Young historians study the Angel Island Immigration Station with activities examining primary and secondary source materials, maps, and websites. The unit begins with individuals creating a map of Angel Island, labeling sites on the...

Making choices can be scary, especially for middle schoolers. With so many pressures it's hard sometimes to know what to do. Here's a collection of unit and lesson plans, activities and projects, videos and worksheets designed to help...

Laura Hillenbrand’s Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption serves as the central text of a three-unit module that examines Japanese-American relations during World war II. In Unit 1, middle schoolers build...

In the second unit of Module 3A, eighth-graders continue their study of forced invisibility by reading a case study of the American soldier, Louie Zamperini, imprisoned by the Japanese and Mine Okubo, a Japanese-American interned in the...

In the second unit of Module 3A eighth-graders continue their study of forced invisibility by reading a case study of American soldier Louie Zamperini imprisoned by the Japanese and of Mine Okubo, a Japanese-American interned in the US...

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is the anchor text in a three-unit module that has eighth graders examine how Shakespeare develops the theme of control. Young scholars look at why and how the characters seek control and the results of...

The Civil Rights Movement in the United States takes center stage in a three-unit module that focuses particularly on The Little Rock Nine. Carlotta Walls LaNier’s, A Mighty Long Way, and Shelley Tougas’ photo essay, Little Rock Girl...

Eighth-graders develop their ability to read and understand a complex text as they consider the plight of refugees. The first unit uses Thanhha Lai’s novel, Inside Out & Back Again, as well as informational text, to build background...

In Module 3b, eighth-graders study the American Civil Rights Movement and the story of the Little Rock Nine. The central texts of the module,  A Mighty Long Way by Carlotta Walls LaNier and Shelley Tougas' photo essay Little Rock Girl...

The three units in Module 3A focus on Japanese-American relations during World War II and use Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand as the central text. The lessons in the Unit 1...

To conclude their study of A Midsummer Night's Dream, eighth-graders assume the voice of one of the characters in Shakespeare's play and craft a narrative in which the character explains their attempt to control or manipulate another...

A Midsummer Night's Dream takes center stage in a collection of 18 resources that explore not only William Shakespeare's appeal but also the question of authorship of the plays attributed to him. Eighth graders participate in read aloud...

Develop informational reading skills that your students can bring to every academic textbook, newspaper article, or political speech they encounter. With lesson plans, projects, and reading passages, a collection featuring resources that...

Transform drafting into crafting with a collection of materials designed to enrich your seventh grade writing unit. Each resource addresses one or more Common Core standards for persuasive writing, informational writing, and narrative...

Align your curriculum to the rigorous Common Core standards with a collection of reading lessons, activities, worksheets, and projects. From literary themes to annotation skills, the resources fold into any reading curriculum to ensure...

The majority of text that seventh graders encounter is informative, whether they are viewing television commercials, reading science textbooks, or perusing an article about current events. Equip your class with the skills necessary to...

Help your students explain, inform, and examine with these resources tied to the W.8.2 expository writing standard. I've put four resources at the end of the collection that are interdisciplinary in nature, a few having to do with...

Turn students into scribes with a selection of resources designed for Common Core writing standards. With at least one resource aligned to each standard, the collection is a step in the "write" direction. Refer to the notes on each...

Prepare for class discussions and multimedia presentations with a collection focused on the eighth grade Common Core standards for speaking and listening. With projects designed to enhance the ways that learners communicate with each...

Seventh graders practice important discussion skills, adapt their language to suit the situation, and prepare well-structured presentations with multimedia elements. Use a collection of Common Core-designed lessons and activities to work...

Obtain the tools you need to teach informational text with a collection that addresses each standard found in the Common Core English Language Arts State Standards. The collection includes units, lesson plans, worksheets, printables, and...

Have your middle school students really assessed their media habits? Use this five-part unit to establish some goals of effective media use, clarify online ethics, keep kids safe, and consider the pros and cons of an online alter-ego.