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Taking a Stand on Bullying
Middle schoolers stand up against bullying in a character-building instructional activity. After discussing historical figures who became advocates in times of adversity, they brainstorm ways to end bullying at their own school, and use...
Channel Islands Film
Eminent Domain
After viewing the documentary The Last Roundup, a documentary about the transitioning of Santa Rosa from a privately own island to a National Park, class members debate the takings clause of the Fifth Amendment that permits the...
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Circle of Caring
Students explore the concept of philanthropy. In this service learning instructional activity, students study the works of well-known philanthropists and write an acrostic poem using the word CARING.
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Traditional Mexican Paper Cutting
Students examine the art form of Mexican paper cutting and discover how to make a pattern. After reading the book "Look What Came From Mexico", they discuss Mexican folk art and view some samples. Individually they create a Mexican...
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Let's Be Honest!
Students investigate the concepts of honesty and take a survey about honesty. They use the New York Times to conduct research to identify the characteristics commonly found in stories about cheating. Students write reflective papers...
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A Step Back in Time
Fifth graders study the Civil War, discuss the life and policy decisions of Abraham Lincoln and the concepts/issues that developed to create North vs. South. This lesson plan is meant to be used before visiting Ford's Theatre.
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Literature Study of the Civil War Era
Learn more about the Civil War. Young scholars will choose a novel based on the Civil War to learn more about the viewpoints of that time period. They will then discuss the roles of the members of a Literature Circle and then participate...
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Building Character: Holocaust Survivor Testimonies
Host a fishbowl discussion to help your class recognize and articulate the relationship between words and the character traits they describe. They analyze Holocaust survivor testimonies and apply the character traits they observe. No...
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Fire Fight
While somewhat dated (high schoolers write letters to President George W. Bush about the Iraq War), this lesson could be a good way to reinforce rhetorical reading and critical thinking. Students examine information regarding Operation...
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Now That's Beautiful!
Your class experiences dozens of messages about beauty every day by reading magazines, watching movies, and listening to the radio. Have them analyze society's view of beauty in groups after discussing several resources, including Dove's...
PBS
U.S. Agricultural Subsidies and Nutrition
Most young people don't spend a lot of time thinking about why some foods cost less than others. This resource uses clips from the documentary, Food, Inc. to explore the impact of agricultural subsidies on nutrition, health, and the...
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That's the Spirit
Is, as Walt Whitman contends, America’s “almost maniacal appetite for wealth,” the heart of the American dream? Class members grapple with this question as they read David Brooks’ article “The Commercial Republic,” and quotes that...
PBS
The Little Red Hen: A Tale of Cooperation
Ensure that your kids don't even consider saying "Not me!" when it comes time to read by engaging them in this set of lesson plans based around "The Little Red Hen." The class reads the story together before starting in on additional...
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Greek Story Vases
There are so many ways to tell a story! Develop visual storytelling skills while facilitating an understanding of Greek art and culture. Learners design Greek style images to tell a story through art. They add their designs to Styrofoam...
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Philanthropic Behavior
Youngsters create class rules by determining the environment they would like to have in their classroom. They come to a consensus about how to have a safe, fair, fun learning environment by discussing the rules in the Karla Kustin poem,...
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Social Roles
Students role play in order to better understand the social roles of the Colonial period. In this Colonial period lesson plan, students guess what role the student is playing based on social role cards.
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Turkey Time
Students move safely in a general direction while practicing their chasing, fleeing, and dodging skills. They practice using a Thanksgiving theme for the activity.
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"Yarning" About Latitude and Longitude
Students identify various locations using latitude and longitude. In this map skills lesson, students use yarn and labels to create a "human globe." Students identify the Prime Meridian, the Equator, and Northern and Southern Hemisphere.
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Portrait of a First Grader
First graders generate ideas of the things that a 1st Grade student thinks, does and feels based on a model on bulletin board paper. They (counselors) pick one students and trace that student's body onto a pieces of bulleting board paper...
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Getting to Know You
Students introduce themselves utilizing an alliterative descriptor. They begin building a nurturing learning community and follow multi-step directions for preparing applications and completing forms. Each student also demonstrates how...
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I Feel Angry or Sad When...
Students identify inclusive procedures for activities. For this social skills lesson, students perform skits that illustrate inappropriate as well as appropriate classroom behavior.
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Shapes and Review of Locomotor Skills
Students engage in a series of loco-motor activities based on shapes. In this loco-motor lesson, students demonstrate physical skills through races, jumping, hopping, galloping in circles, squares, rectangles and triangles.
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Chinese New Year
Gong hei fat choy! Celebrate Chinese New Year with a variety of activities that introduce learners to the Chinese myth of the race that determined which animals earned their place the zodiac.
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Political Issues and Opinions
The emergent adults in your US Government class can become informed, self-aware voters. This activity enables them to form an opinion about particular political issues then identify themselves on the political spectrum. Informed and...