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Doing What's Right
Students hold a class discussion. In this integrity lesson, students discuss the definition of integrity and read various handouts about what it means to do what's right. Students write a reflection in their journals.
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Houses or Walaloos
Investigate the legal history and application of the Fifth Amendment. Write an essay in favor of a person keeping land that has been in his/her family for decades.
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Constitution Week
Students prepare one-minute broadcasts about events leading to the writing of the Constitution and current issues in the next election. Students read their broadcasts on the school P.A. system each morning during Constitution Week.
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Diverse Voices-African American Ventures
Students research African-American participation in the Civil War. In this Civil War lesson, students read the article "Fighting Rebels with Only One Hand" and write a persuasive paragraph on whether the participation of the...
Museum of Tolerance
Oral History Activity
Oral history has brought a multitude of lessons, stories, and factoids to our current knowledge of the past. Let us continue to use oral history traditions through a lesson that encourages pupils to discover and appreciate...
US Mint
Rename That State!
As Shakespeare famously wrote, "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet," but can the same be said for a state? In this elementary geography lesson, students are assigned specific states to research using the information...
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The Art Of Persuasion
Young scholars engage in a instructional activity 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...
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I Don't Pay Attention to Advertisements
Sixth graders examine the eight persuasive techniques, identifying them in all avenues of media including magazine, TV, Internet, and billboards, and making them aware of how advertising already influences them. They write an essay using...
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Dispute Over Slavery in Kansas Territory
Students analyze primary sources on slavery from Kansas Territory. For this Civil War lesson, students evaluate the antislavery and pro-slavery arguments and summarize key points. Students write a persuasive paper from the antislavery...
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Exploration Across Eras
Students discover the chronology of events related to the Corps of Discovery and the United States space program of the 1960s. They compare the Corps of Discovery's journey with the space exploration program.
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Personalized Postcards
Students create and send postcards to friends and family members. Using actual photographs, they write a rough draft and final draft of a paragraph and print it out to glue onto a postcard template to mail to their friend or family member.
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Freedom from Oppression
Students investigate instances of genocide and role play as reporters writing news stories and editorials.
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Heroes
Tenth graders participate in research and class discussion before attempting to write a traditional five paragraph essay. They use the examples of 16 other hero stories to consider. Students use examples and descriptive details to...
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Mardi Gras
Young scholars explain why carnivals and Mardi Gras became a famous celebration. They reproduce some of the traditions and customs related to Mardi Gras. They write a persuasive paper on why or why not we should continue to celebrate...
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"Anything We Love Can Be Saved" -- A Contemporary
High schoolers compare authors Rachel Carson and Mary Eliza Church Terrell. They read an introduction by Alice Walker and summarize the main points. They also identify the language she uses to persuade readers. They write their own...
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Mary Eliza Church Terrell -- Civil Rights Leader
Students examine writings of Mary Eliza Church Terrell. They role play themselves as an African American woman in the 19th century. They describe her actions and how they benefited minorities.
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Smoke and Mirrors
Pupils develop a persuasive peer-to-peer case against smoking. They read two scenarios, perform a skit, and prepare a factual presentation.
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A Comparison of the Celebrations of Cinco de Mayo
Students compare and contrast how Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in the United States and in Mexico. In this cultural comparisons instructional activity, students research holiday practices using Internet sites and then write persuasive...
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The Ballot Box Battle
Students practice note taking skills, study the life of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and write a persuasive letter. They listen to the picture book biography of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and use the information from the biography to write a...
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Design a Stamp
Learners research a famous scientist or mathematician, design a stamp to honor their work, and write persuasively about why this person and their work should be honored on a stamp.
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Finding the West
Students question the idea of a geographic space called 'the West.' They first examine a map of the United States and hypothesize what region constitutes the West, then read two passages that critically discuss the notion of a geographic...
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The Individual and His Role in Society
Tenth graders discover how various writers approach the themes of : alienation and solitude, living life "deliberately" and "phonies." Through reading, journaling, class discussion, and writing assignments they realize the power of the...
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Fiction vs. Nonfiction
Students explore fiction and nonfiction writing. They identify the elements of fiction in a short story and identify the criteria necessary in a nonfiction piece. Students distinguish the author's purpose in an expository text,...
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Francophone Tourism Package
Students research and write a report about a French-speaking country and present their research to classmates. They create a persuasive advertising brochure promoting one specific country as the best tourist destination.