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It's Your Opinion
Everyone has a different opinion about the characters they read about in books. Have your class explore forming an opinion and finding evidence to support it as they read and discuss what they think about a particular character. They...
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A New State Seal
Young scholars select one letter from "Letters to Howard" and write a response to the editor or an imaginary dialogue they might have had with the authors of these letters.
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History of American Child Labor
Students study the historical and social issue of child labor. They examine the photographs of Lewis Hine to see evidence of child labor and decide how the photographs depict the historical impact of the practice. They write a letter to...
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Problems with our Food System: Hunger
Students understand that hunger causes many deaths a year and many children are trapped as slaves through watching a video. In this hunger and child slavery activity, students write letters to call attention to the problems of hunger and...
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Writing Process-- Revision and Editing
As guided practice, class members work together to revise a model persuasive paragraph. Then they practice independently with their own writing. The included rubric looks at prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, nonfiction text...
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Putting Writing Skills To Work
Tenth graders reinforce their knowledge of the format and elements of business letters by writing a request letter. A review of effective letter writing is provided prior to an independent assignment. This helps with scaffolding the...
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The Verbal Sketch
Learners use perspective observation sketches to understand verbal description. For this subjective writing lesson, students practice writing subjective conversations using the cartoon worksheets.
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Get Out the Vote!
Students discuss importance of voting within a democracy, and investigate reasons why people vote, and why they don't. Students then conduct survey, make hypotheses about voter motivation, and develop materials to promote voting among...
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Putting Together the Confederation Newspaper
Learners create a four-page newspaper that represents their assigned region/province of Canada. They assess their individual contribution to the group in the creation of their newspaper.
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Social, Political and Economic Effects of Industrialization
Tenth graders role-play a person living in the United States during the 1890s. Students research their role using focus questions about daily life, including standard of living.industrialization. They have the opportunity to ...
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Working with Questions
Students explore questions in a scientific context. They consider what makes questions testable. After reading short scenarios, students come up with their own testable questions about the reading.
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Writing for Different Audiences: A Discussion of Cover Letters And Resumes
Students examine the process of writing a resume. They identify examples of casual and formal language, read an article on writing resumes, discuss key questions, write a resume, and discuss and edit another student's resume.
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The Gentle Art of Persuasion: Techniques for Persuading Different Audiences
Students examine the use of persuasive arguments to varying audiences. They define persuasion, read and discuss an article on whether P.E. should be optional, summarize the pros and cons of P.E., and write a letter or a speech.
Virginia Department of Education
Analyzing and Planning Persuasive Writing
Young writers work backward to analyze persuasive techniques. As a class, work through the provided persuasive letter: a plea to an imaginary city council to lift a city-wide ban on fast food restaurants and discount stores. Start by...
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Persuasive Journal Prompts
Need a journal topic? Whether you use these prompts as part of a persuasive writing unit, or reproduce the download as a one-page handout for your class members, the suggested topics make a great addition to your curriculum library. In...
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A Question of Faith?
Should organized prayer be prohibited at high school sporting events? Students explore their own feelings about prayer in school-sponsored events, before discussing the recent Supreme Court decision banning public prayer at high school...
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Persuasive/Argumentative Essay vs. Opinion writing
Reinforce persuasive and argumentative writing skills with this instructional activity, which utilizes SchoolNet News Network's website/SNN Monthly magazine. Young writers review journalism writing styles that help them explain that...
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In the News
Third graders participate in a instructional activity that helps to improve reading comprehension. They move through several activities that help them understand how to express their opinions, support their statements and communicate...
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Friday Forum (Day 5)
Students evaluate their performance in different debates about the laws of Michigan. They write a letter to an editor of a newspaper sharing their opinions. They write journal entries as well.
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Aruba Cloud Cover Measured by Satellite
Students analyze cloud cover and compose written conclusions to a given related scenario. Students submit a letter of response and a report detailing their calculations and conclusions.
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Creating Hate: The Power of Words
Pupils explore why authors choose to use hate words in literature. In this power of words lesson, students complete group participation, journal entries, and written assignments to investigate the use of inflammatory...
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The Leadership and Impact of Booker T. Washington
Twelfth graders explore the life and leadership of Booker T. Washington. In this Booker T. Washington instructional activity, 12th graders examine images of Washington, listen to audio of his voice, and his most famous speech. Students...
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Environment Exploration Activity
In this environment worksheet, students click on the links in the questions about environment to find the answers to the questions and then come back and answer the questions. Students answer 51 questions total.
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Decision Making and Assertiveness
Fourth graders identify a problem and write a persuasive essay to the appropriate audience, to correct the problem. They demonstrate effective decision making based on positive self-worth. Students need to write a paragraph about their...