a talk show at your school. Write script for an imaginary two-minute radio interview with this famous (past/present) individual.

• Fact or Fiction - What Is Expository Writing? (Authored by Carol Rine.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This is the first lesson in a unit on expository writing called Info Expo. Students take a pre-test, compare and contrast various forms of writing with a Venn diagram, and explore the various formats for expository writing.

• Fantastic Fraction Fudge (Authored by Amelia McCurdy.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students sequence a recipe and convert the ingredients into various fractional portions

• Fantasy Visualization (Authored by Mary Tomczak.)

Subject(s): Visual Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This activity provides a unique way of brainstorming to get an idea. A group of artists known as the Surrealists used this game to give them ideas for their artworks.

• Farming the Southern Colonies (Authored by Thomas Lucey.)

Subject(s): Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: The student discovers the basis for farming choices in the early colonies using group research and discussion.

• Fascinating Factors (Authored by Kathy Rigling.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This activity is a fun and engaging way to introduce biotic and abiotic factors by the use of nature observation , peer discussion and the production of a collage.

• Feel the Beat! (Authored by Wes Landen.)

Subject(s): Physical Education (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students will explore the benefits and work towards maintaing a target heart rate by using an aerobic activity. Students will construct a bar graph of their own heart rates after four, three-minute runs. The construction of their graphs will provide them the opportunity to calculate, record, and analyze their own ability to maintain a target heart rate during aerobic exercise. A study guide and example rubric are given for the lesson.

• Figuring Solutions (Authored by Thomas Lucey.)

Subject(s): Health, Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Sometimes students express their resistance to learning academic concepts. This lesson avails students opportunities to discuss their attitudes and feelings so they discover possible ways to constructively respond to them.

• Filling in the [Holes] (Authored by Donald Hines.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students use graphic organizers and note taking to help gain understanding and clarify meaning from the novel [Holes] and write daily inferences and generalizations about what they have read in that day’s assignment.

• Filling Up Florida (Authored by Shari Rodgers.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students study factors controlling Florida's population growth and related environmental impacts. Students research natural community types and construct maps (including a large-sized map of Florida) to be used for role play/simulation activity.

• Film Historian (Authored by Jill Blonder.)

Subject(s): Language Arts, Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students determine main concept, details, stereotypes, and bias through movies. After viewing the movie, students write an essay explaining the film's influence on issues presented in the film.

• First Class Mail (Authored by Janice Wilkins.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Upon completion of the novel, THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND students write a Friendly Letter to Elizabeth George Speare, the author, discussing their points of interest in the novel with her.

• Florida: A Paradise for the Written Word (Authored by Cynthia Youngblood.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Using the pamphlet, FLORIDA LITERARY HISTORY, students read the article -Paradise for the Written Word: 400 Years of Literary History in Florida- by Kevin McCarthy and then answer FCAT-like questions to assess comprehension of the reading material.

• Florida’s Prize-Winning Authors (Authored by Cynthia Youngblood.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: After students study a gazetteer of Florida’s prize-winning authors in a pamphlet entitled Florida Literary Map, they select one of the mentioned authors, research his or her life, take notes, and prepare a brief biographical report.

• Flying With Mathematics! (Authored by Kenneth Blackman.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students fly miniature airplanes to discover characteristics related to velocity and average speed. After measuring the time and distance, the students calculate the speed and average velocity.

• Follow the Pattern (Authored by Rita Williams.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students recognize patterns & relationships and use them predict outcomes in real-world situations. (This lesson should be conducted after students have been introduced to patterns.)

• For Sale-Ageless Water (Authored by Deloris Morris.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This is a two-part lesson in which students research bottled water advertisements on the Internet and printed ads and then create their own magazine advertisement (second lesson) for the spring water in the novel [Tuck Everlasting] by Natalie Babbitt.

• Forces and Balloons (Authored by Paul Scime.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students use balloons to investigate and discuss the forces of compression, tension and torque on common birthday balloons.

• Forget Us Not (Authored by Vicky Nichols.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students are reminded of the Holocaust and its terrible cost by examining literary selections that deal with the conflict of the Holocaust. They respond in writing using a word processing program.

• Formal or Informal? (Authored by Tresha Layne.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: With this entertaining activity students practice formal and informal English by using teacher-created scenarios. Peers evaluate each other based on a questionnaire and discussion.

• Formation of Fossil Fuels (Authored by Carol Houck.)

Subject(s): Science, Visual Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students investigate the process of fossil fuel formation.

• Fraction Food Frenzy (Middle School) (Authored by Amy Gunn.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This lesson is an introductory lesson for adding fractions with like denominators. It allows for illustrations and simple problem solving.

• Fragments Wanted (Not) (Authored by Zerelda Hammer.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Using a newspaper employment ad, students work together in pairs or groups of three to rewrite the ad using complete sentences. Then, each student will choose an ad to rewrite.

• Free Reading Chart (Authored by Cynthia Youngblood.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students will read library book daily for ten to fifteen minutes and then log in information on a Free Reading Chart, giving a brief summary of what they just read and then writing a brief reactionary response to the reading.

• From Different Angles (Authored by Monica McManus.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: The students will participate in a Socratic seminar discussing a person's right to refuse to say the Pledge of Allegiance.

• From Pirates to Pilots to Spies (Authored by Mark Peugh.)

Subject(s): Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students enjoy this introduction to the world of map projections, globes, aerial photographs, and satellite images. This lesson instructs the students on the advantages and disadvantages of each earthly representation.

• Geometry Geopardy (Authored by Annette Nixon.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: A fun way to practice and review geometry material.

• Geometry in Nature (Authored by Kenneth Blackman.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: The students will explore how the circumference, diameter, and the relationship of Pi of a circle are related. The students will also determine the age of a tree by counting the summer growth rings.

• Get the Joke! (Authored by Carole Bennett.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Middle schoolers love jokes! Capitalize on this by using jokes to help them understand how word context and inference are used in everyday language to create humor.

• Get the Picture? (Authored by Kim Auerbach.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students design a simple coordinate graph picture. Then reflect, translate and rotate the picture according to specific directions.

• Getting to Know You Through Peer Editing (Authored by Linda Sheffield.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students learn to formulate effective questioning techniques and understand the characteristics of the interviewing process.

• Getting to Know You Through Questioning (Authored by Joan Jackson.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students have opportunities to get to know their classmates through 'personalized' sentences that feature one student each day, and offer practice in proofreading and peer-editing related to capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and/or grammar rules.

• Getting Your Students Started (Authored by Dawn Capes.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: On alternating days, students will begin class by either doing sentences for editing OR a gratitude journal. This is designed so students have a quiet activity which starts immediately at the beginning of class. The teacher is now free to take roll, etc.

• Girl Power (Authored by Melissa Aldridge.)

Subject(s): Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: During a unit on the Renaissance, the class uses notes obtained through previous research to create a mobile that illustrates the contributions of a Renaissance woman and explains how these accomplishments influenced her society.

• Give Me the Seven Digits (Authored by Farica King.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Using the telephone directory, city directory, and business directory, students practice locating specific information.

• Give Me Your Vital Statistics (Authored by Debbie Hartley.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This is a great -first week of school- activity that allows students to get to know one another while giving them the opportunity to practice their logical thinking skills.

• Go Jump In The Lake! (Authored by Marla Blair.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: In this real-life science activity, students test local lake waters to determine overall health of the lakes. Students then hypothesize possible human impact on the indicators they are testing in the waters and share these inferences in a scientific report.

• Going Whole Hog (Authored by Cindy Beckham.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: To reinforce skills in comparing fractions, students play a game in which they compare fractions and represent the fractions on a graph.

• Good and Bad Grammar (Authored by Deloris Morris.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students collect bad grammar examples from business signs, magazines, and other printed material and then individually teach a mini-grammar lesson on at least one bad example.

• Good Grief! (Authored by Pam Lord.)

Subject(s): Health (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: GOOD GRIEF! What better way to explain, demonstrate, and explore strategies related to a difficult topics? Through student role playing within family groups, the use of communicating strategies for managing grief will be explored.

• Group Research and Reports on STDs (Authored by Jeanne Pitts.)

Subject(s): Health (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students work together in groups to research and gather information on a specific Sexually Transmitted Disease. Working as a team, they write a report and present the information orally to the class.

• Growing Old (Authored by Shirley Godbold.)

Subject(s): Health (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This is a simulation activity whereby students experience problems the elderly face daily in their lives, such as loss of sight, hearing, taste, smell, mobility/dexterity and touch.

• Gummy vs. Gum (Authored by Rita Williams.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students discover a number pattern and write an equation that describes it. This lesson should be conducted after students have worked with patterns and one- and two-step equations.

• Hands On Essays (Authored by Monica McManus.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students relate the concept of individuality of geometric shapes to the individuality of topic sentences. Students write and revise a persuasive argument essay using the Florida Writes Rubric.

• Happy Birthday to Them! (Authored by Gwen Hafford.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students use the Internet to "pop-in" on popular singers. (NETS for Students: 5.1)

• Happy Holidays (Authored by Farica King.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: After using Chris Van Allsburg's POLAR EXPRESS as a writing prompt, students create a holiday story while working in cooperative learning groups.

• Hatshepsut's Temples and Obelisks (Authored by Melissa Aldridge.)

Subject(s): Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This lesson focuses on one of the great achievements of the first woman ruler known to history. Students create Hatshepsut's Temples and Obelisks using a variety of materials.

• Hectic Hurricanes! (Authored by Peggy Cook.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This activity is a great way to introduce hurricanes into your curriculum. Students will understand the anatomy of a hurricane, the change in energy that occurs during a hurricane and how to track a hurricane.

• Hello... I'd Like You to Meet..... (Authored by Dixie Wheelock.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students interview and introduce each other to the class as an opening activity at the beginning of a new class, semester, or school year. This can be adapted to any group meeting for the first time.

• Help Mary Find Her Way Home (Authored by Carol Harris.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students are introduced to the coordinate plane by using the coordinates of points to direct a lost girl home. In their directions, students will identify the x and y axes in the coordinate plane and the coordinates of a given point in the first quadrant.

• Help Me Learn About the Holocaust (Authored by Carol Rine.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students work in groups using presentation software such as Microsoft PowerPoint to create a slide presentation highlighting the elements of literature contained in Holocaust novels. The slide presentation follows preset criteria.

• Help! I Am Lost at Fox Chapel (Authored by Kathleen Buchnowski.)

Subject(s): Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students create a map to locate places on campus and share the map with another student. The other students use the map to locate certain places and validate for accuracy via a checklist. The parents use the completed map at open house.

• Help! Help! Someone Is Hurt! (Authored by Rebecca Weston.)

Subject(s): Physical Education (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This lesson is designed to teach students a programmed response to any emergency situation that they may encounter during physical education classes without pandemonium breaking out.

• Here Today, Gone Tomorrow (Authored by Sallie Everett.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This lesson is to help students learn the differences between chemical and physical weathering and learn the effects of climate on the weathering process.

• Hero Spontaneous Lecture (Authored by Christine Schuyler.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students select and research a real-life hero. They then prepare short lectures for their classmates based upon the research they gain from a variety of primary and secondary sources.

• Hey Mom, Are We There Yet? (Authored by Farica King.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students locate, organize and interpret information from a variety of sources to create a travel brochure for a selected destination of their choice.

• Hey You! Want to Become a Scientist? (Authored by Cheryl Duty.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students prepare and give oral presentations about assigned scientists and the accomplishments of the scientists after completing research and written reports on their subjects. To make this interesting and fun for the students and teacher, each student can be instructed to create and wear a costume to "become" their designated scientist.

• Hey, Cuz! (Authored by Tisa Craig.)

Subject(s): Music (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students learn the relationships between rhythm and math, tone color and science, form and geography, melody and art, and harmony and social studies. Why, they are like cousins!

• Hey, I Don't Have Enough Stuff! (Authored by Nina Treadway.)

Subject(s): Language Arts, Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students discover through this simulated activity that resources are unequally distributed throughout the world and that regions use resources differently.

• Hide and Seek Vocabulary! (Authored by Linda Gobran.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This activity uses a unique strategy to build student word recognition. Student partners practice new words using their verbal, visual, and kinesthetic intelligences.

• Historical Timelines (Authored by Deborah Brannon.)

Subject(s): Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students learn how to read timelines and make timelines of their own lives by putting special dates of their choice in chronological order.

• Holey Story (Authored by Michelle Gordon.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Holey Story!! Student groups create story sheets with missing vocabulary words. Students locate context clues, justify their work, and evaluate their responses.

• Home Sweet Home (Authored by Kathy Kelly.)

Subject(s): Language Arts, Physical Education (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students create and implement a schedule of activities designed to help their parents improve their physical conditions.

• Honest Abe's Economy of Words (Authored by Deloris Morris.)

Subject(s): Language Arts, Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students write expository essays using the FCAT writing prompt format and the FCAT scoring method and rubric after reading ACROSS FIVE APRILS and a study of the Gettysburg Address

• Honk If You Love Writing (... and Bumper Stickers!) (Authored by Jeannie Overby.)

Subject(s): Language Arts, Visual Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: In this activity, students collect and create bumper stickers and examine how they influence people.

• Household Products - Past to Future (Authored by Judy Marburger.)

Subject(s): Language Arts, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students will research and explore the development of household inventions.

• How Big Is Your House? (Authored by Kenneth Blackman.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: The students will explore geometric formulas involving area by measuring and developing a scale drawing of their own homes. The students will find the area of each room as well as the total area of the house.

• How Can We Organize Study of a Given Place? (Authored by Michelle Gowan.)

Subject(s): Language Arts, Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: The Five Themes of Geography is an organized way to study any area of the world. It is the adopted method of the National Geographic Society. This is a beginning of the year cooperative group activity where students embark in discovery of basic facts about an assigned continent and are asked to organize their information into categories. The Five Themes model is taught and students reshuffle their information appropriately and make a display and class presentation of their findings.

• How Cool Is It ? (Authored by Kenneth Blackman.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: The students will check the outside temperature at 5 different times of the day. The students will use both the Celsius and Fahrenheit scale. The students will then compare their temperatures using a bar graph.

• How Cool Is Your Environment? (Authored by Kenneth Blackman.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: The students calculate heat energy and convert from one temperature scale to another. The students will be able to manipulate formulas need for conversions.

• How Dense Are You? (Authored by Jeri Martin.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: How did Archimedes find the gold crown? Students relate how density is a value that describes the material of which the object is made and is not influenced by the object's shape or size in any way.

• How Do I Get There From Here? (Authored by Joan Jackson.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students use a school map to create a charted course and a corresponding written description of the directions for travel from class to class, beginning with an arrival location in the morning and ending with a departure location in the afternoon.

• How Do You Do? (Authored by Annemarie Hayes.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students research organisms living in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and identify their relationships.

• How Do You Know Where You Are? (Authored by Catherine Dixon.)

Subject(s): Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This activity introduces students to geographic thinking, setting the stage for the creation of a map showing distance, direction, location and symbols from their residences to school.

• How Do Your Students Measure Up? (Authored by Carol Spice.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Have you ever been frustrated trying to show students how to measure accurately and what the little lines on a ruler represent? I was until I found this simple activity to show students how to properly measure with a standard ruler to 1/16th of an inch.

• How Fast Is that Rocket? (Authored by Lisa Locklin.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This lesson will allow the students to calculate the speed of a falling object using measurements from a falling rocket.

• How Fast Is Your Car? (Authored by Kenneth Blackman.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: In this lesson, students discover the relationship between speed, distance, and time. They calculate speed and represent their data graphically.

• How Logical Is Garfield? (Authored by Monica McManus.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students analyze the comics found in the newspaper for samples of logical, emotional, and ethical appeal. They write a paragraph for each selected comic strip explaining how the comic strip represents the use of logic, emotions, or ethics.

• How Long Is Forever? (Authored by Deloris Morris.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students use graphic organizers to predict events that may take place in the novel, [Tuck Everlasting] and make inferences about what is read.

• How Many Bears in the Forest? (Authored by Amelia McCurdy.)

Subject(s): Mathematics, Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students model the tag and recapture of bears and use proportions to estimate the population of the bears in their forest. This is a statistical sampling method used by scientists and naturalist to determine population numbers.

• How Much Do You Really Weigh? (Authored by Margaret Bogan PhD.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students use a computer to analyze how their weights are affected if the students are placed on various planetary bodies. The students will record their findings on a data sheet.

• How to Create a PowerPoint Presentation (Authored by Sheila Sexton.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This activity is designed to help students become familiar with creating a PowerPoint presentation. After being given a demonstration of how PowerPoint works, students create a PowerPoint slide presention that can be used in another subject area. (NETS for Students: 3.1 and 3.2)

• How Unique Are You? (Authored by Suzan Smith.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: In this second lesson of the unit, Where We Come From, the students use traits that they each possess to gain further understanding of dominant and recessive traits. In groups, they survey the class for various dominant and recessive physical trait characteristics. Groups create bar/circle graphs, compile class data into a table, calculate percentages, and recognize characteristics of dominant and recessive traits.

• Human Impact on the Everglades Environment (Authored by Cheryl Darbyshire.)

Subject(s): Language Arts, Science, Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students research changes the Army Corps made in Everglades, focus on the human impact on the environment, design graphic organizers, summary statements, develop a Florida map of the Everglades region and give a presentation about what they learned.

• Human Rights (Authored by Melissa Aldridge.)

Subject(s): Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: During a study of Eleanor Roosevelt, the class examines -The United Nations' Declaration of Human Rights- in order to gain an understanding of the document and to create a list of rights for the classroom.

• Human Sentences (Authored by Leslie Dobbs.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This lesson allows students a hands-on opportunity to learn grammar. The students will work in groups to create human sentences to demonstrate for the class how to correctly use commas when punctuating dates in sentences.

• Hurricanes … Are They Coming to Your Neighborhood? (Authored by Dale Peterson.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Hurricane season (June-October) may result in large storms on the Gulf Coast. Students learn how weather systems influence hurricanes and tropical storms. This lesson enables students to predict landfall of hurricanes and tropical storms.

• I Am a Book (Authored by Leslie Briggs.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students are encouraged to take advantage of their right to read books.

• I Hate My Sibling? (Authored by Dawn Capes.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Can you truly hate your sibling? Students explore this controversial question and examine literary techniques used by the author as they begin to read the book [Jacob Have I Loved].

• I Highly Recommend It (Authored by Carmel Monaghan.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: After reading "The Watsons Go to Birmingham" by Christopher Paul Curtis, students submit critical reviews via the Internet as a way to publish their personal responses to the novel.

• I Just Want to Say (Authored by Dawn Capes.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: I just want to say- I love you, I hate you, things haven’t been easy for me, and much more. Through the use of poetry, people can relay a powerful message. Students study poetic devices included in conversation poems and explore their eloquent messages.

• I Love Navarre (Authored by Regan Lee.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: The Navarre Beach area (or your area) is growing rapidly. The Chamber of Commerce wants help in creating a brochure for families with middle-school students who may be moving to our area. Students engage in a project-based lesson to provide the needed information. Note: This lesson addresses only the part of LA.B.2.3.3 dealing with using appropriate formats, presenting the brochure as one type of persuasive format. This lesson only addresses the part of LA.B.1.3.3 that deals with producing final documents that have been edited for correct spelling and punctuation. Students should have had prior experience and instruction in editing.

• I Need Room to Breathe (Authored by Joe Brock.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students use a ph indicator in a structured inquiry lesson to learn how exercise affects carbon dioxide levels in exhaled air.

• I Think Mom Loves You Best (Authored by Margaret Graham.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This is an introductory lesson for teaching the literary element, point of view. Students apply understanding of information from a picture book story to write their own family position paragraphs.

• I'll Just Charge It (Authored by Beth Santini.)

Subject(s): Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students explore the advantages and disadvantages of credit card use before they fall into the credit trap!

• I'm A Poet and Now I Know It (Authored by Dawn Capes.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This is the final phase of the poetry unit, I’m a Poet and Didn’t Know It! Using ideas generated from other poems and their own inspiration, students create original poetry. A celebration is included as students bind and submit poems for publication.

• I’m a Little Crab Pot (Authored by Dawn Capes.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students delve more deeply into figurative language and conflict/resolution as they complete the novel, Jacob Have I Loved.

• I’m Convinced! (Authored by Kerry McMillen.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: After learning about the various kinds of persuasive techniques used to sell products, students create and write an advertisement for peanut butter.

• Illustrated Quotes of Julius Caesar (Authored by Cynthia Youngblood.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students make a booklet of twenty illustrated quotations from William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar.

• Improving the Quality of Life (Authored by Carson Ealy, Jr..)

Subject(s): Language Arts, Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This lesson focuses on contributions made by individuals of diverse backgrounds in medicine, science and technology.

• In the Presence of Oxygen (Authored by Kathy Kelly.)

Subject(s): Language Arts, Physical Education (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Working in groups, students design a poster depicting aerobic and anaerobic exercises or activities. Posters are set up at stations for students to examine and determine which activities are aerobic and which are anaerobic.

• In Your Prime (Authored by Melanie Malone.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This activity allows students to find prime numbers on their own. They use a method developed a few thousand years ago to discover the primes that are less than 100.

• Income and Outcomes (Authored by Thomas Lucey.)

Subject(s): Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students use peer support to reflect on their spending and how it reflects their income and their values.

• Incredible Inventions That Make A Difference (Authored by Beverly Simpkins.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students use reading and research skills to effectively retrieve and synthesize information about inventions that have made an impact in their lives. This is an introductory lesson on developing timelines.

• Information Sensation! (Authored by Carol Rine.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This is the second lesson in a unit on expository writing. Students are brought up to speed on narrowing the topic, conducting research, and creating source cards. Students practice recording bibliographic information in a research scavenger hunt.

• Information Shuffle (Authored by Carol Rine.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This is the fifth lesson in an expository writing unit. Students are set loose to explore, examine, and evaluate information for a research topic. Ultimately, students shuffle and physically sort their note cards into an organizational pattern for writing.

• Inquiring Minds Want to Know (Middle School Science) (Authored by Melinda Dukes.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Inquiring minds participate in an inquiry-based lesson plan which has them construct an experiment in a scientifically valid way that will shed light on the controversy of nature vs nurture. This is lesson three of the unit, Twin Traits.

• Insulators, Conductors, and Energy Transfer (Authored by Carol Houck.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students conduct experiments to determine what types of material make good insulators.

• Interior Designer for a Day (Authored by Kim Auerbach.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students will organize a 20 x 17 room with a given set of furniture pieces. Arrangement is to be based on maximum comfort and practicality.

• Introducing World War II (Authored by Richard Johnson.)

Subject(s): Language Arts, Social Studies (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students practice listening skills while getting an overview of the events of WWII. Emphasis is placed on events mentioned in the novel, [Jacob Have I Loved]. Writing an FCAT style short response on one of the focal events assesses writing skills.

• Invertebrates, No Backbone, No Problem (Authored by Cheryl Darbyshire.)

Subject(s): Language Arts, Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: Students study characteristics of invertebrates, observe a micro-habitat for two weeks, research an invertebrate, create a profile poster, and present a report.

• Investigating Langston Hughes (Authored by Joan Phillips.)

Subject(s): Language Arts (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: The students will read and appreciate the writing of great American Authors. For example, Langston Hughes was the first African American author to be published and widely acclaimed in the literature world. An investigation into his life and times will give students an insight to his genius. Long term goal: The students will use technology to garner information about famous American authors. The students will have selected sites to explore. The students will learn to save that information from the internet to a disk. The disk will store the data and pictures that will be used later for a PowerPoint presentation. (See PowerPoint attachment.)

• Is It Kinetic or Potential ? (Authored by Carson Ealy, Jr..)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This lesson is an introduction to energy. It allows students to explore real life activities that demonstrate kinetic and potential energy.

• Is It Slimy? Does It Have Fur? Is It Really a Bird? (Authored by Linda Weber.)

Subject(s): Science (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: In this lesson students identify the different types of vertebrate animals based upon their major characteristics, as they create collages in cooperative learning groups. Collages show pictures of vertebrate animals labeled with the appropriate structural characteristics. Students individually complete the lesson by writing in their journals.

• Is Over Of (Authored by Annette Nixon.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: This lesson discusses an often used, but rarely seen in books, method of teaching percents. Former students report this is one of the most useful algorithms learned in class.

• Is the Probability Probable? (Authored by Rita Williams.)

Subject(s): Mathematics (Grade 6 - Grade 8)
Description: The students compare experimental results with mathematical expectations of probabilities. This lesson should be used after students have been introduced to probability and taught how to calculate the mathematical probability of an event's occurrence.

• It Is a Job (Authored by Cynthia Youngblood.)