Sharpen persuasive writing skills while trying to solve a community problem. Learners choose a burning topic and then write letters to persuade others to come around to their views. The provided procedures walk through how to guide the...

The United States Library of Congress, the largest library in the world. But such was not always the case. The library was destroyed during the War of 1812. In a persuasive letter to Samuel H. Smith, Thomas Jefferson offered to sell his...

After reading a brief excerpt from a letter written by Abigail Adams to her husband and future president of the United States, John Adams, your young historians will practice their reading comprehension skills and identify what Abigail...

Students analyze alcohol and tobacco ads and create parodies of them. The eight lessons in this unit include discussions about why teens smoke or drink, the psychology behind the advertising, and writing persuasive letters to agencies,...

Students engage in a lesson that is concerned with the concept of persuasion and how it is used in a writing context. They create persuasive letters addressed to the president of the United States. Students brainstorm to find facts to...

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.

Young scholars investigate politics by writing a formal letter. In this U.S. Government lesson, students discuss political issues they would like to address and research their topic using the Internet. Young scholars locate an...

Consider the possibility of a new U.S. draft with this lesson, which encourages class debate and persuasive arguments. Middle and high schoolers discuss how such a draft might be enacted and how they would feel about it. They write...

The Nashua River serves as the focal point of an investigation of the treatment of and care for natural resources. A reading of A River Rand Wild: An Environmental History by Lynne Cherry, launches the study and class members consider...

Students explore letter writing.  In this persuasive writing lesson, students write a letter to a local organization based on a topic of their choice.  Students employ the correct letter writing procedure as outlined in the...

Students explore techniques of persuasive writing. In this persuasive writing lesson, students examine primary sources regarding the sale of Thomas Jefferson private library to Congress. Students write their own persuasive letters...

Students examine the need for a national library. In this Library of Congress lesson, students analyze primary sources to investigate the persuasive techniques that Thomas Jefferson used in a letter meant to show his...

Provide your class with an opportunity to investigate an important historical document. Without identifying the document, distribute copies of the original Bill of Rights, as transcribed by John Beckley, Clerk of the House of...

What a great list of brief research projects for reviewing the era of westward expansion in the United States! Learners are directed to choose and complete three of the projects on the given list, which includes opportunities to design...

What is family? Challenge your scholars to write an encompassing definition of what this word means to them. After reading "It May Be a Family Matter, But Just Try to Define Family," class members discuss the emotional issues surrounding...

Investigate and report on three issues related to a current election. Elementary aged learners research information about specific issues, develop an opinion, and write a persuasive essay using supporting details and evidence to support...

Twelfth graders examine  local, state, and/or national animal welfare organization.  In this Social Studies instructional activity, 12th graders research their identified organization.  Students develop a planned...

Students examine a letter written by Thomas Jefferson. In this lesson on the Thomas Jefferson Library, students discover a methodology for creative writing by examining Jefferson's letter to congress explaining why they should purchase...

High schoolers examine the history of Chinese American artist Xu Bing. In this multicultural lesson, students collaborate in small groups to identify letters in the artist's work, and brainstorm how they would create their own images...

Seventh graders investigate the role of South Carolina in the Spanish American War. In this imperialism lesson plan, 7th graders analyze primary documents and photographs, in collaborative groups, to determine how the state was involved...

Students explore farming, slavery and cacoa farming. In this agricultural science lesson, students fill out KWL charts, create PowerPoints and do internet research. Students write letters to chocolate companies requesting them not...

Students explore New Jersey. In this New Jersey social studies lesson, students define vocabulary and participate in activities centered around the agriculture, geography, industry, history, and culture of New Jersey. Students construct...

Students create and present an itinerary for a trip. In this travel activity, students list ideas of travel experiences for their country. Students then pretend they are taking a trip to Michigan and read an example letter for their...

Sixth graders study how Russian government has changed and how the attitudes of people have changed as a result of these political changes, while learning how to write a persuasive paper, type paragraphs, and use WP utilities.