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News Literacy Project
Democracy’s Watchdog
As part of a study of the importance of the First Amendment, expert groups research different historic case studies of investigative reporting, and then the experts share their findings with jigsaw groups. The case studies include Nellie...
Curated OER
Discovering Japan Through Cooperative Research
Search a variety of sources to create a multimedia or book project about Japan. Learners use the independent investigation method to plan and conduct research about Japan. They use the information they discover to create a computer book...
Curated OER
You Can Say That Again!
A discussion of the Supreme Court’s Opinion of Tinker v. Des Moines generates a discussion of the Bill of Rights and the First Amendment. Although the key elements of this lesson plan are based on a video that is not included, the...
University of California
Principles vs. Practices
Have you ever wondered what your own World Order would look like? Scholars use primary and secondary documents as well as video clips to investigate and analyze the Cold War. Using the sources, the principles and practices of nations...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Kate Chopin's The Awakening: Local Color in the Late 19th Century
Kate Chopin's The Awakening introduces readers not only to the lush Louisiana setting of Grand isle but also to the nuances of Creole culture. the second lesson plan in a three-part series examines how Chopin's use of literary realism...
Bully Free Systems
Bully Free Lesson Plans—Seventh Grade
Having a hard time defining bullying with your seventh graders? Discuss the different types of behavior one would see in a bullying situation with a series of lessons, worksheets, and group activities.
Curated OER
Describe That State
Young scholars broaden knowledge about all the 50 states. They combine their knowledge about states with their knowledge about parts of speech to create grammatically correct sentences that describe the characteristics of the states.
Curated OER
Where Is It?
Pupils practice their writing skills for describing place and location using prepositions. They find hidden objects and report to a recorder the exact directions for finding that object. Recorders write the directions.
Curated OER
The U.S. and Iroquois Constitutions
Students receive and interpret copies of US Constitution and Iroquois Constitution. Then they reference (look up) the articles mentioned by Daly in the Iroquois Constitution text, and analyze for parallel meaning in the US Constitution....
Curated OER
Independent - To Be Or Not To Be
Young scholars examine national symbols of freedom and speech strategies. They study the constitution, forefathers, and the Declaration of Independence.
Curated OER
Nov. 4, 2008 | Obama Is Elected President
Read this interesting background information regarding the presidential election of 2008. Your class will read the provided passages and then answer four critical thinking questions that require them to consider the reading and what they...
Curated OER
The Impact of History: A Conversation with a Parent
Seventh graders interview parents about certain historical events. In this historical interview lesson, 7th graders create a web of events about historical events. Students interview their parents or grandparents about the event and...
Curated OER
Tea at the White House
Fifth graders write a research paper and turn it into a speech about a historical person in the United States. For this history lesson plan, 5th graders memorize the speech and present it to the class.
Curated OER
United States v. Thomas Cooper --
Students compare the Alien and Sedition Act to the First Amendment. They read and analyze a primary document and write a synopsis. They brainstorm challenges to the Government or President of the US.
Curated OER
Celebrating African Americans and Coins
Students examine the Booker T. Washington commemorative coin and listen to a biography of Washington's life. They develop a list of reasons why his life was commemorated with a coin. They examine other coins and the lives and work of...
Curated OER
Chicago Tribune vs. US (1942): When Does Freedom of the Press Go Too Far?
High schoolers define freedom of the press in peace and war time. As a class, they identify the need for the public to be informed, but discuss where the line should be drawn to protect national security. They develop their arguments...
Curated OER
Where Am I? Determining Relative Location
Students use position words to describe where their teacher is sitting and read a story that makes use of position words. In this spatial lesson plan, students make a stick puppet and play Simon Says focusing on using position words in...
Curated OER
Right on Time!
Students read portions of biographies about human rights activists before participating in a jigsaw activity in which they report out on what they read. They made a timeline of one of the human rights activist's lives. They write a...
Curated OER
Swift Response
Students examine how matters of national security affect the press' ability to practice free speech. They read and discuss an article regarding the Swift program, discuss opinions about patriotism and the press, and write a letter to the...
Curated OER
Rosa Parks Refused to Do What?
First graders listen to two books about Rosa Parks. They contribute factual information for a web. They listen to an interview with Rosa Parks on the internet, adding more information to the web. They write and illustrate a book using...
Curated OER
The State of the Union Address
Students discuss and fill out a worksheet after viewing the State of the Union Address that the president makes every year.
Curated OER
The Symposium
In this online interactive philosophy activity, students respond to 10 short answer and essay questions about The Symposium by Plato.
Curated OER
Run! Run! You Can't Catch Me!
First graders listen to the story, The Gingerbread Boy, then make and decorate a gingerbread cookie. The teacher hides the cookies after they're baked and students follow clues to find them.
Curated OER
Famous Virginians
Fourth graders research the lives of famous people from Virginia. Using the internet, they take notes in a blank flipbook given to them by their teacher. They write a speech in first person of the famous Virginian they researched and...