Curated OER
Justice Is Blind, Colorblind That Is
It's so interesting to see kids respond to articles about education. To start the day, prompt learners to discuss the words colorblindness and diversity. Then, split your class in two and have one side read an article from 2007 and...
Advocates for Human Rights
Deliberative Dialogue
How do you create a classroom environment where hot button topics may be discussed in a respectful manner? As part of a series of lessons that focus on immigration issues, class members examine the rules for civil discussion before...
Kenan Fellows
A Farmer’s Challenge to Breed to the Greatest of Grapes
What does your class know about GMOs? Are they savvy to selective breeding? Challenge young minds to engineer the greatest crop of all time using a hands-on genetics unit. Learners discover the good and bad details of selective breeding,...
Curated OER
Standards and Measures
Students conduct a "one-question interview" about standardized tests. They assess two sections of a standardized test that they took or will take this year and write an article for their school newspaper that consolidates their test...
Curated OER
That's a Fact
Third graders use various media (newspapers, magazines, brochures, catalogs, etc.) to distinguish fact from opinion
Curated OER
Whose Neighborhood is It? Whose America is This?
Students use electronic resources to study immigration issues, analyze immigration issues dealing with security, economics, lawfulness, culture, and human rights, and discuss possible solutions. Students then express their opinions by...
Curated OER
Nonfiction Text Features
Identify features of a nonfiction article in this language arts lesson. Middle schoolers apply comprehension strategies as they read the parts of the article, and analyze the author's key points. Additionally, they examine information in...
English Enhanced Scope and Sequence
Media Literacy with Focus of Strategies for Collaboration
Introduce your class to literary analysis with a series of activities that has them examine book and movie reviews. Groups then draft their own review of a text, select a digital medium, and craft a presentation.
Curated OER
Crocodiles
Work on research procedures in this instructional activity, which prompts writers to collect and evaluate information pooled from a number of sources. They work in teams to collect information about crocodiles from different sources....
Curated OER
Health Care
Options for public and privately funded health care is a valuable debate for students to follow and learn from. They can use their research to take part in a Town Hall Meeting using facts and style. They will contact the representatives...
Curated OER
Why A Bill of Rights?
Examine conflicting viewpoints in this lesson, in which middle schoolers write their own proposal for including a Bill of Rights in the Constitution. As a class, they discover how the Bill of Rights was not a planned document to be...
Curated OER
Inquiring Minds: News and Philanthropy
Learners study newspaper articles and rewrite events from literature into news stories about kindness. In this news article lesson, students read sentences from newspaper articles and identify the purpose of the article. Learners...
Curated OER
Laws and Force in Law Enforcement
Students investigate the issues of police brutality, use of excessive force, and the underlying issues by participating in a round-table discussion. They compare how these issues are explored differently in different types of...
Facing History and Ourselves
Verifying Breaking News
The attempts of journalists to verify the events surrounding the shooting of Michael Brown take center stage as individuals analyze three of the initial newspaper accounts of the story. The whole class discussion then focuses...
National History Day
“Saving the Bear”: The Russian Expeditionary Force of World War One
How have Russian politics affected countries on a global stage? The discussion of the Russian Revolution and World War I begins with an analysis of primary resource letters. Learners finish with a project where they create a timeline of...
Curated OER
The Vaccination Question
Young scholars share opinions about common vaccines, then consider facts and opinions about the HPV vaccine and hold a fishbowl and discussion. They survey members of the community to determine their perspectives on the issue.
Curated OER
The Atomic Bomb Dilemma
Students examine consequences of using atomic bomb in light of resulting peace, distinguish between fact and opinion and analyze sources to recognize bias and points of view, and assume role of reporter, critic, cabinet member, or...
Curated OER
A Colony is Born : Lesson 11 - Group Presentations and Summatives
Fifth graders give presentations on colonial research. The others take notes on the presentations. They play a card game which helps them review content. They take a summative assessment and present their research notebooks.
Curated OER
Separating Fact from Opinion
Students read, "A Misspent youth: The HIV/AIDS Crisis Comes of Age", and discuss the article or write their answers to the questions imbedded in the instructional activity. They write their own essay.
Curated OER
Media Scrapbook
Pupils analyze the fundamental issues relating to Canadian parliamentary democracy through the exploration of media and public opinion. A scrapbook is created containing summaries of the work performed.
State Bar of Texas
Sweatt v. Painter
Is separate but equal actually equal? The 1950 Supreme Court case Sweatt v. Painter discusses the law of segregation and inequality. Scholars investigate the impact of the case on the desegregation of public schools across the nation...
Global Oneness Project
The Consciousness of Nature
Scholars voice their opinions about animal consciousness with an article that challenges common ideas about nature. After reading the article, learners engage in a thoughtful discussion before writing out their arguments...
BrainPOP
World History Lesson Plan: Uncovering Essential Questions
Have you ever noticed a news story revolves around an essential question? Scholars research methods of reporting historical events. Working in groups, they use an interactive module to gather information on a historical topic, uncovering...
Curated OER
Examining newspapers
Students compare and contrast tabloid and broadsheet papers. In this journalism lesson, students examine how techniques and form differs from one type of publication to the other. The culminating activity is for students to take what...