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The Enemy that Never Was
Students write speeches explaining why Japanese Canadians were not a threat to Canada during World War 2. In this Japanese Canadians lesson plan, students learn about racism, and how the Japanese were targeted but not a threat during the...
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Introducing the Essay: Twain, Douglass, and American Non-Fiction
Students analyze American essayists Mark Twain and Frederick Douglass in an introduction to American literary non-fiction writing. In this essay history lesson, students identify methods for writing essays. Students read and analyze...
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Rhetorical Devices
Eleventh graders consider rhetorical devices in speeches and then make an informed selection of effective rhetorical devices for a controversial topic presentation. Students present their findings using presentation software.
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Rhetorical Terms
Students explore online audio examples taken from public speeches, movies, songs, lectures, oral interpretations of literature and other media events to find uses for specific rhetorical terms. This lesson includes a video of...
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Media Literacy Unit - Part 4
Seventh graders study how advertisers use techniques to sell their products. In this persuasive media lesson, 7th graders analyze media messages to find the advertiser's purpose. They examine different advertising techniques and their...
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Rhetorical Devices
Twelfth graders identify and analyze examples of rhetorical devices as valid or invalid inferences. In this text analysis lesson, 12th graders research a controversial topic in teams and identify rhetorical devices for the topic....
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It's Raining Cats and Dog: Studying Idioms
Seventh graders determine the literal and figurative meanings of idioms and research the history of idioms. In this idioms lesson, 7th graders read two books by Fred Gwynne and select two idioms from the texts to research. Students...
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Go For the Gold! For Grades 3-5
Young scholars use web technology to investigate ancient Greece and the Olympic Games. They explore the history of the Olympics. Students make connections between Greek and English. They make and record a persuasive speech and write a...
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Final Project Presentations: Water Quality
Students synthesize the information they have been researching on water quality to evaluate the potential health risks in a region with arsenic contamination. They prepare and present a persuasive speech that incorporates visuals.
Shmoop
ELA.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.4
Still working on deciphering the Common Core standards? Let this resource help you out with the fourth speaking and listening standard! After a brief explanation of the standard, the resource details two example activities and provides...
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ELA.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.9
Guided by close-reading questions, groups examine the similarities and differences between the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. In addition, they look at how the principles are presented in these two foundational US...
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Author's Day
Have your learners choose an author to study. One resource link gives a list of approved authors. Scholars read at least three works produced by that author and produce three separate book reports as well as a two-page author report....
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Word Wake
Put your common writing errors to rest with this resource, which prompts high schoolers to create eulogies and tombstones for overused and incorrect words. They work on correcting common errors in spelling and usage mistakes in their own...
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Classroom Lincoln-Douglas Debate
Unfamiliar with the Lincoln-Douglas Debate format? Check out this resource that details the procedures of the debate, the roles and responsibilities of each participant, and the timing of each round.
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Change of Perspective
After reading an example of a Cultural Connection about a particular person, class members are asked to think about what this person might experience on a daily basis. They then craft a narrative from the subject’s point of view.
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Persuade Me
Seventh graders give persuasive presentations based on the questions they have researched. They examine appropriate delivery techniques for effective persuasive presentations. (Note: This instructional activity should be taught, after...
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Words and Pictures Connect Nature and People: The American Conservation Movement
Students research some of the men and women who help to raise the environmental consciousness of the American people through their writings and drawings. They write a persuasive piece about an outdoor place which will connect their...
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Forms Of Knowledge
Students put writing pieces into categories to show different organizational features in writing. In this writing lesson plan, students are shown examples of speeches, poems, editorials, cartoons, parodies, historical fiction, and more.
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Celebrating Earth Day With Students
Student's attention is focused on the environment during Earth Day. This helps to stimulate their creativity and imagination, so that they can act persuasively to help solve environmental problems.
Museum of Tolerance
The Pursuit of Democracy and Diversity: The Trial of Pro-Social Injustice in Historical Documents and Accounts
Class members investigate The Indian Removal Act of 1830, U.S. Theft of Mexican Territory Timeline, and President Abraham Lincoln’s letter to Horace Greeley, 1862, and then conduct a mock trial of each of these documents to determine...
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Persuade or Die!
High schoolers read Patrick Henry's speech. They review prior learning about persuasive writing, and the American revolutionary war. Students listen as the teacher reads Patrick Henry's speech aloud to the class using lots of emotion and...
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Analyzing Logos
Learners analyze common logos they see daily and describe what the logos bring to mind. They redesign a company logo incorporating the company's philosophy into their sketches. Students present their findings and redesign to the class.
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Time in a Capsule
Students analyze the meaning and process of categorizing items, people and events as 'the best.' students then defend pieces of literature, images, and sounds that they feel most represent 'the best of the 20th century.'
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Refining Your Public Speaking Skills
Students use the rubric created in the Explore Lesson to help them craft an effective oral presentation worthy of a formal governmental hearing. They polish their oral presentations that are based on their position papers through guided...