Curated OER
The Right to Remain Resilient
Learners examine the Civil Rights Movements in the U.S., both current and historic. In small groups students investigate a specific civil rights group, create an illustrated timeline, noting key events, people, and state and federal laws.
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Making Headlines
Students identify acts of kindness in the news. In this random acts of kindness lesson, students discuss kindness, find a news article about an act of kindness that took place in another country, locate the country on a map, and write a...
Smithsonian Institution
Giving Speeches: George Washington's First and Second Inaugural Addresses
Students discuss the purpose of the President of the United States giving an inaugural address. They describe their impressions of any inaugural speaches they have heard or read. Students research events leading up to Washington's first...
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Frankenstein's Monster
Students read Mary Shelly's Frankenstein. Using situation and question prompts, students write various essays, letters, and articles concerning the events in the story from different character's point of view.
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The Environment In The News
Students explore environmental issues. Using a newspaper, students scan headlines for articles related to environmental or sustainability issues. From the article title, students predict the article's intent and then read the article for...
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News-2 You Weekly Activities
Students complete activities from a special education newspaper. In this News-2 lesson, students read the paper, play games, and complete worksheets. Subscription to newspaper is required.
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Write All About It
Fourth graders use research skills and the writing process to create a newspaper. Although students work in groups to complete the final draft of the newspaper, each student is responsible for doing his or her own research and writing...
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History, Today and Every Day
Students assess, by analyzing historic New York Times front pages, how print journalism reflects the values and language of the society in which it is created.
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Introduction to Canada
Ninth graders investigate the country of Canada by examining their media in this geography lesson. They use the Internet to research Canadian newspapers and analyze a topic covered by both US and Canadian media sources. After comparing...
Smithsonian Institution
Solomon G. Brown: Letter Writing
Personal correspondence in the form of letters is not as common as it once was. This resource presents an opportunity for you to introduce your class to letter writing and cover topics in social studies. Learners read a letter written in...
Curated OER
Easy Access: Creating Annotated Versions of News Articles
How can news coverage be made more accessible for teens? Model for your class how to use technology to annotate news stories containing unfamiliar references that hinder their interest in and understanding of a news story. Use the...
Curated OER
Making an Argument: Effective use of Transition Words
Work on using transition words in context by prompting elementary and middle schoolers to write their own persuasive essays using transition words. They explore new forms of transition words and examine how they are used in an editorial...
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Newsworthy Fairy Tales
Third graders review common fairy tales and work in teams to rewrite the fairy tales as news articles. They answer questions using the 5 Ws (who, what, where, when, why). Student articles include eye-catching headlines.
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A Report From the 21st Century - Mark Twain
Students look at Twain, the humorist - considered America's favorite storyteller and the funniest man in the world at the time. Students stretch the truth about a personal experience, and consider how delivery affects impact.
Curated OER
Eastside Literacy Reading Lesson - Fact or Opinion
Analyze critical thinking skills that involve the ability to distinguish between fact and opinion through self-reflection. Higher education students will collect a newspaper article, advertisement, magazine article, tabloid article,...
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Zhu Zhu
Students read an article about the toy Zhu Zhu and answer comprehension questions about it. In this toy lesson plan, students also create an ad for a new toy that they invent in groups.
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The Battle to Save Bats
Students investigate the disease that is causing the global decline of bats. In this animal health activity, students read an article which discusses white-nose syndrome, the number one killer of bats. Students discuss ways to keep...
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Thoughts to the President
Students write a persuassive paragraph to the President stating their opinion on a topic. To do this, they start the message with a topic sentence such as "War is _____." The blank should contain a word or phrase expressing the student's...
Curated OER
West Climate Change
Young scholars read an internet article about hurricanes. In this hurricane lesson, students explain how they form and the damage they bring. They analyze the article and answer questions about it.
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Fact or Fantasy Writing
First graders see that some written text is for pleasure and enjoyment while some is for relaying information. They get to experience both types during the lesson. They brainstorm ideas for a story about a new kid in school to write about.
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Enduring Legacies of the New Deal
Students investigate U.S. history by listening to an economics lecture. In this U.S. government activity, students research the "New Deal" which happened after the Great Depression. Students identify movies, books and music from the...
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Which reference book helps most?
Fourth graders utilize various reference materials to find specific types of information. In this library research activity, 4th graders choose the best source of information from the library's reference collection to answer questions.
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Parable of the Sower
Pupils read passages from the Parable of the Sower. They discuss the topic of religion in the story. They write key points and discuss any concerns they have.
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Nursery Rhyme Mania
Students become familiar with many different nursery rhymes. They use nursery rhymes for a variety of creative activities including writing, singing, poetry and acting.