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Isolation or Intervention?
Students research the attitudes and politics of pre-World War II America. They become isolationists or interventionists and present their points of view during a simulated city council meeting.
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Lewis and Clark: Prized Possessions
Students consider the role of Sacagawea as part of the Corps of Discovery. In this Lewis and Clark expedition lesson, students discover details about Sacagawea's wampum belt and then create their own wampum belts using their computer and...
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Pioneer America: Legendary Westerners - Can One Person Really Make a Difference?
Fourth graders research famous Americans from the Westward Movement and complete an interview. In this Westward Movement lesson, 4th graders work in pairs to research someone who was important during this time period. They prepare and...
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Challenge to Communicate
Students use Lewis and Clark's journals to identify the forms of non-verbal communication they used. They discover the problems they faced on their journey and how they overcame them. They practice using the non-verbal language of the...
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Lon Chaney: Three Faces of Lon Chaney
Students watch the Lon Chaney episode of American Masters, read chapters from three original books on which Chaney's films were based, and use a reading strategy called Reader's Theater to adapt each chapter into a script. After...
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It Ain't Necessarily So
Students examine characterization of African Americans in literature, popular culture, and opera. In this stereotypes lessons, students conduct research that requires them to analyze the origins and content of stereotypes perpetuated...
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New York City: Passionate About Shakespeare
Students explore Shakespeare as part of American culture. In this Shakespearean culture lesson, students view video clips about modern theater. Students read excerpts from Shakespearean plays and other commentaries.
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I Have a Metaphor
Learners locate the literary devices used in Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. In this figurative language lesson plan, students first distinguish between similes, metaphors, analogies, personification, etc. Learners...
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Heading West
Students study the concept of the westward expansion. In this exploration of the western U.S. lesson, students participate in different activities that explain economic hardships, jobs, and land opportunities. Students describe...
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On the Road with Marco Polo: Marco Polo in China
Students trace Marco Polo's route into China and use the Internet to research major products fabricated in 13th century China. They discuss their findings and write a report on either: silk, porcelain, jade, lacquerware or tea.
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Jackie Steals Home
Students read articles relating to Jackie Robinson's breaking of the racial barrier in professional baseball. This leads to a deeper exploration of racism in the United States. They use a variety of worksheets imbedded in this plan to...
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The West "The People": The Lewis and Clark Expedition
Fourth graders become familiar with the conditions facing the members of the Expedition in the early 1800's, as well as the causes and consequences of the Expedition. They describe the conditions of the land in the 1800's and during the...
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The Media is the Lesson
Students work as a member of a creative team and develop a media campaign for a client.
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Willie Nelson: All Together Now!
Students recite Willie Nelson's lyrics in one voice and then analyze their tone and vocabulary usage. They research Willie Nelson's history and dramatize the song: "On the Road Again."
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New Frontiers
Students compare/contrast the expeditions of Dr. Horatio Jackson and Lewis and Clark. They read and discuss journals from both trips, watch segments from the Ken Burns film about Lewis and Clark, conduct Internet research, and complete...
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Hip on Hemingway
Students participate in an official "Hip on Hemingway Club." They explore Hemingway and create a biography of Ernest Hemingway patterned after an alphabet book. They record their "key word" with each of the twenty-six letters of the...
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Oh, Baby!
Students explore one's goals and dreams using a combination of research and imagination. They produce a web site that portrays a vision of one's future. They plan, conduct and write up an informal journalistic interview.
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Newsworthy Journey
Students conduct Internet research about ancient civilizations to produce a newspaper that reflecting the cultural, political, economic and religious views of the ancient civilizations of Egypt or Mexico.
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THE PEANUT WIZARD
Students read information about George Washington Carver and outline the information. They are given peanuts in the shell, students examine them and eat them. Students discuss the following questions: Why did George Washington Carver...
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Journalism and Responsibility
Students explore the world of journalism. In this media awareness lesson, students investigate the roles and responsibilities of journalists. Students watch segments of videos and research websites to inform them prior to writing their...
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A School Yard Journal
Fourth graders create journals with explicit descriptions of objects found on the school yard. In this descriptive writing lesson, 4th graders read some of Lewis and Clark's journal entries before they explore the school yard, then...
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Pilgrims: The First Americans
Fifth graders become familar with the pilgrims and first Thanksgiving through essays about important people of the time. In this Thanksgiving lesson, 5th graders choose an important figure from the time of the Pilgrims and write a...
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Where Is Rome?
Third graders discover Ancient Rome through maps and worksheets. In this world history lesson, 3rd graders locate Rome on a world map and identify the scope of the Roman Empire. Students label an entire map of Italy after...
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Breaking News: Virgin Voyage to the Bottom of the Ocean (7th April, 2011)
Students explore current events by reading about a trip to the bottom of the ocean. In this modern day explorer lesson, students read about Virgin CEO Richard Branson and his adventure to the bottom of the ocean. Students complete...