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Making the Old New Again
How does a new version of a Shakespearean play change in the adaptation process? Use this New York Times' Learning Network lesson to consider texts that have been produced in different media. Middle schoolers examine the latest...
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Prisoner in One's Own Home
Examine the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II. After reading an article from the New York Times and exploring the author's word choice, young readers find the central idea in the text and work on researching...
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That's Moor Like It!
How do modern adaptations of Shakespearean plays relate to their original source material? Middle and high schoolers focus on Shakespeare's play Othello and its screen adaptation "O" to explore how modern film adaptations of Shakespeare...
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Validating Votes
Explore the discrepancies in Florida's vote counting process in 2000 and 2002 with this New York Times reading lesson plan. Middle schoolers study the viewpoints presented in informational text, paying attention to how word choice...
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A Way with Words
How do facts and opinions impact the news? After reading "How to Cover a War" from the New York Times, middle schoolers evaluate the claims in the article. They also consider the media's responsibilities in reporting during wartime....
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Knowing Write from Wrong
Explore how the informality of electronic correspondence has affected communications in the workplace. Writers develop pages for a basic writing guide that contains rules and examples to help correct common writing errors. A great way to...
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Making a Magic Kingdom
Students develop a list of things to consider when developing an amusement park. After reading an article, they discover what issues arose when designing the new Disney park in California. In groups, they develop plastic models of an...
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The Winter Olympics' Tale
Students look back at the athletes, events and related news surrounding the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City and present brief newscasts recapping the highlights of individual sports.
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What's the Story?
Students explore how the same news story can be presented differently through various journalistic styles. They discuss the unique characteristics of each style and find articles on the same event in each of the different styles.
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When Human Rights Are Wronged
Learners explore the concept of human rights by examining the arresting of prominent Chinese dissidents who are members of the China Democratic Party. They develop and defend their own Bill of Human Rights and write a reflective essay.
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This Land is Your Land, This Land is My Land
Students explore the difficulties, and some absurd situations, caused by repeated land subdivisions in the rural areas of poor and overpopulated regions.
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Chilling Predictions
Learners research and prepare an almanac on the Arctic. They examine the laws that attempt to provide jurisdiction over this area and consider how these laws be affected if geography of the Arctic continues to change due to global warming.
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The Way to Venezuela
Students investigate various facets of Venezuelan culture, politics, history and current events to develop an introductory chapter of a guidebook to the country.
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Left to Their Own (Literary) Devices
Learners write scenes for stories using their own original characters. However, they write using the literary and plot devices found in the Lemony Snicket book series.
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Book Party
Students compile a list of titles and authors worthy of having their own festivals, then research and write proposals outlining the activities for a specific book festival. They write analytical letters from the perspective of the author...
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A Change of Scene
Students evaluate their school's theater space. They study about the renovations to the University of Michigan's Hill Auditorium by reading and discussing the article "Michigan's Gem of an Auditorium Glitters Again." They then determine...
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The Fight for Human Rights
Students explore the concept of human rights by developing and defending their own 'Bills of Human Rights' and by writing a reflective essay that compares their notions of human rights and the protection of them.
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Book Smarts
Learners identify the ideas and themes that are most significant in a work of literature, then propose ways to visually represent these themes through art.
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Food Wars
Students investigate the debate whether schools should regulate the amount or type of food and drink students consume. They write and present position papers after reading an online NY Times article.
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Write Away
Learners examine the effect of computers and other word processing programs have had on traditional forms of communication and expression after reading and discussing the article "Where the Pen is Mightier Than the PC" from The New York...
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Picture Perfect
Students explore how photographic images can be used to convey the intentions of the photographer based on Hiroji Kubota's photojournalistic show "Can We Feed Ourselves? A Focus on Asia"
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Under the Collar
Students first examine different types of white-collar crimes; they then research recent individual cases to present in a student-written and produced expos?? program on white-collar crime.
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Walking in Other People's Shoes
Students study the story of student journalist Casey Parks' September, 2006, journey to Central Africa with New York Times columnist, Nicholas Kristof. They then act as representatives to the tourism boards of developing countries and...
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Caste In Stone?
Learners examine India's caste system. After learning about the history and development of the caste system, students discuss how new political power granted to women in lower castes is affecting the political and social climate of India.