In a more student-driven learning environment, students can choose whether to learn independently, in pairs, or in a small group. 

So, when planning your instructional materials, consider including activities that offer those options.  The best way to determine whether an activity should be individual, in pairs, or in small groups is to consider the purpose of the activity itself. 

Elementary students can hold productive discussions by using a protocol that assigns each participant useful roles.

Use this tool to guide students as they setup and implement small-group discussions.

Students may not always recognize how similar our current society is to those of the past. 

In this STEM unit, students will gain an understanding of how a love of nature and simplicity led Henry David Thoreau to spend more than two years at Walden Pond and inspired the work, Walden. Students will integrate knowledge of the Industrial Revolution and Thoreau's writing to further explore current environmental issues.