Students address issues important to them by creating a PowerPoint presentation.  In this persuasive writing instructional activity, students discuss issues with their classmates that they wish to address through a persuasive essay...

Please, sir, can I have a few thousand dollars for my research? The last installment in a six-part lesson has the pupils develop a grant proposal. Class members apply their knowledge of skin cancer, ultraviolet radiation, human skin, and...

While reading the book Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls, the class ties together the core reading objectives, which are making predictions, comprehending new information, reading for author's purpose, independence in reading,...

Fifth graders investigate bullying and nonviolent ways to deal with bullies.  In this conflict management lesson, 5th graders discover the definition for the word ahimsa and examine ways to incorporate that philosophy into their...

Tell me what you really think. The class reviews articles related to wind energy to see how the author uses words, phrases, and images to sway the reader. Through a class discussion, individuals share their feelings from the media...

Students explain how geographic/cultural setting influences identity by comparing/contrasting Esmeralda's Puerto Rican self with her American self. They closely read text to pinpoint when Esmeralda was no longer Puerto Rican. Students...

Fifth graders investigate the basic persuasive techniques employed in advertising. They identify three examples of propaganda/persuasive techniques, complete an observation chart, take an advertising quiz, complete a spreadsheet that...

Fifth graders research the viewpoints of the major Presidential candidates. Using this information, they create brochure comparing and contrasting them on important issues. They write a persuasive essay to state the importance of voting...

How does word choice affect the reading of a text? Compare two headlines that were written about the same event. Is one biased? Discuss how word choice often reveals the author's feelings about a topic. Then look at different techniques...

Students review the information from the previous instructional activity on persuasion essays. In groups, they brainstorm a list of arguments to use to support their trip to Six Flags. They also develop counterarguments and gather...

Students take their own digital photographs and scan them onto the computer. For each photograph, they write about them and use the internet to research their subject in the photo more throughly. They are graded based on a rubric and...

Learners explore the environment by writing a persuasive letter. In this global warming lesson, students identify the key problems with our energy consumption in the United States. Learners complete worksheets and write a letter...

Students examine how democracy stands the test of time. In this technology lesson, students research inventions and contributions of the 20th century in order to gather information to write a persuasive essay on the topic.

High schoolers examine the issues of privacy and security as they relate to computer monitoring. In this privacy protection lesson, students carry out a round table discussion and write a persuasive essay pertaining to whether citizens...

Eighth graders, after viewing a website on Civil War Time, explore and analyze the lifestyles of Civil War times as well as those of the soldiers through the writing of a composition of a narrative letter and story through the eyes of a...

Students investigate equality by reading a historical fiction book in class.  In this civil rights lesson, students read the story Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry with their classmates and define the Jim Crow Laws that kept blacks...

Students are introduced to the history of Greece and the Olympic Games and then research the history and sports in order to write a research paper. They make connections between the 2004 Olympics and the past Olympic Games and interpret...

Students research controversial Internet technology issues concerning security, privacy, and intellectual property. They formulate and present various perspectives on these issues in a mock television panel discussion.

Students research historical events in ancient Greece.  In this ancient Greece lesson, students design a magazine which includes a cover, table of contents, cover story, advertisement and visuals. Students focus on Pericles and his...

Students extend their ideas about the college application process. They write an informative, persuasive letter about themselves to a college admissions counselor that could be used as a 'cover letter' to college applications.

Fifth graders discover new and interesting technologies of the Civil War. In this Civil War portfolio of lessons, 5th graders analyze primary resources, develop new vocabulary, investigate websites, and create a time line of new...

Learners explore the concepts of community, belonging and human relationships through an Internet application designed to foster neighborly relations and write a persuasive statement to recruit others to join their community.

Learners share their own views on eating genetically altered foods. After reading an article, they research any issues concerning these types of foods in the United States. In groups, they create a campaign slogan to help gain funding...

Students discover the ideas of enlightenment by reading historical poetry. In this philosophical instructional activity, students read poems by Sir Walter Scott and Sergeant Joyce Kilmer while discussing the themes of the writing with...