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The Wrath of Hurricane Mitch
Students investigate how hurricanes and other natural disasters can devastate the elements of the infrastructure of a country, as well as the lives of its people.
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Breathing New Life into Old Traditions
Students investigate the role of ceremonies and other traditions of Native American cultures. They research various Native American nations and create posters that visually depict their research.
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Stop the Flow!
Students brainstorm creative solutions to economic problems in Mexico and the US to help stem the flow of perilous border crossings. They formulate a coherent plan to present to lawmakers.
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The Writing's on the Wall
Students examine a job-training/violence reduction program that removes gang graffiti in East Los Angeles. They discuss issues confronting their own communities and propose community service programs to address these issues.
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A World Torn by Drugs
Learners explore different drug issues that have affected international relations.
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Children on the Street
Students explore the causes and effects of child homelessness in Turkey and around the world. They compare the issues surrounding child homelessness in poor and wealthy countries.
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Community Building
Young scholars explore the issues of urban and suburban sprawl. They work in small groups to create their own planned communities.
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Chinese Kite
Students create their own Chinese kite. In this multicultural art instructional activity, students use butcher paper, newspapers, string, pipe cleaners and paint to create a Chinese kite. Students follow the given steps and attempt to...
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Colorado Animals Newsletter and Directed Web Page
Students select a Colorado animal, develop a Directed Web page, and research their animal. Each member of the group combine their research and develop a Newsletter.
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Ad Nauseam
Young scholars explore the role of special-interest groups in American campaigns. They create their own political advertisements.
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Physics Park
Students research and design a playground for a park or school in their community. They explore the physics concepts that are present in the design and, if applicable promote their ideas to city or school officials.
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Something Fishy Going On
Students create a video animation of how Swimmy gathered his fish friends together to form a great big fish that would frighten the predator tuna away. In art class each child create a small red fish which gets displayed in the ocean...
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True Crime
Young scholars discuss reasons for the increase in violent crime across the country. They examine the factors to which increases in violent crime can be attributed. Students brainstorm consequences of the forces that have led to the...
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Secret Services
Students examine news about an espionage case. They work in small groups to research espionage and spy trials of the Cold War era. Students create oral presentations detailing presentations in specific cases.
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Exploring the Moon
First graders complete an experiment illustrating why the moon appears to change over time using a flashlight and ball. Students discuss the shape of the moon and identify it as a sphere. Students write a short informational piece after...
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"The Big Cheese"
Eleventh graders research and examine the significant individuals of the 1920s and their impact on American society. They identify characteristics of people who make a difference, and in pairs conduct research on two people with...
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PV=nRT=Bang!
In this ideal gas law learning exercise, students watch a demonstration using liquid nitrogen, a plastic 2 liter bottle and a garbage can of water that excites students to use the ideal gas law to solve problems. Students analyze the...
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Traits of Nonfiction
Here are some lesson ideas for teaching students about the traits of nonfiction text.
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Hollywood
Pupils listen to a play, or perhaps, take turns reading portions of it aloud. Afterward, they thoughtfully analyze and discuss the components of a well-written play. Next, a theme is assigned, and each person writes a play in conjunction...
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Travels With Charley
Fifth graders engage in a literature study that uses a variety of texts in order to maximize their exposure to different reading situations. They examine each book in order to practice skills of reading comprehension. They recognize the...
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Volcanoes
Second graders review the characteristics and aspects of volcanoes. Using this information, they write a creative story and draw illustrations to accompany the words. They use geographical terms to describe a location and the physical...
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Tolkien's Moral Universe
Young scholars analyze the landscape used in Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings". In groups, they discuss how Tolkien developed Elrond's promise and develop a case assuming Tolkien rejected "Manichaean dualism". They also compare and...
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The Roar of the Twenties; The Crash of the Thirties
Eighth graders, after assuming identities of prominent figures from the 1920's and looking at slides and data from the era, relate, in diary form, the cultural, economic and political changes that happened in America between 1920 and 1939.
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Make it Snow
Sixth graders investigate snow using pieces of literature, experimentation, and studying images by Wilson Bentley. They view snow from its artistic, geometric and literary expressions.