The growing number of electronics that are becoming obsolete is staggering. The responsible disposal of these materials remains to be a highly debated topic and is one that does not have an easy answer. In this problem-based learning module, students will research this growing issue and provide them opportunities to determine what actions to take. Students will then take their findings and use their research data as evidence to support their position. Groups will create a finished product in the form of a speech, radio broadcast, presentation or persuasive essay to help solve this problem.

In this lesson, students will learn general facts about the voting process and its importance in a democratic form of government. They will research and locate information on the U.S. Constitution and the Amendments that altered voting rights throughout U.S. History. They will become familiar with the importance of voter registration and voting rights while understanding the role government plays in a student’s daily life. They will produce a plan of action, boosting awareness of voter participation and create a computer graphic campaign poster to encourage voter participation and voting awareness.

This middle school lesson from the Anti-Defamation League provides an opportunity for students to learn about Malala Yousafzai, why she won the Nobel Peace Prize and to explore activism projects to address areas of injustice they see in the world.

In this problem-based learning module, students will investigate the following question: Does the state of Ohio suffer from "Brain Drain? " If so why is this, where are people going, & what can be done to stop it? If not, what is keeping/bringing people here? After researching and learning about some of the push-pull factors that drove 19th century European immigration to the United States, student groups will be formed in order research, create, and share their findings to determine whether or not Ohio is a "push " or "pull " state. After the launch activity, students will spend the first two days gaining background knowledge on the historical components and content related to the topic. Beginning on Day 4, students will be grouped into teams to begin research and development of the "BIG IDEA " question of: Does the state of Ohio suffer from "Brain Drain? " If so why is this, where are people going, & what can be done to stop it? If not, what is keeping/bringing people here? Once the groups have determined their position on the problem, they will begin researching information to be able to share out their findings.The final products will be presented to an authentic audience consisting of District Administration (i.e., media relations), Local Administration (elected officials), and possibly, local Chamber of Commerce members

“The Wreck of the Hesperus” is a narrative poem about an arrogant ship captain (skipper) who takes his daughter on an ill-fated voyage across a wintry sea. In this CCSS lesson, students will explore this poem through text dependent questions, academic vocabulary, and writing assignments.

This lesson invites students to reconfigure Meg’s journey into a board game where, as in the novel itself, Meg’s progress is either thwarted or advanced by aspects of her emotional responses to situations, her changing sense of self, and her physical and intellectual experiences.

In this lesson, students identify and analyze folktales. They learn the characteristics of folktales and use them to evaluate existing tales and to create original tales of their own. Students apply the writing process to strengthen writing skills and to develop creativity.

In this lesson asks students to reflect on their writing process, and helps the teacher learn more about students' habits and techniques as writers. Students begin by reading and analyzing the poem "The Writer" by Richard Wilbur, particularly discussing the use of extended metaphor. Students then reflect on their own writing habits, compare themselves as writers to the writer in the poem, and brainstorm possible metaphors for themselves as writers.

In this lesson, students will use the steps of the writing process (brainstorming, drafting, revising, proofreading, and publishing) to write original and, in small groups, perform their fables as skits. Students will also review the elements of a fable, such as theme, in order to create original written fables of their own.

After researching and learning about the possible devastation that would ensue if the Supervolcano at Yellowstone National Park were to erupt, students will work together in this problem-based learning module to use the information to create a news report to inform American citizens of the effects that would ensure in the event of an eruption. When creating the news report, students will be asked to think of a way to capture their audience attention about the topic while still explaining the science behind what is happening at this site. Students will also take the role of a number of different characters (i.e. experts in the field, scientists, concerned citizens, news caster etc.), and show at least one powerful image to aid in telling the story. After the Launch of the activity, students will take time to explore a variety of resources about this topic that will aid them in answering the "need to know " questions needed to create their News. These items should be shared with the students electronically in a collective folder, and students will be asked to gather the information at their own pace. Once students have completed their news story, students will present their final products to an authentic audience consisting of district Administration, and building staff members.

A park ranger needs to build a zipline to drop food supplies to her mentor park ranger at the bottom of a gorge. Unfortunately, she does not have the instructions to build the zipline according to the proper specifications. Without directions, she is unsure of the correct angles to attach her zipline to each tree. Additionally, she needs to figure out how to open the chute to drop the food supplies. Challenge: Create a zip line that will release from her bucket (paper cup) the food supplies (represented by a marble) onto the target (placed 5/8 of the way down the zipline) before the gear reaches the opposite end of the zip line.