Curated OER
Critique Sources
Young scholars distinguish between primary and secondary sources. They study about fact, opinion, and recognize bias. Students find out if information is accurate or not and report on it. For the final project young scholars create an...
California Academy of Science
Nuclear Energy: What's Your Reaction?
OSHA confirms that rules governing worker safety at nuclear power plants ranks higher than worker safety in offices. Scholars must consider safety, cost, alternatives, and other factors before recommending whether a town should build a...
Social Media Toolbox
Social Media Messages
What are the elements of a good social media post? The 13th activity in the 16-part Social Media Toolbox incorporates all of the typical components found in a Facebook or Twitter post. Scholars work together to create great posts based...
Curated OER
Information Overload: Looking at News
How do events reported in mainstream newspapers, on television news, blog posts, and social network sites differ? Ask your class to investigate the way the same news item is presented in the many information sources available. Groups...
Curated OER
Parents And Alcohol: Who's To Blame
Students explore the topic of underage drinking. They find a focus and write a news feature/analysis that reports on what the community is doing to prevent underage drinking and some assessment of the extent of the problem.
Curated OER
Internet Research Worksheet
In this Internet research worksheet, students find two credible sources on their chosen subject for a speech. Students note the useful information they gained from the article and offer evidence of the credibility of each source.
EngageNY
Mid-Unit Assessment: Comparing and Contrasting Two Texts: Simulated Research
Shoo fly. Scholars read DDT Spray Scares Mosquitoes Away, Study Finds and You Think You Have It Tough? to complete a mid-unit assessment. The learners compare and contrast author presentation and conduct a credibility check on each...
Google
Advanced 4: Searching for Evidence for Research Tasks
Research was very different in the past. Pupils once had difficulty finding sufficient information, but now they have the opposite problem. Show your class how to pick the best resources out of the millions of sites an online search will...
Google
Advanced 3: Narrowing a Search to Get the Best Results
Familiarize your class with Google operators, specific symbols, or words they can use to express more clearly to the search tool what they want to find. With the resources included here, they can test their previous knowledge, view...
Google
Advanced 2: Understanding Search Results
Effective researchers use a variety of techniques to find what they need online. Pupils who complete the activities listed here should already have an arsenal of strategies for searching. They will learn about and practice two new...
iCivics
Candidate Evaluation
How can we decide between candidates on election day? After contemplating various issues and qualities, your learners will go through a step-by-step process of researching and evaluating sample candidates and determining their...
Curated OER
Selecting the Tap: Water Safety
Examine water as a scarce natural resource instead of taking it for granted. Middle schoolers identify the traits of potable water, and research local water sources to determine if they are impaired or not.
Curated OER
Phineas Gage: “Medicine: Then and Now” Pre-Reading Activity
What did medicine look like a hundred years ago? Two hundred years ago? Invite small groups to conduct research on the history of a chosen medical advancement before reading Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science....
Curated OER
Savvy Surfers: Website Evaluation and Media Literacy
Sixth graders strengthen their understanding of what a high quality website is composed of. Learners evaluate three websites for accuracy, credibility, and reliability by completing a chart.
Curated OER
Quilt Codes
Students list criteria to evaluate credible historical sources and defend their criteria in an essay. For this historical sources lesson plan, students review information of historical sources as well as the facts and pictures.
Curated OER
Finding Our Way Home: Immigration to the United States, 1815-1860
Students break into families of 4 members. They brainstorm issues that they would encounter as an immigrant family by creating a web. Students are given roles to research focusing on that perspective: father, mother, grandparent, and child.
Curated OER
Researching Another Country's Holiday: Focusing and Gathering Information
Fifth graders brainstorm a list of holidays celebrated by a majority of people in the United States. They each select an American holiday from the list as well as another country that may have a holiday that is similar. Next, they...
Curated OER
Imus: How much free speech is too much?
Students read background about Don Imus and his comments about the Rutgers women's basketball team. They explore current interpretation of the First Amendment, including that of commercial speech. Students present the findings to class...
Curated OER
Sociological Research Skills
In this Sociological Research Skills instructional activity, students must write about the strengths, weaknesses, reliability, and limitations of various methods of research.
Curated OER
Reporter rights vs. legal access...
Students write an article to inform readers about confidentiality with reporters, attempting to find local lawyers and journalists to explain the issues as they relate to them. Students research past cases and the status of the current...
Curated OER
Where Will I Go From Here?
Learners research the various cultures in Colonial America. In this American history instructional activity, students analyze and complie the research they find presenting what they have found into a short presentation.
Curated OER
Concern in East Virginia
Students investigate the statehood of West Virginia. In this lesson on statehood, students use primary sources to examine the separation of Virginia from Wes Virginia. The lesson incorporates a field trip as a means to put knowledge into...
Curated OER
Searching with Certainty
Students explore ways to determine credibility in sources of information. In small groups, students develop a thesis question for a research paper, then use three different methods to find Internet sites with credible information.
NASA
Solar Storms
In this solar storms activity, students use an on line source to read newspaper stories about scientific theories and hypothesis related to space weather phenomena. Students answer 7 questions about past solar storms and compare ideas of...