+
Unit Plan
1
1
Echoes & Reflections

The "Final Solution"

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Nazi policies shifted from deportation and imprisonment to extermination of the Jewish people in death camps in the "Final Solution." Learners examine photos of artifacts, read poetry written by survivors, analyze testimony from...
+
Unit Plan
1
1
Echoes & Reflections

Studying The Holocaust

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
While many young scholars are familiar with the Holocaust, they may not understand the specific history that led to the unprecedented atrocity. The first lesson in the unit helps teachers gauge their pupils' background knowledge. A...
+
Lesson Plan
Little Kids Rock

The Latin Rhythms of “Despacito”

For Teachers 8th - 12th Standards
When you hear the first few beats of "Despacito," the unrivaled Latin pop hit of 2017, you can't keep your feet from moving! A music analysis lesson plan examines the intoxicating hit by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee and introduces the...
+
Unit Plan
American Press Institute

Introductory News Literacy

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Aspiring journalists learn about media literacy, journalism, and the press. Units come complete with handouts, assignment rubrics, notes, and extension suggestions. Each unit also comes with a list of vocabulary words and learning...
+
Unit Plan
Intel

Starquest

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Almost every ancient culture observed the stars and saw pictures in the patterns. Studying stars allowed them to guide travelers, determine when to plant crops, when to harvest food, and the stories surrounding the images include some of...
+
Unit Plan
7
7
Online Publications

Become a Journalist

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Explore the newspaper as a unique entity with a detailed and extended unit. The unit requires learners to consider the newspaper's role in democracy, think about ethics, practice writing and interviewing, and examine advertising and news...
+
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Assessment Part 3: Advocating Persuasively in a Fishbowl

For Teachers 8th Standards
Class members complete the final part of the The Omnivore’s Dilemma end-of-unit assessment. The portion includes a fishbowl activity where learners demonstrate their persuasive advocacy abilities. As each pupil speaks, their peers assess...
+
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

End of Unit Assessment Parts 1 and 2: Evaluating Arguments and Claims

For Teachers 8th Standards
Which came first: the chicken or the egg? As part of the end-of-unit assessment for The Omnivore’s Dilemma, scholars watch a video about organic eggs versus conventional farm eggs. They use graphic organizers to collect evidence as they...
+
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Advocating Persuasively in a Fishbowl: Practice

For Teachers 8th Standards
What makes a good advocate? An informative lesson plan teaches class members how to advocate persuasively. They participate in a fishbowl activity and listen to the teacher model advocating persuasively. They then practice independently,...
+
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Making a Claim and Advocating Persuasively: Preparing for the Practice Fishbowl

For Teachers 8th Standards
Scholars consider their reading in The Omnivore's Dilemma to develop a claim answering the question, "Which food chain would you choose to feed your family—the local sustainable food chain or the hunter-gatherer food chain?" To guide...
+
Lesson Plan
American Battlefield Trust

Gettysburg Address: Abraham Lincoln's Greatest Speech

For Teachers 4th - 12th Standards
Most Americans have heard of the Gettysburg Address, but may not know what it means and why is it so important. Following guidance and scaffolded prompts, scholars analyze the short document that left an undeniable impact on the American...
+
Lesson Plan
American Battlefield Trust

Joshua Chamberlain Lesson Plan

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
While Joshua Chamberlain's name is not as iconic as Abraham Lincoln or Robert E. Lee, he still played a pivotal role in the military engagements of the Civil War. Using two secondary sources—including one that draws heavily from his...
+
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Studying Conflicting Interpretations: Perspectives on Plessy v. Ferguson: Part 3

For Teachers 8th Standards
Scholars closely read Justice John Marshall Harlan's dissenting opinion in the Plessy v. Ferguson case, seeking to understand why he disagreed with the court's decision that racial segregation laws for public spaces were constitutional....
+
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Building Background Knowledge: The Internment of Japanese-Americans during WWII, Part 3

For Teachers 8th Standards
Check those sources carefully. Scholars learn to analyze and critique primary sources with the work they completed in the previous activity. Learners compare and contrast sources that agree and disagree about Japanese-American internment...
+
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Mid-Unit Assessment: On-Demand Writing – Conflicting Interpretations of the 13th and 14th Amendments

For Teachers 8th Standards
The authors of the court's decision and the dissenting opinion on Plessy v. Ferguson disagreed on their interpretations of the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments. Scholars set out to show how with an on-demand writing prompt. They...
+
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Studying Conflicting Interpretations: Perspectives on Plessy v. Ferguson: Part 2

For Teachers 8th Standards
The Plessy v. Ferguson case was influential in establishing segregation in the United States. Scholars continue reading the court's decision in the case, seeking to understand the key reasons the court came to its decision. Pupils also...
+
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

End of Unit 1 Assessment: Fishbowl Discussion, Part 2: Comparing Conflicting Accounts of the Pearl Harbor Attack

For Teachers 8th Standards
Partner up! Scholars continue their fishbowl activity with one partner sitting inside the circle and one sitting outside the circle. Participants add to sentence starters to analyze the perspective of the Pearl Harbor Attack seen in the...
+
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

End of Unit Assessment: Fishbowl Discussion, Part 1: Comparing Conflicting Accounts of the Pearl Harbor Attack

For Teachers 8th Standards
Scholars continue discussing Unbroken by using a fishbowl activity. Some readers share thoughts about the Day of Infamy, while others sit and observe the conversation. After the activity, pupils share what they learned.
+
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Connecting Ideas in Primary and Secondary Sources: What Led to the Attack on Pearl Harbor?

For Teachers 8th Standards
Let's make some sense of those thoughts! Scholars continue thinking about the different perspectives on Pearl Harbor. They analyze quotes from War in the Pacific, Day of Infamy, and Fourteen-Part Message. Readers tape each quote to chart...
+
Lesson Plan
Ohio State University

Lesson Plan on China

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Scholars ponder the beliefs of Confucianism. After reading several sayings made by Confucius, participants complete a chart filling in what each saying means using their own words. Using the same quotes split in half, pairs match...
+
Unit Plan
1
1
Echoes & Reflections

Contemporary Antisemitism

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Despite the recognized atrocities of the Holocaust, anti-semitism continues. The 11th and final installment of the Teaching the Holocaust series explores the long-term effects of the Holocaust on modern anti-semitism, asking pupils to...
+
Activity
Ziptales

The Pied Piper of Hamelin: The Mystery of the Children of Hamelin

For Students 5th - 8th Standards
Which is more likely: 130 children followed a magical piper out of Hamelin and disappeared forever, or that they died of the plague? Or could they have escaped from Hamelin via a secret tunnel to Transylvania? Learners investigate...
+
Lesson Plan
Newseum

Decoding an Editorial Cartoon

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
What advantages do political cartoons have over written editorials? Scholars discuss the topic by exploring editorial cartoons. Working in small groups, pupils analyze an Uncle Sam cartoon and complete a worksheet. As a fun extension,...
+
Lesson Plan
California Department of Education

Exploring Military Career Options

For Teachers 8th Standards
A whole world of career options await in the armed forces! Lesson three in a six-part career and college readiness series introduces eighth grade scholars to military careers. Individuals research the entry requirements for the armed...