Curated OER
Celebrate Hanukkah in Israel
Explore Hanukkah and its origins with a social studies lesson. Learners discover the history of Hanukkah and its traditions. They locate Israel on a map, hear the story of the menorah and create their own dreidel. Afterwards, they sing...
Curated OER
Eisenhower: The Cold War
Students participate in a news conference simulation. In this Cold War lesson, students research events of the conflict during Eisenhower's presidency and use the information to script and participate in a news conference with Eisenhower.
Curated OER
Poetry Slam!
Create poems without writing! Young poets create poems using words cut from newspapers, read their poems aloud, and compile them in a book. This lesson allows the teacher to view each learner's creative process and assess their current...
Curated OER
Johannes Gutenberg and the Printing Press
Students use library or online resources to create time lines on the life of Johannes Gutenberg and tell the impact his invention, the printing press, had on the development of newspapers.
Curated OER
Not Getting the News about the Stamp Act
How did American colonists react to the Stamp Act of 1765? Your young historians will examine primary source material by reading excerpts from a transcription of the Pennsylvania Gazette and then identifying the sentiments expressed by...
Curated OER
Writing Newsletters!
A reading of Gail Gibbons’ Deadline! leads to a discussion of the differences between newspapers and newsletters. Class members then choose a favorite topic and create the front page for their own newsletter.
Curated OER
This Is America! Flag Collage
In a visual essay of their thoughts about "What America Means to Me," kids of any age can create a collage about their country. Originally intended to be created physically, learners could share their projects online by using an...
Curated OER
Persuasive/Argumentative Essay vs. Opinion writing
Reinforce persuasive and argumentative writing skills with this lesson, which utilizes SchoolNet News Network's website/SNN Monthly magazine. Young writers review journalism writing styles that help them explain that writing a persuasive...
Curated OER
A Better Class of Journal-ists
Young academics create a current events journal by skimming newspapers for articles that fit defined guidelines for informational texts. After cutting out two articles each week to add to their journals, they write a brief description of...
Curated OER
Where journalism meets art
Students pick out the different techniques in photographs taken. In this photographs lesson plan, students critique patterns, shadows, reflections, and more in the photographs.
Curated OER
Nonfiction Genre Mini-Unit: Persuasive Writing
Should primary graders have their own computers? Should animals be kept in captivity? Young writers learn how to develop and support a claim in this short unit on persuasive writing.
Curated OER
Elementary School Uniforms
Fifth graders debate the pros and cons to wearing school uniforms. In this uniforms lesson plan, 5th graders identify, research, and present pros and cons in a debate setting.
Curated OER
How Advertisers Persuade
This plan centers around the article "How Advertisers Persuade," although it is not included in the instructional activity itself. Get your class thinking about advertising, appeals, and techniques that companies use to get their...
Curated OER
Let's Play the Stock Market
Eighth graders explore the basics about investing in the stock market, begin to see how the knowledge of decimals, fraction, and percents can be applied to financial profit or loss if investing in the market, and track their stocks using...
Curated OER
Cutting Costs With Coupons.
Learners clip coupons for food items, create a menu using those items, and add up the total savings. They correctly calculate the total amount of money that would be saved if they used the coupons.
Curated OER
Weighing the War
Study opposing viewpoints with this lesson, which examines President Bush's September 2004 address at the United Nations. Middle schoolers study the text of the address, and then stage formal debates arguing for or against the reasons to...
Curated OER
Pet Guess Who
Est-ce que ton animal grand ou petit? Pair up your beginning French speakers for a game of Pet Guess Who! Using pet advertisements from newspapers or the Internet, pairs try to guess what kind of animal their partner has. Also, use the...
Curated OER
Jeffersonianism at the Bar
Eleventh graders participate in a political roundtable discussion. In this Jeffersonianism lesson, 11th graders role play individuals from the 19th century and discuss issues of the Federalist period.
Curated OER
It's Always Great to Hear "Another Book Please!"
Although summer is gone, these tips for increasing literacy can be used year-round.
Curated OER
Samuel's Choice
The book, Samuel's Choice is used to illustrate the decisions that African Americans who were enslaved during the Revolutionary War had to make. The series of four lessons is designed to be implemented after the book is read. The book,...
Curated OER
Egyptian Mummy Cases
Here is an activity I'd like to do with my class! They researching the ins and outs of Egyptian culture, hieroglyphs, symbolism, and art, then use what they know to create realistic or stylized Mummy cases. These cases need to include...
Ellsworth American
Think About the Newspaper
Investigate the significance of adjectives with a newspaper activity that addresses effective language. Readers probe teacher-provided articles in search of the mighty modifiers, and practice by replacing them with a different word, and...
Curated OER
Easy Access: Creating Annotated Versions of News Articles
How can news coverage be made more accessible for teens? Model for your class how to use technology to annotate news stories containing unfamiliar references that hinder their interest in and understanding of a news story. Use the...
Curated OER
In Legal Limbo
Newspapers are great learning tools. They act as a conduit for current events, reading comprehension, and critical thinking. Here, pupils read a New York Times article regarding US immigration law under the Obama administration and...