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UN's Millennium Goals
Whose responsibility is it to improve schools in developing countries? How does quality education affect my neighborhood? Questions of responsibility, whether global or local, form the heart of this lesson. Using the UN’s Millennium...
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Hold On to Your Hats
Elementary schoolers study the symbolism and influences found in advertising. First, they learn about the history and cultural significance of the Summer Official's Hat that was a symbol of status in ancient China. Then, they access...
Star Wars in the Classroom
"Shakespeare and Star Wars": Lesson Plan Day 15
To conclude the study of the play, William Shakespeare's Star Wars: Verily, A New Hope, class members craft an in-class essay comparing Doescher's adaptation to George Lucas's film, Star Wars: A New Hope.
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With Detective Fiction in the Urban Classroom
This abstract for an instructional unit using three-minute mysteries, stories by Sir Arthur Canon Doyle, and Edgar Allan Poe includes a short history of detective fiction, sample plans, and suggestions for exercises and activities...
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Cameras and Careers
Applying photography basics they learn for this project, first graders take pictures of an adult at work focusing on the tools used, the work site, and job responsibilities. After making a career book that includes photos and...
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Introducing Jane Eyre: An Unlikely Victorian Heroine
Students investigate the expectations and limitations placed on Victorian women and evaluate Charlotte Bronte's position and desire for literary achievement in using the male pseudonym, Currer Bell.
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Literature and Art Through Our Eyes: African-American Artists
Examine the contributions of African-Americans in the worlds of art and literature. Over the course of a few days, young scholars will read and analyze a poem, a short story, and a piece of art. They complete a range of...
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Driving Safety and Distractions
Students research process necessary to add local or state law limiting such driving distractions as cell phones or other technological devices, interview city leaders or legislators, research areas that already have such legislation and...
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Check Out Community Preparedness
Young scholars research storm preparedness in local community, identify ways citizens are notified of impending weather emergencies, contact city administrators to discuss disaster plan and whether it has ever been implemented, and...
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Cite Your Sites!
The New York Times article “Lessons in Internet Plagiarism,” launches a look at how the Internet has increased the prevalence of plagiarism. The richly detailed lesson includes warm-up and wrap-up activities, discussion questions,...
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Robert Frost
Students view a PowerPoint presentation on Robert Frost. They discuss Robert Frost's life and poetry as they view the presentation. Following the presentation students answer five short answer questions about Robert Frost.
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Artist Research
Young scholars research an artist of their choice on the internet. They are provided with questions (worksheets included with the instructional activity) as a guide for their research. Students choose an artwork by their artist to critique.
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Library Orientation
Quidditch anyone? Here's a fun way to introduce your class to the resources available in the library as well as on the Internet. Researchers create an outline of the sources they locate about Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling, quidditch, and...
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Understanding Library Skills: The Dewey Decimal System
Cyber Dewey? Dewey Made Fun? Do the Dewey Game? After a librarian-led tour of the school library and an explanation of the Dewey Decimal System, class members use the Internet to access MAGNOLIA, a site with resources devoted to library...
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Come Fly with Me . . . Open a Book: Travels through Literature
This detailed overview of a curriculum unit suggests using travel literature to engage and stimulate your third graders’ interest in reading. The suggested reading list includes fiction and non-fiction materials and offers urban children...
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Stress Management
Stressed? Stressed high schoolers? Check out a instructional activity that includes a checklist of causes of stress, suggestions for ways to deal with stress, and a role-play activity. Definitely worth a look.
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Kids These Days!
Young scholars create a scrapbook of college student life during the 1960's using digital archives and Internet research. They read and discuss the article "What's the Matter With College?" and then compare college experience of today...
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Digital Storytelling
Scholars of all ages can use the various tools of technology to construct and illustrate a story. Utilizing this resource, learners work with a partner to brainstorm and draft a story based on personal experience. They use computer...
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What Makes Our Community Special?
Explore websites, complete research, and use technological tools to create a final multimedia presentation on what makes a community special. Learners of all ages work with a partner to research an interesting aspect of their community,...
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Understanding Core Values Using the Frayer Model
Young scholars complete the Frayer Model. In this literature instructional activity, students review the concept of theme in literature. Young scholars identify major themes in books they've read. Students learn the attributes of the...
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Writing American Diaries
Young scholars examine the concept of historical perspective in writing. They read the diary of Sally Wister, a young Patriot from Philadelphia during the Revolutionary Era. Additionally, they must include different points of view in...
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Canine Companions
How do you make a pet’s transition into your family a smooth one? Preparing for a pet and learning how to keep it safe is the focus of this research lesson. After searching the Internet for tips on animal care, pet owners and potential...
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ESL: World Suicide Prevention Day
Help to educate your ESL students about World Suicide Prevention Day with this series of activities. Matching key phrases, completing CLOZE paragraphs, and choosing appropriate words based on context clues are just a few of the many ways...
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The Odyssey Lesson 5
Review the vocabulary from The Odyssey with this fun "I Have, Who Has" game. First, give students random vocabulary cards (included) that say "I have (vocabalary word). Who has (definition of another vocabulary word)?" Students are...