A strong thesis statement not only identifies the subject of an essay but also presents a claim that must be supported with evidence. After researching how nursing has evolved in the United States since the Colonial era, young writers...

Scholars generally agree on the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States. This inquiry-based lesson asks high schoolers to consider more than the claims of who freed the enslaved people but the significance of the issues...

To conclude a unit on the concept of diversity in world literature, class members conduct a symposium on "African Literature in Global Perspectives." In order to earn a spot on the panel, individuals craft an original thesis that...

How do scientists know what Earth's climate was like millions of years ago? Young environmental scholars discover how researchers used proxy data to determine the conditions present before written record. Grouped pupils gain experience...

Two activities look at how rumors are spread and ways class members can stop them. The first activity brings forth an in-depth conversation about how reporters gather information to write articles and how students can implement the same...

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...

Scholars examine the articles written for the series' first lesson plan and select ones that would benefit from further research. In a 48-hour deadline, teams of three select one topic to investigate in greater depth and craft a...

Students investigate rocks and how they are formed and the uses man has for rocks. The topic is narrowed, researched, and documented by three sources. The results are presented to classmates for evaluation.

Sixth graders discover the importance of information sources by researching the United States History.  In this research gathering lesson, 6th graders examine a historical painting of George Washington and analyze what it means,...

Learners produce a research project on an animal. Using the Internet, they find pictures and information about animals. They are also given a list of items that should be covered in their report, including the appearance of the animals,...

Learners compose essays on nuclear policies. In this North Korea lesson, students examine political cartoons and primary documents regarding nuclear build-up by North Korea. Learners write essays about North Korea's military goals and...

Students learn from their elders. In this oral and social histories activity, students analyze primary sources to develop an understanding of the America in which their grandparents grew up. Students conduct interviews with elders in...

Young scholars define and discuss sectionalism and popular sovereignty, analyze impact of popular sovereignty in creation of state of Kansas, compare issues in territorial Kansas to current politically divisive topic, and evaluate...

Students identify stereotypes, especially those applied to American Indians.  In this teaching tolerance lesson, students read an essay entitled " I Hated Tonto (Still Do)" and discuss the negative impact that stereotypes may have...

Learners analyze the importance of a fresh water supply in Cape Verde, researching five methods of obtaining and conserving water there. Students create and present displays demonstrating their understanding of the methods of water...

Young scholars determine how the Lincoln assassination impacted the United States. For this conspiracy theory lesson, students examine selected primary sources and chart the information they gather from the sources.

Students examine the discovery of the Americas.  For this US History lesson, students investigate the theory that Chinese explorers initially discovered America.  They collect research from a variety of sources, and distinguish...

After reading books about Black history, complete an outline and research important African Americans in history. Use the included outline to write a report.

Young scholars learn the characteristics of arachnids by researching the arachnid of their choice and producing a 4 to 5 paragraph research paper.

Learners research and identify story ideas for the school newspaper. In this story ideas lesson plan, students pitch story ideas to their teacher on a weekly basis using a specific format. Learners find the majority of their ideas from...

Google it! Like Kleenix, Google has genericized. But when beginning a project, young researchers need to go beyond search engines and become aware of the different types of research resources available. Introduce the options with a...

Bring a lesson about Negro League Baseball to your Black history unit, or any other research unit throughout the year. While the lesson plan itself is simplistic, there are several good ideas that you could use, such as creating trading...

The Le Moyne brothers, Jean-Baptiste and Pierre, were among the first explorers of the Gulf Coast. Class members read biographical information and journal entries about these men, study maps showing where the settlements they established...

What was the relationship like between George and Martha Washington? To protect their privacy, Martha Washington destroyed all her husband’s letters after his death so historians have little evidence of their lives together. Two letters...