English language arts
Mara and the Borrowed Bike: Character Traits with Evidence
Students read an original realistic story, choose trait words for the characters, and back each trait up with evidence from the text.
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English language arts
Paragraph Builder: Topic Sentence, Evidence and Closing
Students put scrambled sentences in order, find the one that does not belong, write topic sentences for two sets of details, and build a four-sentence paragraph.
English language arts
PEEL It Apart: Writing an Analytical Paragraph
Students read a short original story passage, learn the PEEL paragraph structure, and build an analytical paragraph about a character.
Science
Physical or Chemical Change? Sort the Evidence
Students classify twelve everyday changes as physical or chemical, name the evidence, and apply conservation of mass to a rusting problem.
Science
Plate Tectonics: Boundaries and Slow Motion Math
Students identify the three plate boundary types, calculate how far plates move over time and evaluate evidence that continents have moved.
Health & physical ed.
Reading Nutrition Labels: Compare Three Snacks
Students compare three provided nutrition labels, calculate whole-container totals and percent Daily Values, and choose a snack using evidence.
Science
Runoff, Algae and Fish: Reading a Lake Data Set
Students analyze a made-up five-year lake data set to link nutrient runoff to algae growth, low oxygen and fewer fish, then propose a follow-up investigation and a solution.
English language arts
Socratic Seminar Prep Sheet for Any Text
Students prepare quotes and open questions about their current class text, then hold a respectful circle discussion and reflect on it.
Science
Stream Health Detective: Analyzing Water Quality Data
Students read about stream health indicators and analyze a sample five-site data table to rank sites, calculate averages and propose causes of poor water quality.
English language arts
Symbol and Motif Log: The Stopped Clock
Students read a short original story, log repeating images, and decide what they might symbolize before inventing a symbol of their own.
English language arts
Synthesizing Two Sources: Sunday Hours at the Town Library
Students read an original library memo and a resident’s letter about the same facts, compare the two, and write a synthesis that uses both.
Social studies
The Case of the Missing Trophy: A Forensic Reasoning Puzzle
Students analyze evidence in a fictional school theft case, separate direct from circumstantial evidence, and avoid jumping to conclusions.