Curated OER
Poet Naomi Shihab Nye
Students read and analyze poetry by Naomi Shihab Nye. They define stereotypes, view and discuss a video interview with Nye, present an oral reading of a poem, and write a persuasive letter to an author.
Curated OER
The Freedom to Fight
Learners study the African American troop experiences in the Civil War. In this American history lesson, students examine primary and secondary sources regarding the experiences and contributions of African American soldiers who served...
Curated OER
The Powers That Be
Students investigate past energy legislation, then write letters to Congress from the perspective of citizens trying to influence the original passage of these bills. Each small group does their research using a website imbedded in this...
Curated OER
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce
In this online interactive reading comprehension learning exercise, students respond to 12 short answer and essay questions based on A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. Students may also access an online quiz on the selection using...
Curated OER
Women’s Suffrage Movement
Though the movement for Women's Suffrage stretched over several decades and across two centuries, the final few years were the most difficult hurdle in many ways. Use a document-based question writing exercise to make inferences about...
Curated OER
Heroic Images: Visualization and Media Messages
Students examine media messages. In this media awareness lesson, students analyze online messages about heroism as they complete a jigsaw reading activity.
Curated OER
Sportsmanship and Spectator Behavior
Sixth graders listen to the story BEING A BAD SPORT as teacher reads to the class. They identify good and bad sportsmanship by reading and writing activities. They then go to the gym and simulate a game situation recording examples of...
Curated OER
911 As History
Students recognize persuasive techniques, think criticaly about the messages contained in various media, and discuss controversial issues in constructive ways. They analyze the deeper messages contained in children's literature, and...
Curated OER
Assessing Health Habits
Seventh graders discuss what are the characteristics of a personal with good health. They read an article about influences on health and discuss and perform a self assessment to gauge their personal health. They then go to the gym and...
Curated OER
Finding the West
Students question the idea of a geographic space called 'the West.' They first examine a map of the United States and hypothesize what region constitutes the West, then read two passages that critically discuss the notion of a geographic...
Curated OER
H.D. Thoreau's Philosophy of Government
Students read an essay by H.D. Thoreau as analysis of his philosophy on government. In this Thoreau analysis lesson, students work in groups to paraphrase two of Thoreau's criteria for his beliefs about government. Students write a...
Curated OER
Dear America: Letters Home From Vietnam A Study of the Vietnam Era
Students examine letters that US service people wrote to their family and friends while they served in Vietnam. They examine the daily hardships and the role of medical personnel and helicopters. They write letters in response to those...
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Susan B. Anthony and the 19th Amendment
Learners take a closer look at the Women's Suffrage Movement in America. In this women's rights lesson, students research suffrage leaders and write papers about them. Learners then read and discuss information about Susan B. Anthony's...
Pennsylvania Department of Education
6 Traits: Word Choice
Students explore language arts by participating in a vocabulary usage activity. In this word choice lesson, students read examples of great word usage in literature and discuss with the class why some words appear stronger than others....
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Philanthropy in Michigan???Civil War Lesson 2: Forming Opinions
Students act out a section of the book Gentle Annie that is depicted in Chapter 4. They discuss the character position taken by each of the characters in the scene. They write a persuasive letter to one of the characters.
Shmoop
ELA.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.3
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech, "I Have a Dream," is one of the most famous in United States history, but why was it so effective? Ask your class to determine the answer to this question. While the resource includes a description of...
Curated OER
Consumerism
Seventh graders explain the concept of needs verses wants, influences on consumers, and advertising and relate those to making positive consumer choices. They break into small groups and plan a two-week day camp involving games and...
Curated OER
Hot Wheels (Grades 9-12 )
Using internet research, students compute the costs of different models of card. They discuss the advantages/disadvantages of purchasing a new car versus a used car, the cost of car insurance, and the best way to finance their purchase.
Curated OER
Back to the Past
What was the Untied States like in 1938? What were the concerns of Americans in the post World War I era? What were their fears? What were their sources of news and entertainment? To understand the reaction to Orson Welles' radio...
Curated OER
Cooperative Jigsaw Expert Report of Fables
Pupils research literary elements of fables. In this literature lesson, students analyze literary elements of fables. Pupils work collaboratively using a jigsaw strategy to analyze literary elements.
Curated OER
Nutrition and Fitness
Sixth graders investigate the food guide pyramid. They conduct Internet research, and plan a three day nutritional menu appropriate for teenagers. Students include three meals per day and a snack for each day on their menu, and...
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Reporting Live From...
Students examine the many disasters in West Virginia. In this US history instructional activity, students write about and give an oral presentation of one of the disasters as if they were reporters.
Curated OER
Denying Civil Rights
Students continue their examination of the United States Constitution. Individually, they identify events in which the government has limited our civil rights and write an essay. In groups, they debate the issue and answer...
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Novel Tee
Third graders illustrate a fiction novel by painting a depiction of the book on a tee shirt and then sharing it with the class.