Want to explore the process of writing a persuasive essay and tie it in with the upcoming elections? Class members use Venn diagrams and the hamburger model of persuasive writing to write a five-paragraph essay on elections and...

Young sociologists analyze the needs of white and black students. They discuss how Central and Dunbar High Schools are alike and different before 1957. They write an essay comparing the two schools.

After viewing two documentaries about the history of the Channel islands, individuals craft an essay in which they compare the lives of Juana Maria, the Lone Woman San Nicolar Island, to Lester Holt and his family featured in the...

Learners who have a grasp on the events of the Revolutionary war view clips from five different films as secondary sources. They take notes on each clip thinking about historic inaccuracies. They then view parts of the film The Patriot...

People in Ukraine, Rwanda, and Cambodia have all faced challenges to their human rights and even genocide. Using primary and secondary sources, scholars evaluate these challenges and the international community's role in them. The...

Students study pictures and artifacts of the one-room schoolhouse. For this compare and contrast lesson,students list similarities and differences in schools of today and one-room schoolhouses. Then students use this analysis to...

Learners write an essay. In this comparison lesson, students read about a child's typical day on a fair trade cocoa farm in the Dominican Republic. Learners write about a typical morning of a child in the US and make comparisons.

Students compare and contrast American and Canadian plans for government. In this government lesson, students analyze the text and impact of the Articles of Confederation and the Confederation of Canada. Students compose essays...

Eighth graders compare Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant. In this Civil War lesson, 8th graders research both generals and write a comparative essay. They include a paragraph about Lee, another about Grant, and one showing the...

Students combat pervasive stereotypes. In this Critical Analysis activity, students examine and evaluate the stereotypes of Aboriginal groups, as depicted in a picture book. Students will use primary and secondary sources to compose...

Young scholars compare Spanish and American cultures. In this global studies lesson, students review what they have learned in a Spanish culture unit by writing compare and contrast essays about Spanish and American cultural aspects.

Who were Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton? High schoolers examine the character traits of these historical figures and watch the video, The Duel. Hamilton vs. Burr: An Event that Changed History (available from PBS), to gain...

Two great men, one time period, and one purpose; it sounds like a movie trailer, but it's not. It's a very good comparative analysis lesson focused on Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Learners will research and read informational...

Ninth graders respond in essay form to the following writing prompt. Mel Gibson, star of The Patriot, is quoted as stating, "If one were to adhere to historical accuracy all the way, you'd probably have the most boring two hours on...

Eighth graders create an in-depth research report on a state. They conduct Internet research, write a comparison essay about New York State and their assigned state, create a 3-dimensional map, and develop a Powerpoint presentation.

What was it like to fit into a certain class with no choice in the matter? Learners experience the caste system in a role-play activity, work individually on handouts to enhance their learning, and participate in an evaluation activity...

Students examine maps of Lebanon, Vietnam and Nigeria, discuss relationship between ethnicity, land and conflict, review material from case studies, complete comparison chart, and write essays comparing two of the case studies.

Students compare the Magna Carta and the Bill of Rights. In this historical comparison lesson, students examine primary sources of three significant historical documents. Students create a chart in a compare and contrast format, then...

Students watch a video clip from "The Path to 9/11" and write a summary of one of the events depicted. Next, they read the 9/11 Commission Report to compare information from the report to that of the media clip. They chose one more print...

Students consult online resources to identify and map the world's largest cities and metropolitan areas. They analyze birth rates, settlement patterns and other demographic data and make predictions for the future. They write essays...

Get high school geographers to compare and contrast Canada and the United States. They begin by drawing a freehand map of North America, then complete readings to gain insight into Canada. The text is not provided; however, another text...

While learning about labor unions, have your class compare the American Federation of Labor and the Knights of Labor. The chart includes nine different categories for comparison, including views toward certain workers and members,...

Eleventh graders ponder about what it means to be an "American." They discuss the impact of an author's word choice and sentence structure on text. They identify some major themes and development of the Letters... Compose paragraphs and...

Young scholars evaluate the changes made in the Palestine National Council charter and their potential impact on the future of Israeli-Palestinian relations. They write a brief essay focusing on an article from an Israeli or Palestinian...