In Module 4, sixth-graders research the question of whether the benefits of DDT outweigh its harmful consequences. Unit 1 challenges investigators to read a novel, informational text, and watch videos to gather evidence about DDT’s uses,...

The first unit in Module 4 introduces sixth graders to the central question of the module; do the benefits of DDT outweigh its harmful consequences? Jean Craighead George’s novel, Frightful’s Mountain, is the module's anchor text and...

Where does our food come from? Eighth graders research food chains and the consequences for stakeholders affected by those food chains. Using Michael Pollan’s, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, as a core text, the three units in this module teach...

In the three units in Grade 8, ELA Module 2A, eighth-graders continue their study of the theme of taking a stand. In Unit 1, scholars develop their close reading skills as they examine speeches of real people taking a stand. They...

The three units in Module 2A present seventh-graders with literary and informational texts—Katherine Paterson’s novel Lyddie and a speech by Cesar Chavez—that examine historical and present-day working conditions. Pupils learn how to...

With all the hyperbole of an election year, it can be difficult to find the facts, just the facts about candidates, issues, and ballot measures. Young political scientists, with the help of 21 resources from a nonpartisan, information...

Rather than just talking about giving peace a chance, with the 15 resources in this collection middle schoolers learn the skills they need to become peace builders. The lessons were developed by the United States Institute of Peace...

Desmond Tutu advises, "Don't raise your voice, improve your argument." Resources that enable writers to improve their arguments can be found in this collection of unit plans, lessons, worksheets, and videos. Take a look at the attached...

Aesop claimed that the art of persuasion is often more effectual than force. Guide your writers through the writing process of creating strong, effective persuasive essays and speeches using the lesson plans, videos, worksheets, and unit...

Unit 2 of Module 2A shifts the focus from the working conditions in the American factories of  the industrial era to the plight of  migrant agricultural workers. The eight lessons in the collection ask learners to examine two speeches by...

Module 4 is all about food, where it comes from, and what happens to it before it gets to the consumer. The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan is the anchor text of a collection made up of 15 lessons. In Unit 1, scholars evaluate an...

Social justice is the theme of a 12-lesson unit that uses photographs to focus students' attention on and expand their understanding of current social issues facing society. Class members learn how to closely examine an image, and to...

Ads no longer target just teens and adults. Kids from eight to 12 have become the focus of a whole new generation of advertisers. A collection of four resources help tweens develop the critical thinking skills they need to understand...

Six resources make up an English language arts module that focuses on writing a position paper on food chains. Scholars compose an essay that states a claim, provides evidence, shares their reasoning, then offers a counterclaim and a...

Who bears the most responsibility for ensuring that goods are ethically produced? Using evidence from Marc Aronson and Marina Budhos' Sugar Changed the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom, and Science as a central text,...

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...

Words matter. In a 20-lesson unit, writers use words to stir emotions and bring out feelings. Sophomores examine the words and the rhetorical devices Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. uses to develop his purpose and claim in his powerful...

Using Rebecca Skloot's The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks as an anchor text, writers use the information they researched in the last unit to craft an argument essay in which they make a claim as to whether or not they believe it is...

Introduce your classes to the art of persuasive writing with a collection of materials that model how to introduce precise claims, how to support these claims with strong evidence, and how to use persuasive techniques to bolster their...

From crafting the perfect thesis statement to submitting a concluding call to action, seventh graders can transform bland position papers into inspiring argumentative essays. A collection of materials designed for the Common Core...

Gathered here is an assortment of resources that are aligned with the W.6.1 Common Core standard on persuasive writing. From introductory assignments to walkthrough videos to entire units, this collection has enough to get you started...

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...