Responding to blog posts can increase written communication skills, critical thinking skills, and the use of social media as a means for discussion. Kids will compose a blog post in response to the provided article related to famous...

Using the California CareerZone Interest Profiler results, scholars choose an occupation to research then write a summary about what they discovered.

How do you know which college is for you? Upper graders consider multiple factors about the college application process, the college system, and how colleges are ranked. They read a New York Times article on the subject then compose blog...

Based on a New York Times article, "The College Drop-Out Boom," participants in a fishbowl discussion formulate and express opinions about the correlation between level of education, career options, and economic mobility. Ample...

What was everyday life like in Colonial Virginia? To find the answer cooperative groups work collaboratively to read an informational handout and complete a graphic organizer. The speaker of the group then shares their new-found...

Emilia mocks Bianca, who is in a relationship with Cassio, who attacks Montano. Using the resource, learners explore profiles of the characters from Shakespeare's Othello. They also read a scene-by-scene synopsis and follow a weekly blog...

Introduce your class to ghostwriting while practicing comprehension. From The New York Times' The Learning Network, this article covers the topic of ghostwriting for cookbooks. There are blank spaces and a word bank. Learners can use the...

Who was Steve Jobs and what has he contributed to American culture and technology? Kids ask themselves these questions as they read a New York Times article about Apple and Mr. Jobs. There are seven comprehension questions for learners...

Young bloggers respond to an article which describes the controversy of Black Friday starting on Thanksgiving night instead of the day after. Target employees were outraged that the store decided to open on Thanksgiving night, which...

A lesson plan instills the importance of locating reliable sources. Scholars are challenged to locate digital sources, analyze their reliability, search for any bias, and identify frequently found problems that make a source unusable. 

Can't read this now, I'll have to check it out later. A teacher's time is always limited. So often as we peruse the web for personal and professional content, we come across sites and information that we cannot immediately...

A pair of complex sentences, drawn from a New York Times article about a police writing class, are punctuated differently with commas and semicolons. There's only one question, but it's a good one to press your grammarians to increase...

Challenge small groups to build a structure that catches a raw egg without breaking—working collaboratively and applying mathematical and engineering principles. Pretending the frame was made by a business, scholars create a marketing...

Learners work in small groups to investigate a variety of art and architecture forms common during the Old Kingdom epoch in Ancient Egypt. Learners then evaluate how these art forms reflect a culture's beliefs and values. And, finally,...

In this exercise, learners identify characters from an "Archie" comic and discuss the relevance of "Archie" to today's youth. They create public service advertisements featuring celebrities to address common concerns among teenagers in...

How smart is your home? Middle and high schoolers write a journal entry describing the types of technology found in their homes. After reading an article, they are introduced to "smart" home technology. In groups, they identify and...

Excerpts from a New York Times article about children cooking dinner for their family can lead learners to express opinions about taking on real life responsibilities. The story will prompt discussion, but add more questions directed at...

Using a helpful resource, scholars conduct research to learn about different types and aspects of virtual businesses. They research three company websites, taking notes on what they find appealing about the website design of each. 

Is being uncomfortable worth it if you look good? Inspire discussion about fashion and culture with a brief New York Times article about painful fashion. Whether used as a persuasive essay prompt or as a discussion starter,...

Inform teenagers about safe driving techniques. Young journalists use the Internet to investigate safe driving practices and technologies then publish a manual for the teen drivers in their life.

The New York Times article “Online Diary,” launches this study of websites and how to assess them. Richly detailed, the instructional activity includes warm-up activities, procedures, journal prompts, discussion questions, and links to...

Create an expert guide to local businesses in this lesson. Through research, young readers consider their local businesses and the services they provide, paying attention to any conflicting information they might find. Working in groups,...

This New York Times "Learning Network" activity poses 11 questions on an article and video about commercial branding and marketing on college campuses. The related article, "On the Market: Thinking Critically About Advertising", is...

With a series of pictures you are transported to Chicago's Skywalk. Read about this magnificent tourist attraction and answer the reading comprehension questions provided. Extend this activity by having your class write about other...