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Art2Art: Responding to Music through Visual Arts

Arts in Action, Stories and Perspectives

Art2Art: Responding to Music through Visual Arts

ArtsConnection

9 - 12

1 Hour 30 Minutes

Take inspiration from one art form -- music -- and channel it into another -- visual art. Students will create a multimedia collage in response to the mood, meaning, and personal connections they interpret from a piece of music. In this interdisciplinary arts experience, students experiment with drawing and collage materials and explore their artistic process.
This activity is 1 of 2 in the Art2Art: Responding to the Arts through Theater & Visual Art Module, Visit the module for a full list of activities.

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Arts Standards

Arts in Action, Stories and Perspectives

Arts Standards

Mizzen Education, Inc.

3 - 5

45 Minutes

Students work in pairs on an open script with dialogue but no indication of characters, plot, or setting. Students write and perform scenes for the open scripts, and the audience will guess what is happening.

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Ask the Expert

Stories and Perspectives, Belonging and Community

Ask the Expert

Mizzen Education, Inc.

3 - 5

1 Hour

In this group activity, students team up to become experts, and a panel of their peers will ask questions to learn more about their expertise.

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Back-to-Back Drawings

Belonging and Community, Stories and Perspectives

Back-to-Back Drawings

After-School All-Stars

6 - 8

10 Minutes

This drawing and communication activity gets students practicing interpreting what others mean and articulating their own thoughts.

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Backwards Scrabble

Stories and Perspectives, Arts in Action

Backwards Scrabble

Mizzen Education, Inc.

9 - 12

45 Minutes

Students play Scrabble® or other popular word games, but with standard game play turned backwards. They begin by filling the board with words. Then players gain points by identifying the misspelled or phony entries.

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Bad Day Charades

Future Ready: Learning and Earning, We The People

Bad Day Charades

Mizzen Education, Inc.

3 - 5

45 Minutes

Students learn what insurance is, what main types are available, and who needs it. Then they play a game of bad day charades: Groups act out scenarios, and students must guess what is happening in the charade and what type of insurance could be used.

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Balanced Mobile

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, The Natural World

Balanced Mobile

Mizzen Education, Inc.

K - 2

45 Minutes

Children explore balanced forces as they create a mobile using a hanger and various objects. Then, they test their skills by attaching a second hanger with more objects.

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Balloon Rockets Challenge

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, The Natural World

Balloon Rockets Challenge

Mizzen Education, Inc.

3 - 5

45 Minutes

Students design and operate balloon-powered drinking straw rockets. They conduct and evaluate several trials to improve their results.

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Balloon Tower Challenge

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, Leadership and Teamwork

Balloon Tower Challenge

OregonASK

6 - 8

30 Minutes

Students are divided into small teams to build the tallest, free-standing tower they can using just balloons, tape , and a timer!

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Basics of Presenting (Grades 3-5)

Stories and Perspectives, Belonging and Community

Basics of Presenting (Grades 3-5)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

3 - 5

45 Minutes

Students prepare and deliver presentations, focusing on organizing their topic clearly and logically.

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Basics of Presenting (Grades 6-8)

Stories and Perspectives, Belonging and Community

Basics of Presenting (Grades 6-8)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 8

45 Minutes

Students prepare and deliver presentations, focusing on being enthusiastic about their subject and engaging their audience.

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Basics of Presenting (Grades 9-12)

Stories and Perspectives, Belonging and Community

Basics of Presenting (Grades 9-12)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

9 - 12

45 Minutes

Students discuss best practices for delivering a presentation. Then students prepare and deliver a presentation on the topic of their choice.

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Basics of Presenting (Grades K-2)

Stories and Perspectives, Belonging and Community

Basics of Presenting (Grades K-2)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

K - 2

45 Minutes

In this activity, children learn and practice useful rules for public speaking.

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Bats

The Natural World, STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore

Bats

National Wildlife Federation

3 - 8

50 Minutes

Most of the world’s bats eat insects, and in areas with cold winters, that is all they eat. Many tropical bats eat fruit and nectar, and a few are carnivores that eat other animals, including rats and mice, small birds, frogs, lizards, or even fish. Only three out of more than 1,000 species drink blood.

Most experienced bat scientists can guess what a bat eats by looking closely at its adaptations. Each species of bat is adapted for the food it eats. Some bats specialize in eating just one or a few kinds of food, but others are generalists who eat various foods. Special adaptations, such as wings, feet, eyes, nose structure, and mouth structure, allow bats to find and eat certain kinds of food with little or no competition from other species. This is very successful as long as their unique food source is abundant, but such specialization is risky because the kinds of prey, fruit, flowers a bat eats might die out, leaving the bat to starve. Animals that eat various foods can switch types if one disappears, but they cannot compete well with specialized animals for any one food.

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Battle Ball Relay (Team Building) Game

Leadership and Teamwork, Belonging and Community

Battle Ball Relay (Team Building) Game

!Mpact Players

3 - 12

10 Minutes

Each round is a new, tougher challenege as teams race to get their ball across the finsh line first!

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Be Wary of Fraud (Grades 6-8)

Digital Voices, Stories and Perspectives

Be Wary of Fraud (Grades 6-8)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 8

45 Minutes

Each year, unsuspecting people are tricked into sharing personal information online. Students learn about common types of scams, why they are effective, and how to detect them.

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Be a Sales Representative (Grades 3-5)

Future Ready: Learning and Earning, Stories and Perspectives

Be a Sales Representative (Grades 3-5)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

3 - 5

45 Minutes

Successful sales representatives know all of the advantages and disadvantages of their products and how their product compares with the competition. In this activity, students act as sales representatives for brands of sneakers. They deliver sales pitches that portray their products as attractively as possible to potential customers.

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Be a Sales Representative (Grades 6-8)

Future Ready: Learning and Earning, Stories and Perspectives

Be a Sales Representative (Grades 6-8)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 8

45 Minutes

Successful sales representatives know all of the advantages and disadvantages of their products and how their product compares with the competition. In this activity, students act as sales representatives for mobile telephones. They deliver sales pitches that portray their products as attractively as possible to potential customers.

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Be a Sales Representative (Grades 9-12)

Future Ready: Learning and Earning, Leadership and Teamwork

Be a Sales Representative (Grades 9-12)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

9 - 12

45 Minutes

Students take on the role of sales reps as they select, research, and create a sales pitch for a product. They share their pitches with the large group and learn how successful they are at selling their products. Students then discuss and analyze the effectiveness of various sales pitches and evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of the products.

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Be an Assignment Editor: Assigning Reporters and Camera Persons

Digital Voices, Stories and Perspectives

Be an Assignment Editor: Assigning Reporters and Camera Persons

PBS

3 - 5

30 Minutes

Calling all future Assignment Editors! In this activity, students step into the shoes of an Assignment Editor and make crucial decisions about who covers which news story. Join the discussion, share your reasoning, and learn why pairing the right team with a news story is vital to journalism.

This lesson is part of SRL's Be An Assignment Series. This series is also the third section of SRL’s First Module From Concept to Screen: Building Your News Hour. The module is broken into three sections. The first two contain lessons that can be completed as standalone activities or as part of a series. All three sections converge to provide a powerful and fun introduction to producing and hosting news shows. The module is followed by a second that deepens student knowledge and skills.

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Be an Assignment Editor: Design Your News Hour Main Stage

Digital Voices, Arts in Action

Be an Assignment Editor: Design Your News Hour Main Stage

PBS

3 - 5

30 Minutes

Lights, camera, design! In this lesson, budding news show creators become stage designers. They craft the perfect main stage that looks amazing and reflects a show's theme and brand.

This is the culminating lesson in SRL’s module From Concept to Screen: Building Your News Hour. Students must complete the previous 20 lessons before attempting this activity. This module is followed by a second that deepens student knowledge and skills.

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Be an Assignment Editor: Multiple Sources

Digital Voices, Stories and Perspectives

Be an Assignment Editor: Multiple Sources

PBS

3 - 5

30 Minutes

Learn why journalists always seek multiple sources and the critical role of fact verification in reporting the truth.

This lesson is part of SRL's Be An Assignment Series. This series is also the third section of SRL’s First Module From Concept to Screen: Building Your News Hour. The module is broken into three sections. The first two contain lessons that can be completed as standalone activities or as part of a series. All three sections converge to provide a powerful and fun introduction to producing and hosting news shows. The module is followed by a second that deepens student knowledge and skills.

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Be an Assignment Editor: Pick an Angle

Digital Voices, Stories and Perspectives

Be an Assignment Editor: Pick an Angle

PBS

3 - 5

30 Minutes

Unlock the secrets of journalism in today's investigative lesson! Join us in playing detective, decoding clues, and uncovering the key to journalism - finding the story or angle! Get ready to think critically and collaborate with your fellow reporters.

This lesson is part of SRL's Be An Assignment Series. This series is also the third section of SRL’s First Module From Concept to Screen: Building Your News Hour. The module is broken into three sections. The first two contain lessons that can be completed as standalone activities or as part of a series. All three sections converge to provide a powerful and fun introduction to producing and hosting news shows. The module is followed by a second that deepens student knowledge and skills.

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Be an Assignment Editor: Understanding Perspectives

Digital Voices, Stories and Perspectives

Be an Assignment Editor: Understanding Perspectives

PBS

3 - 5

30 Minutes

Sharpen your awareness! Students explore how selective attention can affect memory and perception in journalism and reporting. Join us in mastering the art of trustworthy reporting!


This lesson can be completed independently. It is also lesson 1 in SRL’s Be An Assignment Editor Series and is the 16th lesson in SRL’s Module From Concept to Screen: Building Your News Hour.

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Beach Ball Math

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, Leadership and Teamwork

Beach Ball Math

Foundations, Inc.

K - 8

30 Minutes

This game allows kids to move while they practice their math skills, engaging youth with kinesthetic and tactile learning.

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Bees

The Natural World, STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore

Bees

National Wildlife Federation

K - 8

50 Minutes

Like all insects, a bee’s body is divided into three parts: a head with two antennae, a thorax with six legs, and an abdomen. All bees have branched hairs somewhere on their bodies and two pairs of wings. Only female bees have stingers. Many bee species have black and yellow coloration, but many do not—they come in various colors, including green, blue, red, or black. Some are striped, and some even have a metallic sheen. They range in size from large carpenter bees and bumblebees to the tiny Perdita minima bee, which is less than two millimeters long.

There are over 20,000 bee species worldwide, including the honey bee, which originated in Eurasia and has been imported worldwide as a domesticated species. Wild bee species live on every continent except Antarctica. In North America, there are approximately 4,000 native bee species occupying ecosystems from forests to deserts to grasslands. Bees feed exclusively on sugary nectar and protein-rich pollen from flowering plants, unlike the predatory wasps from which they evolved. As they forage, bees perform the critical act of pollination. Bees pollinate a staggering 80 percent of all flowering plants, including approximately 75% percent of the fruits, nuts, and vegetables grown in the United States. Though all female bees can sting, they only do so when threatened.

Unlike the hive-forming domesticated honey bee or wild bumble bee species, most bees are solitary nesters. They don’t form hives, create honey, or live a communal lifestyle. Instead, they lay their eggs in a series of tiny chambers in tunnels in the ground, hollow plant stems, or decaying wood.

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Benefits of Martial Arts

Whole Body, Whole Self, Belonging and Community

Benefits of Martial Arts

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 8

45 Minutes

In this activity, students research the benefits of martial arts and engage in a whole-group discussion about the practice and discipline of martial arts.

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Benjamin Franklin

We The People, Stories and Perspectives

Benjamin Franklin

Mizzen Education, Inc.

K - 2

45 Minutes

Children learn about Benjamin Franklin by listening to the leader read a picture book. Then the work in small groups to create a poster about Franklin.

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Beyond the Headlines: Analyzing the Core of News Shows

Digital Voices, Stories and Perspectives

Beyond the Headlines: Analyzing the Core of News Shows

PBS

3 - 5

45 Minutes

Ready to uncover news show secrets? Join us as students unravel the mysteries of news show structures and use their newfound knowledge to create their very own news show!

This activity can be completed as a standalone lesson. It is best completed as part of SRL’s Beyond the Headlines 4-part series. This short series is also the first section of SRL’s First Module From Concept to Screen: Building Your News Hour. The module is broken into three sections. The first two contain lessons that can be completed as standalone activities or as part of a series. All three sections converge to provide a powerful and fun introduction to producing and hosting news shows. The module is followed by a second that deepens student knowledge and skills.

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Beyond the Headlines: Color Stories

Digital Voices, Arts in Action

Beyond the Headlines: Color Stories

PBS

3 - 5

30 Minutes

Dive into the colorful world of emotions and branding! Students get hands-on with colors, decode logo meanings, and craft a captivating color story for their news show. It's market research like never before!

This activity can be completed as a standalone lesson. It is best completed as part of SRL’s Beyond the Headlines 4-part series. This short series is also the first section of SRL’s First Module From Concept to Screen: Building Your News Hour. The module is broken into three sections. The first two contain lessons that can be completed as standalone activities or as part of a series. All three sections converge to provide a powerful and fun introduction to producing and hosting news shows. The module is followed by a second that deepens student knowledge and skills.

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Beyond the Headlines: Designing My Pitch

Digital Voices, Stories and Perspectives

Beyond the Headlines: Designing My Pitch

PBS

3 - 5

30 Minutes

Ready to master the art of the pitch? Students learn how to craft a persuasive pitch by watching Shark Tank pitches, collaboratively developing key sentences, and creating their pitches for a News Hour show. They'll then pitch their ideas to peers, receiving valuable feedback and enhancing their pitching skills.

This is the culminating activity of SRL’s Headlines 4-part series. This short series is also the first section of SRL’s First Module From Concept to Screen: Building Your News Hour. The module is broken into three sections. The first two contain lessons that can be completed as standalone activities or as part of a series. All three sections converge to provide a powerful and fun introduction to producing and hosting news shows. The module is followed by a second that deepens student knowledge and skills.

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Beyond the Headlines: Sneaky Logos

Digital Voices, Arts in Action

Beyond the Headlines: Sneaky Logos

PBS

3 - 5

30 Minutes

Dive into the world of iconic logos! In this lesson, we decode why our brains love images over words, transform plain logos into iconic masterpieces, and give friendly feedback. Get ready to unleash your inner designer!

This activity can be completed as a standalone lesson. It is best completed as part of SRL’s Beyond the Headlines 4-part series. This short series is also the first section of SRL’s First Module From Concept to Screen: Building Your News Hour. The module is broken into three sections. The first two contain lessons that can be completed as standalone activities or as part of a series. All three sections converge to provide a powerful and fun introduction to producing and hosting news shows. The module is followed by a second that deepens student knowledge and skills.

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Bicycle 2.0

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, Arts in Action

Bicycle 2.0

Mizzen Education, Inc.

3 - 5

45 Minutes

All of us are familiar with bicycles, and many of us enjoy riding them. What if we could make that experience even better? In today’s activity, students create new designs for bicycles to make them more convenient or useful for transportation.

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Big Data Comes with Big Issues

Digital Voices, STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore

Big Data Comes with Big Issues

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 8

45 Minutes

Many internet users often claim that “anything can be found online” or that “information is just a point, click, tap, or swipe away.” However, are we sacrificing our privacy in exchange for the convenience that the internet offers? In this activity, students will watch a video about how data is collected and used online, and then consider the benefits and consequences of this system.

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Blanket Toss (Team Building) Game

Leadership and Teamwork, Belonging and Community

Blanket Toss (Team Building) Game

!Mpact Players

3 - 12

15 Minutes

Heave piles of stuffed animals across the room from one sheet to another!

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Blog

Stories and Perspectives, Digital Voices

Blog

Mizzen Education, Inc.

9 - 12

45 Minutes

Students have an opportunity to review a blog written by a high-school student. After briefly reviewing the blog, students try their hand at drafting their own blog posts.

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Blogging 101

Digital Voices, Stories and Perspectives

Blogging 101

Mizzen Education, Inc.

9 - 12

45 Minutes

Students learn how to develop their own blog. They begin by discussing what a blog is. Students then form teams to review examples of teen blogs and brainstorm traits that make a blog appealing. They also create a list of and safety tips for bloggers. Next, they watch a video to get advice from a teen blogger, and incorporate that advice into their own lists of tips. Finally, students work together to design a team blog in slideshow software, and each team member writes his or her own blog entry.

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Body Language

Belonging and Community, Stories and Perspectives

Body Language

PBS

3 - 5

45 Minutes

Explore the power of body language in interviews! In this exciting lesson, students dive into the world of non-verbal communication. They play interactive games, watch videos, and create Body Language Stories to master the art of body language. By the end, they're equipped with the skills to convey messages beyond words.

This is lesson 14 in “Building a News Hour,” the second module from PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs’ module series.

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Book Design (Grades 3-5)

Arts in Action, Stories and Perspectives

Book Design (Grades 3-5)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

3 - 5

45 Minutes

Students look at and discuss art depicting food and then illustrate a foldable book presenting their favorite foods and how to make them.

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Book Design (Grades K-2)

Arts in Action, Stories and Perspectives

Book Design (Grades K-2)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

K - 2

45 Minutes

Children look at and discuss art depicting foods and then illustrate a foldable book presenting their favorite foods.

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Brand Design Mood Board (Grades 6-8)

Arts in Action, Digital Voices

Brand Design Mood Board (Grades 6-8)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 8

45 Minutes

Students will use design elements and principles (colors, images, shapes, etc.) to create a mood board that promotes a new brand for an influencer, celebrity, or sports figure they admire.

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Brand Design Mood Board (Grades 9-12)

Arts in Action, Digital Voices

Brand Design Mood Board (Grades 9-12)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

9 - 12

45 Minutes

Students will use design elements and principles (colors, images, shapes, etc.) to create a mood board to promote their own business brand concept.

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Say Thanks!

Belonging and Community, Stories and Perspectives

Say Thanks!

kid-grit

K - 2

20 Minutes

In this closing activity, students identify an act of kindness they witnessed and create a letter or picture of thanks to share with the person who was kind.

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I Am Not My Actions

Belonging and Community, Whole Body, Whole Self

I Am Not My Actions

kid-grit

3 - 5

15 Minutes

In this opening activity, students will learn that a negative behavior does not define who they are as a person. A negative behavior is an action that doesn't have to be permanent.

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Food Tycoon (Team Building) Game

Arts in Action, Future Ready: Learning and Earning

Food Tycoon (Team Building) Game

!Mpact Players

K - 12

30 Minutes

Earn cash, customers, and compliments at your newly-created restaurant featuring your famous signature dish and motto!

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The Artist and The Describer (Team Building) Game

Arts in Action, Belonging and Community

The Artist and The Describer (Team Building) Game

!Mpact Players

3 - 12

25 Minutes

Artists will replicate masterpieces using only verbal descriptions from their partner!

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Brands Remembered and Forgotten

We The People, Future Ready: Learning and Earning

Brands Remembered and Forgotten

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 8

45 Minutes

The history of American business includes long lists of brands that were widely popular but only for brief periods of time. In this activity, students view the logos or images that represent a wide variety of brands, some long-defunct, others current and familiar. They will recognize that for any business, public recognition and popularity can be fleeting, and decades-long success is rare.

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Break the Box

Arts in Action, Digital Voices

Break the Box

Jazz at Lincoln Center

3 - 8

2 Hours

Students learn basic stick notation and how to organize the notation into bars. They layer created patterns to alter the depth and complexity of the sound.

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Brief but Spectacular

Digital Voices, Stories and Perspectives

Brief but Spectacular

PBS

6 - 12

2 Hours

Essential Question: Who in your community is raising awareness around an issue that they are passionate about and spurring others to action?

Overview

To date, Brief but Spectacular has produced over 200 episodes with a mix of well-known guests like Alec Baldwin and lesser known guests like a musician who uses his art to “groove change.” The videos have earned millions of views and students have also engaged with the series to create their own videos. That’s where you come in: shoot a conversational interview with someone in your community who is making a difference and edit it using Brief but Spectacular’s storytelling style.

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Broadcast News (Student Reporting Labs)

Digital Voices, We The People

Broadcast News (Student Reporting Labs)

PBS

6 - 12

50 Minutes

How does news get from the front lines to your feed? Let’s take a look behind the curtain...

Students will gain an understanding of what constitutes broadcast news and how it’s produced. They will use this knowledge to work backwards, investigating and critically analyzing news stories they’ve recently encountered.

This is activity 6 of 16 in the PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs Module. Visit the Module to learn more before getting started.

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Bucket Race

Leadership and Teamwork, Belonging and Community

Bucket Race

Mizzen Education, Inc.

3 - 5

45 Minutes

In this activity, teams compete against each other to carry a bucket of tennis balls from one end of a course to another. This activity builds teamwork and collaboration skills.

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Build An Extension Arm

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, The Natural World

Build An Extension Arm

OregonASK

6 - 12

45 Minutes

In this activity, students learn about engineering as they design, build and test an extension arm.

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Build Like a Musician

Arts in Action, Digital Voices

Build Like a Musician

Jazz at Lincoln Center

3 - 8

2 Hours

Students learn the basic elements of rhythm. They arrange and rearrange the basic elements to explore various ways to create movement in music. Students will also layer basic patterns to create complex rhythms, mimicking the sounds of jazz.

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Build Your Own Roller Coaster

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, The Natural World

Build Your Own Roller Coaster

OregonASK

6 - 8

1 Hour

Students create their own roller coasters! Working in teams, students get as creative as they want to make the best roller coasters.

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Build a Better Mousetrap (Grades 3-5)

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, Arts in Action

Build a Better Mousetrap (Grades 3-5)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

3 - 5

45 Minutes

Students consider how inventions are improved over time. They select an everyday product and work as a team to improve or update it by outlining its new features, sketching a prototype, and comparing it to the original invention. This activity builds design and collaboration skills as well as creative thinking skills.

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Build a Better Mousetrap (Grades 6-8)

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, Future Ready: Learning and Earning

Build a Better Mousetrap (Grades 6-8)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 8

45 Minutes

Student teams work together to improve an existing product and then present their ideas to the group. This activity builds analytical thinking and cooperative learning skills while developing speaking and listening skills.

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Build a Better Mousetrap (Grades 9-12)

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, Future Ready: Learning and Earning

Build a Better Mousetrap (Grades 9-12)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

9 - 12

45 Minutes

Student teams work together to improve an existing product and then present their ideas to the group. This activity builds analytical thinking and cooperative learning skills while developing speaking and listening skills.

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Build the Strongest Bridge

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, The Natural World

Build the Strongest Bridge

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 8

45 Minutes

Students build two bridges and then test them to see which can carry the greater load. This activity builds engineering and critical-thinking skills as well as cooperative learning and design skills.

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Building Canoes

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, The Natural World

Building Canoes

OregonASK

6 - 12

1 Hour 15 Minutes

In this activity, students learn to engineer a canoe out of popsicle sticks and other everyday materials.

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Building Card Houses

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, The Natural World

Building Card Houses

OregonASK

6 - 8

1 Hour

Students work with cards to complete a structure-building challenge.

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Building Well-rounded Teams: Step in the Circle If...

Belonging and Community, Leadership and Teamwork

Building Well-rounded Teams: Step in the Circle If...

After-School All-Stars

6 - 12

30 Minutes

Students recognize diverse skills and strengths, prompting the building of well-rounded and collaborative teams.

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Building a Buzzer Alarm

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, The Natural World

Building a Buzzer Alarm

OregonASK

6 - 8

45 Minutes

Students create a circuit that causes an alarm to trigger. In addition, they learn about electrical currents and circuits!

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Building a Mini Greenhouse

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, The Natural World

Building a Mini Greenhouse

OregonASK

6 - 8

1 Hour

Students make a mini greenhouse and learn about how they work.

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Buoyancy

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, The Natural World

Buoyancy

OregonASK

6 - 8

30 Minutes

Students learn about buoyancy, density, and force by testing materials to build water crafts. Which will float, sink, or sit on the surface?

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Business Skills: Job Interview

Future Ready: Learning and Earning, Leadership and Teamwork

Business Skills: Job Interview

Mizzen Education, Inc.

9 - 12

45 Minutes

In this activity, students will explore the role of interviewing in business. They will begin by identifying the purpose of an interview and brainstorming a list of properties or characteristics of interviews in the business world. Next, working in teams, student will develop a job description and interview questions. They then pair up to take turns role-playing an interviewer and an applicant.

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Call to Service (Grades 9-12)

Belonging and Community, We The People

Call to Service (Grades 9-12)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

9 - 12

45 Minutes

Students research and create a slideshow presentation about a service project that they think is worthy of their efforts in a future afterschool session. The group then votes on which project to take on in a future session.

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Call to Service(Grades 6-8)

Belonging and Community, Leadership and Teamwork

Call to Service(Grades 6-8)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 8

45 Minutes

Students research and present a service project that they think is worthy of their efforts in a future afterschool session. The group then votes on which project to take on in a future session.

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Can Water Get Through?

The Natural World, STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore

Can Water Get Through?

The Nature Conservancy

9 - 12

1 Hour

Youth explore the interactions between water and permeable and impermeable surfaces. Through engaging hands-on experiments, youth uncover how humans are shaping our Earth’s water flow.

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Can You Guess This Fictional Character?

Stories and Perspectives, Digital Voices

Can You Guess This Fictional Character?

Mizzen Education, Inc.

K - 2

45 Minutes

In this activity, children try to guess a fictional character by listening to a description by another child. One child randomly picks a slip with a character's name. That child then describes the character without using their name while the group tries to guess who it is. After everyone has a turn, the group reconvenes for discussion.

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Can You Patent It?

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, Future Ready: Learning and Earning

Can You Patent It?

Mizzen Education, Inc.

9 - 12

45 Minutes

Youth learn about patentable ideas. Youth discuss and assess whether hypothetical ideas are patentable and think of their own invention that could be patented.

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Canada Tourism Bureau

We The People, Stories and Perspectives

Canada Tourism Bureau

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 8

45 Minutes

Students create a tourism slideshow presentation to promote the country of Canada.

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Carbon Cycle Role-Play

The Natural World, STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore

Carbon Cycle Role-Play

California Academy of Sciences

3 - 12

45 Minutes

How does the finite amount of carbon on this planet move around in the environment, from one place to another? How do the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere interact? In this active demonstration, students model the carbon cycle, and consider ways in which human actions play a role.

Discover Activity

Card Tricks

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, Arts in Action

Card Tricks

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 8

45 Minutes

Children, teens, and adults are familiar with card tricks as entertainment for parties or stage shows. For educators, however, card tricks offer a novel way to teach skills in logic, reasoning, and problem-solving. In this activity, students will witness 4 card tricks and then attempt to explain and recreate them. They may discover that a card trick, like other illusions, is successful only when all of its details are mastered.

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Career Bingo (Grades 3-5)

Future Ready: Learning and Earning, We The People

Career Bingo (Grades 3-5)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

3 - 5

45 Minutes

Students learn about a wide variety of careers as they play a version of bingo.

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Career Bingo (Grades 6-8)

Future Ready: Learning and Earning, We The People

Career Bingo (Grades 6-8)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 8

45 Minutes

In this fun activity, students learn about a wide variety of careers as they play a version of bingo, the classic party game.

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Art2Art: Responding to Music through Visual Arts

Arts in Action, Stories and Perspectives

Art2Art: Responding to Music through Visual Arts

ArtsConnection

9 - 12

1 Hour 30 Minutes

Take inspiration from one art form -- music -- and channel it into another -- visual art. Students will create a multimedia collage in response to the mood, meaning, and personal connections they interpret from a piece of music. In this interdisciplinary arts experience, students experiment with drawing and collage materials and explore their artistic process.
This activity is 1 of 2 in the Art2Art: Responding to the Arts through Theater & Visual Art Module, Visit the module for a full list of activities.

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Arts Standards

Arts in Action, Stories and Perspectives

Arts Standards

Mizzen Education, Inc.

3 - 5

45 Minutes

Students work in pairs on an open script with dialogue but no indication of characters, plot, or setting. Students write and perform scenes for the open scripts, and the audience will guess what is happening.

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Ask the Expert

Stories and Perspectives, Belonging and Community

Ask the Expert

Mizzen Education, Inc.

3 - 5

1 Hour

In this group activity, students team up to become experts, and a panel of their peers will ask questions to learn more about their expertise.

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Back-to-Back Drawings

Belonging and Community, Stories and Perspectives

Back-to-Back Drawings

After-School All-Stars

6 - 8

10 Minutes

This drawing and communication activity gets students practicing interpreting what others mean and articulating their own thoughts.

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Backwards Scrabble

Stories and Perspectives, Arts in Action

Backwards Scrabble

Mizzen Education, Inc.

9 - 12

45 Minutes

Students play Scrabble® or other popular word games, but with standard game play turned backwards. They begin by filling the board with words. Then players gain points by identifying the misspelled or phony entries.

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Bad Day Charades

Future Ready: Learning and Earning, We The People

Bad Day Charades

Mizzen Education, Inc.

3 - 5

45 Minutes

Students learn what insurance is, what main types are available, and who needs it. Then they play a game of bad day charades: Groups act out scenarios, and students must guess what is happening in the charade and what type of insurance could be used.

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Balanced Mobile

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, The Natural World

Balanced Mobile

Mizzen Education, Inc.

K - 2

45 Minutes

Children explore balanced forces as they create a mobile using a hanger and various objects. Then, they test their skills by attaching a second hanger with more objects.

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Balloon Rockets Challenge

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, The Natural World

Balloon Rockets Challenge

Mizzen Education, Inc.

3 - 5

45 Minutes

Students design and operate balloon-powered drinking straw rockets. They conduct and evaluate several trials to improve their results.

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Balloon Tower Challenge

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, Leadership and Teamwork

Balloon Tower Challenge

OregonASK

6 - 8

30 Minutes

Students are divided into small teams to build the tallest, free-standing tower they can using just balloons, tape , and a timer!

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Basics of Presenting (Grades 3-5)

Stories and Perspectives, Belonging and Community

Basics of Presenting (Grades 3-5)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

3 - 5

45 Minutes

Students prepare and deliver presentations, focusing on organizing their topic clearly and logically.

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Basics of Presenting (Grades 6-8)

Stories and Perspectives, Belonging and Community

Basics of Presenting (Grades 6-8)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 8

45 Minutes

Students prepare and deliver presentations, focusing on being enthusiastic about their subject and engaging their audience.

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Basics of Presenting (Grades 9-12)

Stories and Perspectives, Belonging and Community

Basics of Presenting (Grades 9-12)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

9 - 12

45 Minutes

Students discuss best practices for delivering a presentation. Then students prepare and deliver a presentation on the topic of their choice.

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Basics of Presenting (Grades K-2)

Stories and Perspectives, Belonging and Community

Basics of Presenting (Grades K-2)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

K - 2

45 Minutes

In this activity, children learn and practice useful rules for public speaking.

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Bats

The Natural World, STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore

Bats

National Wildlife Federation

3 - 8

50 Minutes

Most of the world’s bats eat insects, and in areas with cold winters, that is all they eat. Many tropical bats eat fruit and nectar, and a few are carnivores that eat other animals, including rats and mice, small birds, frogs, lizards, or even fish. Only three out of more than 1,000 species drink blood.

Most experienced bat scientists can guess what a bat eats by looking closely at its adaptations. Each species of bat is adapted for the food it eats. Some bats specialize in eating just one or a few kinds of food, but others are generalists who eat various foods. Special adaptations, such as wings, feet, eyes, nose structure, and mouth structure, allow bats to find and eat certain kinds of food with little or no competition from other species. This is very successful as long as their unique food source is abundant, but such specialization is risky because the kinds of prey, fruit, flowers a bat eats might die out, leaving the bat to starve. Animals that eat various foods can switch types if one disappears, but they cannot compete well with specialized animals for any one food.

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Battle Ball Relay (Team Building) Game

Leadership and Teamwork, Belonging and Community

Battle Ball Relay (Team Building) Game

!Mpact Players

3 - 12

10 Minutes

Each round is a new, tougher challenege as teams race to get their ball across the finsh line first!

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Be Wary of Fraud (Grades 6-8)

Digital Voices, Stories and Perspectives

Be Wary of Fraud (Grades 6-8)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 8

45 Minutes

Each year, unsuspecting people are tricked into sharing personal information online. Students learn about common types of scams, why they are effective, and how to detect them.

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Be a Sales Representative (Grades 3-5)

Future Ready: Learning and Earning, Stories and Perspectives

Be a Sales Representative (Grades 3-5)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

3 - 5

45 Minutes

Successful sales representatives know all of the advantages and disadvantages of their products and how their product compares with the competition. In this activity, students act as sales representatives for brands of sneakers. They deliver sales pitches that portray their products as attractively as possible to potential customers.

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Be a Sales Representative (Grades 6-8)

Future Ready: Learning and Earning, Stories and Perspectives

Be a Sales Representative (Grades 6-8)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 8

45 Minutes

Successful sales representatives know all of the advantages and disadvantages of their products and how their product compares with the competition. In this activity, students act as sales representatives for mobile telephones. They deliver sales pitches that portray their products as attractively as possible to potential customers.

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Be a Sales Representative (Grades 9-12)

Future Ready: Learning and Earning, Leadership and Teamwork

Be a Sales Representative (Grades 9-12)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

9 - 12

45 Minutes

Students take on the role of sales reps as they select, research, and create a sales pitch for a product. They share their pitches with the large group and learn how successful they are at selling their products. Students then discuss and analyze the effectiveness of various sales pitches and evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of the products.

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Be an Assignment Editor: Assigning Reporters and Camera Persons

Digital Voices, Stories and Perspectives

Be an Assignment Editor: Assigning Reporters and Camera Persons

PBS

3 - 5

30 Minutes

Calling all future Assignment Editors! In this activity, students step into the shoes of an Assignment Editor and make crucial decisions about who covers which news story. Join the discussion, share your reasoning, and learn why pairing the right team with a news story is vital to journalism.

This lesson is part of SRL's Be An Assignment Series. This series is also the third section of SRL’s First Module From Concept to Screen: Building Your News Hour. The module is broken into three sections. The first two contain lessons that can be completed as standalone activities or as part of a series. All three sections converge to provide a powerful and fun introduction to producing and hosting news shows. The module is followed by a second that deepens student knowledge and skills.

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Be an Assignment Editor: Design Your News Hour Main Stage

Digital Voices, Arts in Action

Be an Assignment Editor: Design Your News Hour Main Stage

PBS

3 - 5

30 Minutes

Lights, camera, design! In this lesson, budding news show creators become stage designers. They craft the perfect main stage that looks amazing and reflects a show's theme and brand.

This is the culminating lesson in SRL’s module From Concept to Screen: Building Your News Hour. Students must complete the previous 20 lessons before attempting this activity. This module is followed by a second that deepens student knowledge and skills.

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Be an Assignment Editor: Multiple Sources

Digital Voices, Stories and Perspectives

Be an Assignment Editor: Multiple Sources

PBS

3 - 5

30 Minutes

Learn why journalists always seek multiple sources and the critical role of fact verification in reporting the truth.

This lesson is part of SRL's Be An Assignment Series. This series is also the third section of SRL’s First Module From Concept to Screen: Building Your News Hour. The module is broken into three sections. The first two contain lessons that can be completed as standalone activities or as part of a series. All three sections converge to provide a powerful and fun introduction to producing and hosting news shows. The module is followed by a second that deepens student knowledge and skills.

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Be an Assignment Editor: Pick an Angle

Digital Voices, Stories and Perspectives

Be an Assignment Editor: Pick an Angle

PBS

3 - 5

30 Minutes

Unlock the secrets of journalism in today's investigative lesson! Join us in playing detective, decoding clues, and uncovering the key to journalism - finding the story or angle! Get ready to think critically and collaborate with your fellow reporters.

This lesson is part of SRL's Be An Assignment Series. This series is also the third section of SRL’s First Module From Concept to Screen: Building Your News Hour. The module is broken into three sections. The first two contain lessons that can be completed as standalone activities or as part of a series. All three sections converge to provide a powerful and fun introduction to producing and hosting news shows. The module is followed by a second that deepens student knowledge and skills.

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Be an Assignment Editor: Understanding Perspectives

Digital Voices, Stories and Perspectives

Be an Assignment Editor: Understanding Perspectives

PBS

3 - 5

30 Minutes

Sharpen your awareness! Students explore how selective attention can affect memory and perception in journalism and reporting. Join us in mastering the art of trustworthy reporting!


This lesson can be completed independently. It is also lesson 1 in SRL’s Be An Assignment Editor Series and is the 16th lesson in SRL’s Module From Concept to Screen: Building Your News Hour.

Discover Activity

Beach Ball Math

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, Leadership and Teamwork

Beach Ball Math

Foundations, Inc.

K - 8

30 Minutes

This game allows kids to move while they practice their math skills, engaging youth with kinesthetic and tactile learning.

Discover Activity

Bees

The Natural World, STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore

Bees

National Wildlife Federation

K - 8

50 Minutes

Like all insects, a bee’s body is divided into three parts: a head with two antennae, a thorax with six legs, and an abdomen. All bees have branched hairs somewhere on their bodies and two pairs of wings. Only female bees have stingers. Many bee species have black and yellow coloration, but many do not—they come in various colors, including green, blue, red, or black. Some are striped, and some even have a metallic sheen. They range in size from large carpenter bees and bumblebees to the tiny Perdita minima bee, which is less than two millimeters long.

There are over 20,000 bee species worldwide, including the honey bee, which originated in Eurasia and has been imported worldwide as a domesticated species. Wild bee species live on every continent except Antarctica. In North America, there are approximately 4,000 native bee species occupying ecosystems from forests to deserts to grasslands. Bees feed exclusively on sugary nectar and protein-rich pollen from flowering plants, unlike the predatory wasps from which they evolved. As they forage, bees perform the critical act of pollination. Bees pollinate a staggering 80 percent of all flowering plants, including approximately 75% percent of the fruits, nuts, and vegetables grown in the United States. Though all female bees can sting, they only do so when threatened.

Unlike the hive-forming domesticated honey bee or wild bumble bee species, most bees are solitary nesters. They don’t form hives, create honey, or live a communal lifestyle. Instead, they lay their eggs in a series of tiny chambers in tunnels in the ground, hollow plant stems, or decaying wood.

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Benefits of Martial Arts

Whole Body, Whole Self, Belonging and Community

Benefits of Martial Arts

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 8

45 Minutes

In this activity, students research the benefits of martial arts and engage in a whole-group discussion about the practice and discipline of martial arts.

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Benjamin Franklin

We The People, Stories and Perspectives

Benjamin Franklin

Mizzen Education, Inc.

K - 2

45 Minutes

Children learn about Benjamin Franklin by listening to the leader read a picture book. Then the work in small groups to create a poster about Franklin.

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Beyond the Headlines: Analyzing the Core of News Shows

Digital Voices, Stories and Perspectives

Beyond the Headlines: Analyzing the Core of News Shows

PBS

3 - 5

45 Minutes

Ready to uncover news show secrets? Join us as students unravel the mysteries of news show structures and use their newfound knowledge to create their very own news show!

This activity can be completed as a standalone lesson. It is best completed as part of SRL’s Beyond the Headlines 4-part series. This short series is also the first section of SRL’s First Module From Concept to Screen: Building Your News Hour. The module is broken into three sections. The first two contain lessons that can be completed as standalone activities or as part of a series. All three sections converge to provide a powerful and fun introduction to producing and hosting news shows. The module is followed by a second that deepens student knowledge and skills.

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Beyond the Headlines: Color Stories

Digital Voices, Arts in Action

Beyond the Headlines: Color Stories

PBS

3 - 5

30 Minutes

Dive into the colorful world of emotions and branding! Students get hands-on with colors, decode logo meanings, and craft a captivating color story for their news show. It's market research like never before!

This activity can be completed as a standalone lesson. It is best completed as part of SRL’s Beyond the Headlines 4-part series. This short series is also the first section of SRL’s First Module From Concept to Screen: Building Your News Hour. The module is broken into three sections. The first two contain lessons that can be completed as standalone activities or as part of a series. All three sections converge to provide a powerful and fun introduction to producing and hosting news shows. The module is followed by a second that deepens student knowledge and skills.

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Beyond the Headlines: Designing My Pitch

Digital Voices, Stories and Perspectives

Beyond the Headlines: Designing My Pitch

PBS

3 - 5

30 Minutes

Ready to master the art of the pitch? Students learn how to craft a persuasive pitch by watching Shark Tank pitches, collaboratively developing key sentences, and creating their pitches for a News Hour show. They'll then pitch their ideas to peers, receiving valuable feedback and enhancing their pitching skills.

This is the culminating activity of SRL’s Headlines 4-part series. This short series is also the first section of SRL’s First Module From Concept to Screen: Building Your News Hour. The module is broken into three sections. The first two contain lessons that can be completed as standalone activities or as part of a series. All three sections converge to provide a powerful and fun introduction to producing and hosting news shows. The module is followed by a second that deepens student knowledge and skills.

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Beyond the Headlines: Sneaky Logos

Digital Voices, Arts in Action

Beyond the Headlines: Sneaky Logos

PBS

3 - 5

30 Minutes

Dive into the world of iconic logos! In this lesson, we decode why our brains love images over words, transform plain logos into iconic masterpieces, and give friendly feedback. Get ready to unleash your inner designer!

This activity can be completed as a standalone lesson. It is best completed as part of SRL’s Beyond the Headlines 4-part series. This short series is also the first section of SRL’s First Module From Concept to Screen: Building Your News Hour. The module is broken into three sections. The first two contain lessons that can be completed as standalone activities or as part of a series. All three sections converge to provide a powerful and fun introduction to producing and hosting news shows. The module is followed by a second that deepens student knowledge and skills.

Discover Activity

Bicycle 2.0

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, Arts in Action

Bicycle 2.0

Mizzen Education, Inc.

3 - 5

45 Minutes

All of us are familiar with bicycles, and many of us enjoy riding them. What if we could make that experience even better? In today’s activity, students create new designs for bicycles to make them more convenient or useful for transportation.

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Big Data Comes with Big Issues

Digital Voices, STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore

Big Data Comes with Big Issues

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 8

45 Minutes

Many internet users often claim that “anything can be found online” or that “information is just a point, click, tap, or swipe away.” However, are we sacrificing our privacy in exchange for the convenience that the internet offers? In this activity, students will watch a video about how data is collected and used online, and then consider the benefits and consequences of this system.

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Blanket Toss (Team Building) Game

Leadership and Teamwork, Belonging and Community

Blanket Toss (Team Building) Game

!Mpact Players

3 - 12

15 Minutes

Heave piles of stuffed animals across the room from one sheet to another!

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Blog

Stories and Perspectives, Digital Voices

Blog

Mizzen Education, Inc.

9 - 12

45 Minutes

Students have an opportunity to review a blog written by a high-school student. After briefly reviewing the blog, students try their hand at drafting their own blog posts.

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Blogging 101

Digital Voices, Stories and Perspectives

Blogging 101

Mizzen Education, Inc.

9 - 12

45 Minutes

Students learn how to develop their own blog. They begin by discussing what a blog is. Students then form teams to review examples of teen blogs and brainstorm traits that make a blog appealing. They also create a list of and safety tips for bloggers. Next, they watch a video to get advice from a teen blogger, and incorporate that advice into their own lists of tips. Finally, students work together to design a team blog in slideshow software, and each team member writes his or her own blog entry.

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Body Language

Belonging and Community, Stories and Perspectives

Body Language

PBS

3 - 5

45 Minutes

Explore the power of body language in interviews! In this exciting lesson, students dive into the world of non-verbal communication. They play interactive games, watch videos, and create Body Language Stories to master the art of body language. By the end, they're equipped with the skills to convey messages beyond words.

This is lesson 14 in “Building a News Hour,” the second module from PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs’ module series.

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Book Design (Grades 3-5)

Arts in Action, Stories and Perspectives

Book Design (Grades 3-5)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

3 - 5

45 Minutes

Students look at and discuss art depicting food and then illustrate a foldable book presenting their favorite foods and how to make them.

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Book Design (Grades K-2)

Arts in Action, Stories and Perspectives

Book Design (Grades K-2)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

K - 2

45 Minutes

Children look at and discuss art depicting foods and then illustrate a foldable book presenting their favorite foods.

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Brand Design Mood Board (Grades 6-8)

Arts in Action, Digital Voices

Brand Design Mood Board (Grades 6-8)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 8

45 Minutes

Students will use design elements and principles (colors, images, shapes, etc.) to create a mood board that promotes a new brand for an influencer, celebrity, or sports figure they admire.

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Brand Design Mood Board (Grades 9-12)

Arts in Action, Digital Voices

Brand Design Mood Board (Grades 9-12)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

9 - 12

45 Minutes

Students will use design elements and principles (colors, images, shapes, etc.) to create a mood board to promote their own business brand concept.

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Say Thanks!

Belonging and Community, Stories and Perspectives

Say Thanks!

kid-grit

K - 2

20 Minutes

In this closing activity, students identify an act of kindness they witnessed and create a letter or picture of thanks to share with the person who was kind.

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I Am Not My Actions

Belonging and Community, Whole Body, Whole Self

I Am Not My Actions

kid-grit

3 - 5

15 Minutes

In this opening activity, students will learn that a negative behavior does not define who they are as a person. A negative behavior is an action that doesn't have to be permanent.

Discover Activity

Food Tycoon (Team Building) Game

Arts in Action, Future Ready: Learning and Earning

Food Tycoon (Team Building) Game

!Mpact Players

K - 12

30 Minutes

Earn cash, customers, and compliments at your newly-created restaurant featuring your famous signature dish and motto!

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The Artist and The Describer (Team Building) Game

Arts in Action, Belonging and Community

The Artist and The Describer (Team Building) Game

!Mpact Players

3 - 12

25 Minutes

Artists will replicate masterpieces using only verbal descriptions from their partner!

Discover Activity

Brands Remembered and Forgotten

We The People, Future Ready: Learning and Earning

Brands Remembered and Forgotten

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 8

45 Minutes

The history of American business includes long lists of brands that were widely popular but only for brief periods of time. In this activity, students view the logos or images that represent a wide variety of brands, some long-defunct, others current and familiar. They will recognize that for any business, public recognition and popularity can be fleeting, and decades-long success is rare.

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Break the Box

Arts in Action, Digital Voices

Break the Box

Jazz at Lincoln Center

3 - 8

2 Hours

Students learn basic stick notation and how to organize the notation into bars. They layer created patterns to alter the depth and complexity of the sound.

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Brief but Spectacular

Digital Voices, Stories and Perspectives

Brief but Spectacular

PBS

6 - 12

2 Hours

Essential Question: Who in your community is raising awareness around an issue that they are passionate about and spurring others to action?

Overview

To date, Brief but Spectacular has produced over 200 episodes with a mix of well-known guests like Alec Baldwin and lesser known guests like a musician who uses his art to “groove change.” The videos have earned millions of views and students have also engaged with the series to create their own videos. That’s where you come in: shoot a conversational interview with someone in your community who is making a difference and edit it using Brief but Spectacular’s storytelling style.

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Broadcast News (Student Reporting Labs)

Digital Voices, We The People

Broadcast News (Student Reporting Labs)

PBS

6 - 12

50 Minutes

How does news get from the front lines to your feed? Let’s take a look behind the curtain...

Students will gain an understanding of what constitutes broadcast news and how it’s produced. They will use this knowledge to work backwards, investigating and critically analyzing news stories they’ve recently encountered.

This is activity 6 of 16 in the PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs Module. Visit the Module to learn more before getting started.

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Bucket Race

Leadership and Teamwork, Belonging and Community

Bucket Race

Mizzen Education, Inc.

3 - 5

45 Minutes

In this activity, teams compete against each other to carry a bucket of tennis balls from one end of a course to another. This activity builds teamwork and collaboration skills.

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Build An Extension Arm

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, The Natural World

Build An Extension Arm

OregonASK

6 - 12

45 Minutes

In this activity, students learn about engineering as they design, build and test an extension arm.

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Build Like a Musician

Arts in Action, Digital Voices

Build Like a Musician

Jazz at Lincoln Center

3 - 8

2 Hours

Students learn the basic elements of rhythm. They arrange and rearrange the basic elements to explore various ways to create movement in music. Students will also layer basic patterns to create complex rhythms, mimicking the sounds of jazz.

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Build Your Own Roller Coaster

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, The Natural World

Build Your Own Roller Coaster

OregonASK

6 - 8

1 Hour

Students create their own roller coasters! Working in teams, students get as creative as they want to make the best roller coasters.

Discover Activity

Build a Better Mousetrap (Grades 3-5)

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, Arts in Action

Build a Better Mousetrap (Grades 3-5)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

3 - 5

45 Minutes

Students consider how inventions are improved over time. They select an everyday product and work as a team to improve or update it by outlining its new features, sketching a prototype, and comparing it to the original invention. This activity builds design and collaboration skills as well as creative thinking skills.

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Build a Better Mousetrap (Grades 6-8)

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, Future Ready: Learning and Earning

Build a Better Mousetrap (Grades 6-8)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 8

45 Minutes

Student teams work together to improve an existing product and then present their ideas to the group. This activity builds analytical thinking and cooperative learning skills while developing speaking and listening skills.

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Build a Better Mousetrap (Grades 9-12)

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, Future Ready: Learning and Earning

Build a Better Mousetrap (Grades 9-12)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

9 - 12

45 Minutes

Student teams work together to improve an existing product and then present their ideas to the group. This activity builds analytical thinking and cooperative learning skills while developing speaking and listening skills.

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Build the Strongest Bridge

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, The Natural World

Build the Strongest Bridge

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 8

45 Minutes

Students build two bridges and then test them to see which can carry the greater load. This activity builds engineering and critical-thinking skills as well as cooperative learning and design skills.

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Building Canoes

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, The Natural World

Building Canoes

OregonASK

6 - 12

1 Hour 15 Minutes

In this activity, students learn to engineer a canoe out of popsicle sticks and other everyday materials.

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Building Card Houses

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, The Natural World

Building Card Houses

OregonASK

6 - 8

1 Hour

Students work with cards to complete a structure-building challenge.

Discover Activity

Building Well-rounded Teams: Step in the Circle If...

Belonging and Community, Leadership and Teamwork

Building Well-rounded Teams: Step in the Circle If...

After-School All-Stars

6 - 12

30 Minutes

Students recognize diverse skills and strengths, prompting the building of well-rounded and collaborative teams.

Discover Activity

Building a Buzzer Alarm

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, The Natural World

Building a Buzzer Alarm

OregonASK

6 - 8

45 Minutes

Students create a circuit that causes an alarm to trigger. In addition, they learn about electrical currents and circuits!

Discover Activity

Building a Mini Greenhouse

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, The Natural World

Building a Mini Greenhouse

OregonASK

6 - 8

1 Hour

Students make a mini greenhouse and learn about how they work.

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Buoyancy

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, The Natural World

Buoyancy

OregonASK

6 - 8

30 Minutes

Students learn about buoyancy, density, and force by testing materials to build water crafts. Which will float, sink, or sit on the surface?

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Business Skills: Job Interview

Future Ready: Learning and Earning, Leadership and Teamwork

Business Skills: Job Interview

Mizzen Education, Inc.

9 - 12

45 Minutes

In this activity, students will explore the role of interviewing in business. They will begin by identifying the purpose of an interview and brainstorming a list of properties or characteristics of interviews in the business world. Next, working in teams, student will develop a job description and interview questions. They then pair up to take turns role-playing an interviewer and an applicant.

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Call to Service (Grades 9-12)

Belonging and Community, We The People

Call to Service (Grades 9-12)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

9 - 12

45 Minutes

Students research and create a slideshow presentation about a service project that they think is worthy of their efforts in a future afterschool session. The group then votes on which project to take on in a future session.

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Call to Service(Grades 6-8)

Belonging and Community, Leadership and Teamwork

Call to Service(Grades 6-8)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 8

45 Minutes

Students research and present a service project that they think is worthy of their efforts in a future afterschool session. The group then votes on which project to take on in a future session.

Discover Activity

Can Water Get Through?

The Natural World, STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore

Can Water Get Through?

The Nature Conservancy

9 - 12

1 Hour

Youth explore the interactions between water and permeable and impermeable surfaces. Through engaging hands-on experiments, youth uncover how humans are shaping our Earth’s water flow.

Discover Activity

Can You Guess This Fictional Character?

Stories and Perspectives, Digital Voices

Can You Guess This Fictional Character?

Mizzen Education, Inc.

K - 2

45 Minutes

In this activity, children try to guess a fictional character by listening to a description by another child. One child randomly picks a slip with a character's name. That child then describes the character without using their name while the group tries to guess who it is. After everyone has a turn, the group reconvenes for discussion.

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Can You Patent It?

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, Future Ready: Learning and Earning

Can You Patent It?

Mizzen Education, Inc.

9 - 12

45 Minutes

Youth learn about patentable ideas. Youth discuss and assess whether hypothetical ideas are patentable and think of their own invention that could be patented.

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Canada Tourism Bureau

We The People, Stories and Perspectives

Canada Tourism Bureau

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 8

45 Minutes

Students create a tourism slideshow presentation to promote the country of Canada.

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Carbon Cycle Role-Play

The Natural World, STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore

Carbon Cycle Role-Play

California Academy of Sciences

3 - 12

45 Minutes

How does the finite amount of carbon on this planet move around in the environment, from one place to another? How do the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere interact? In this active demonstration, students model the carbon cycle, and consider ways in which human actions play a role.

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Card Tricks

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, Arts in Action

Card Tricks

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 8

45 Minutes

Children, teens, and adults are familiar with card tricks as entertainment for parties or stage shows. For educators, however, card tricks offer a novel way to teach skills in logic, reasoning, and problem-solving. In this activity, students will witness 4 card tricks and then attempt to explain and recreate them. They may discover that a card trick, like other illusions, is successful only when all of its details are mastered.

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Career Bingo (Grades 3-5)

Future Ready: Learning and Earning, We The People

Career Bingo (Grades 3-5)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

3 - 5

45 Minutes

Students learn about a wide variety of careers as they play a version of bingo.

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Career Bingo (Grades 6-8)

Future Ready: Learning and Earning, We The People

Career Bingo (Grades 6-8)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 8

45 Minutes

In this fun activity, students learn about a wide variety of careers as they play a version of bingo, the classic party game.

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Library

CategoriesCollaboratorsExploreAll ActivitiesAll Collections

Community

Our StoryTeam MizzenEventsThe Mizzen Minute

Engage

NewsroomContact UsPrivacy Policy

Account

Sign InCreate an AccountMizzen for Teams

Copyright © 2025, Mizzen Education, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit on a mission to empower, uplift and support out-of-school time educators.