Curated OER
E-mailing the Chamber of Commerce
Encourage effective internet research and e-mail correspondence as scholars investigate a US capital city they've never visited to find pertinent and relevant information. They begin by picking a city, then visit that city's chamber of...
Curated OER
"I Believe..." Podcast Style
Use this communication skills lesson to emphasize evaluating a speaker's main point and argument. After reading Martin Luther King's, "I Have a Dream Speech" and John F. Kennedy's speech, "I Believe in an America Where the Separation of...
Curated OER
Promises, Promises
If someone breaks a promise, is that person no longer trustworthy? Present your 6th and 7th graders with a series of statements and have them debate their opinions with supporting evidence. As an extension, have your students write a...
iCivics
So You Think You Can Argue
What defines an argument, and how can someone properly formulate a counterargument? This resource provides two options—an interactive PowerPoint presentation or worksheet—that will support your learners as they begin to explore how to...
US Environmental Protection Agency
A Mock Town Meeting on a Proposed Tank Farm
Intended as a follow up to the Protecting Your Drinking Water activity, young environmentalists use their assessment of the a hypothetical town's water supply to debate the installation of underground chemical storage tanks. With...
Curated OER
Speech! Speech!
Critical thinkers consider how word choice in speeches impacts the meaning and effectiveness of the message being presented. They examine and respond to some of the speeches made at the 2004 Republican and Democratic National...
Curated OER
And Your Point Is . . .? Part II
After researching recent community or political issues, paired with a review of proper debate format, class members select a topic, adopt a side, and prepare for a debate. The value in this resource is the review of debate procedures,...
Curated OER
Whose History Is It Anyway? Patterns in History
Read and examine primary source material in order to analyze, synthesize, and debate information about the Great Depression. Critical analysts research various source materials related to the Great Depression. They work in teams to...
Curated OER
Liberation of the Garden Gnomes
Students read a lighthearted story about the controversial Garden Gnome Liberation Front. They debate the public's right to own garden gnomes. Personal - to lighten up the classroom a bit with a somewhat
Curated OER
How Can We Organize Study of a Given Place?
Seventh graders embark in discovery of basic facts about an assigned continent and are asked to organize their information into categories. The Five Themes model is taught and students reshuffle their information appropriately.
Curated OER
Omaha Immigration Case Study
Eleventh graders explore the immigration patterns in the United States. In this American History lesson, 11th graders study the push and pull factors that caused immigration. Students research one group of individuals and...
Curated OER
Preserve is the Word
Students investigate a list of archaeological ethical questions. They select a question/issue and design a 3-minute (maximum) PSA to persuade the public to agree with their idea. They conduct research or interviews with experts to be...
Curated OER
History Repeats Itself
Twelfth graders research historical turning points, gather-data, and extrapolate possible alternate outcomes. They work individually to choose one historical event from Attachment D, Historical Turning Points. Students complete either...
Curated OER
Child Labor during the Industrial Revolution and Now
Fifth graders research topic of child labor by studying Industrial Revolution, read about child labor laws, and examine countries where child labor still exists today. They then choose single question to research from list, and create...
Media Education Lab
The Ethics of Propaganda
What are the short and long-term consequences for consumers and producers of modern media propaganda? Class members ponder this essential question as their unit study of ethics of propaganda concludes. After examining two case...
Curated OER
Marvelous Manatees
Two groups consider whether or not the Florida manatee will become extinct during their lifetimes. They research manatee populations and statistics together and then a class debate is held. Afterwards they consider how reliable...
Curated OER
Branding and Brand Names
To examine advertising and expressing opinions, learners create an original brand or product. They rank their favorite brands and discuss what they like or do not like about the brands, following a brand name investigation. This...
Curated OER
Direct Speech
Students explore characteristics of a good speech. They use speech marks to demarcate direct speech. Students read a report and rewrite it, using verbs that describe people speaking.
Curated OER
Taming the Mighty Dragon
Students incorporate the five themes of geography to study the Yangtze river region. They analyze the possible effects of the three rivers gorge damn project on this area and role play a float the entire length of this dangerous river...
Curated OER
Ribbit-Ouch!
Learners investigate the anatomy of a frog using a virtual dissection tool in order to study the structures and organ as they relate to other animals.
Curated OER
How Does School Work?
Students identify and interpret what their school is like and how it works. They watch animations and slideshows on the government website. Students also develop thinking skills by examining the way voting and democracy works through...
Curated OER
All's Well That Ends Well
Pupils examine and discuss the parts of a speech and how to organize them. They read sample speeches, then write a short presentation to read to the class, identifying the beginning, middle, and ending of their speech.
PBS
Stories of Painkiller Addiction: Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness Campaign
The I-STOP law was designed to regulate the distribution and tracking of prescription drugs. After reading an article about its signing and implementation, middle and high schoolers work together to come up with their own ideas for an...
Curated OER
Learning From World War II and Connecting It to the Present
Compare and contrast World War II to the modern Iraq war with this instructional activity. After watching a film, learners use supporting evidence to support their point of view of the conflicts. Using the internet, they create a...