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SATIRE AND POLITICS
Young scholars, after analyzing a satiric song written during the Prohibition era, illustrate how humor can be utilized as a political tool by writing satiric lyrics on a current political issue at the front of the news world today. They...
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Writing Task
Eighth graders consider parallel relationships in Much Ado About Nothing and the structure of the play within an extended piece of writing. In this point of view lesson, 8th graders examine relationships and write a discursive...
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Rhythm and Rhyme
Youngsters listen to poetry and music to understand that words are made of sounds. In this rhythm and rhyme activity, students create songbooks of healthy eating songs. They will also act out pantomimes and dance to the music....
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Collective Poetry: Teaching Tolerance
Help your class create collective poetry following a simple, engaging model from Teaching Tolerance (tolerance.org). Each young poet writes five things on an index card: sayings from others, favorite sound, favorite place, favorite...
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It's All Poetry to Me!
Fourth graders explore language arts by analyzing poetry styles. In this writing analysis instructional activity, 4th graders read several sample poems in class and identify similes, metaphors and other figurative language within them....
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Campaign Songs as Propaganda
Student analyze campaign messages about tariffs in a nineteenth-century campaign song. They identify the intended audience of the message. They discuss strategies for courting the other political party's bloc.
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What is the Character of Maine?
Students create an individual portfolio using assignments from a unit on the character of Maine. They choose two of the best assignments from each of four chapters studied and then write an essay or create a magazine which synthesizes...
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Stand Up and Sing
Students journal and respond to the question," How does society respond to change?" They create original lyrics to their own song that reflects the context of the Progressive Era.
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You Bleed, You Learn?
Jump back into the 90s with Alannis Morissette's song "You Learn." After hearing the song, small groups analyze the lyrics and write an essay about a mistake they've learned from. Use the example sentences to identify the denotative and...
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Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night Questions
In this reading comprehension learning exercise, students respond to 5 short answer and essay questions based on the poem "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night."
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International Curiosity and National Pride
Students analyze their own culture and a Bulgarian culture to identify national, local, or ethnic traits. In this culture analysis lesson, students identify three important characteristics of their culture and compose a list of...
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All Access Spotlight: U2
Students explain the growth and development of a musical group and their work through discussion and analysis of two representative songs by U2 from their first and last albums.
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The Electric Hearth
Students examine popular media. In this media awareness instructional activity, students keep logs of their interactions with media and then write an essay regarding the data.
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All Access Spotlight: U2
Young scholars listen to songs from the group U2 to examine civil rights issues.
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Early Industrialization
Eighth graders analyze primary source documents emphasizing young people in factory labor (mill workers during 1840-1860). They study hours of labor, ages of laborers, reasons for working, and working conditions. They write a poem or song.
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The Jury's Still Out
Students examine the trials and executions of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti. In groups, they use the internet to research the impact of the executions in the shape of political cartoons and writings. They discuss an article to...
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Poetry Writing
Students compose a piece of poetry modeled after the poetry of Carl Sandburg and share their poem(s) with their colleagues. They use a cluster diagram to organize their thoughts and brainstorm their ideas.
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Tolerance
Students explore the concept of tolerance. For this diversity lesson, students discover what tolerance is and then research tolerance in historical perspectives. Students explore how to promote tolerance in the future.
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Brother, Can you Spare a Dime?
Young scholars through song analysis and group discussion, identify the qualities representing the Great Depression. They study the Great Depression and how it affected people all over U.S. They analysis the lyrics to the song "Brother...
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Connecting to Colonial Music
Learners listen to songs from the French and Indian War period. They answer questions about the song and identify any historical terms. They examine the role of music in their own lives.
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Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, The Minstrels
Learners explore "Stairway to Heaven". In this music history lesson plan, students examine the music and lyrics of the Led Zeppelin song. Learners compare the song to Renaissance madrigal music.
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The Shot Heard Around the World
Fifth graders examine the events leading up to the beginning of the Revolutionary War. In groups, they put the events into chronological order and create a timeline. As a class, they discuss the reprecussions of the Stamp Act,...
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Building Blocks and Healthy Snacks
Students complete several activities to study healthy snacks. In this healthy diet lesson, students sing a song about healthy snacks. Students then make a list of the healthy snacks in the song and vote for their favorite. Students...
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Screening Coleridge’s Fantasies: Using Popular Music as a Bridge to Literacy
Twelfth graders use music to aid them in interpreting poetry. In this poetry lesson, 12th graders analyze the lyrics, figurative language, and literary devices of selected music. Students compare the music to the poetry of Samuel...