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Japan's Textbook Case
Students read and discuss "Japan's Refusal to Revise Textbooks Angers Neighbors." They discuss how accurately textbooks account for historical events, then collaborate to write unbiased textbook entries for current events.
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In the Middle - Middle School Poetry
Students analyze and interpret poems. For this poetry lesson, students are read poems aloud, discuss the meanings in groups, and complete two worksheets after listening to the poems. Links to the worksheets and discussion...
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Literature: Isabel Allende
Students watch and respond to a Bill Moyers Now video on the Chilean author, Isabel Allende. They brainstorm a list of recent events that might inspire writers and choose one to write about in poetic, diary, or short story form.
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"Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters"
Fifth graders read and analyze the books "Snow White in New York" and "Mufaro's Beautiful Daughter." They analyze the characteristics of the characters in each story, write thoughts of characters in speech bubbles, and write a letter to...
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Effective Literary Analyses
Twelfth graders discuss a fictional text that they are given, they identify passages, which highlight the author's style, language naances and textual ambiguities. Pupils brainstorm possible topics for an analytical essay, they are...
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Advising China
Students express their opinions about how growth and modernization affect nations. Reading an article on China, they discuss the causes and effects of exponential growth in a single town. They research how China has changed by writing...
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Mark Twain and the American West
Students analyze Mark Twain's "Western" voice. In this literature instructional activity, students read Roughing It by Twain and watch "The West." Students examine Twain's history and compare it to the history of America's developing...
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Declarations of Independence
Students examine what they know about American Indians past and present, then research key issues facing American Indian tribes today. To synthesize their learning, students write letters taking the perspective of an American Indian.
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The Art of Adaptation
Students examine and discuss animal adaptation. They read an article about snakes, conduct research on ways animals adapt, develop a diagram, and write a short story written from the perspective of the animal they researched.
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Searching for Meanings Benath the Surface of the Poem
Students read "Soccer Until Dusk". As a class, they discuss the various settings and actions in the poem and discuss the life in Guatemala and compare it with the United States. To end the lesson, they complete a journal reflection...
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First Amendment Guarantee of Free Speech (Senior, Social Studies)
Students receive a list of banned books from which they choose one to read. They read their chosen book and write a paper that includes a discussion of the First Amendment and its guarantees and the reason(s) why they believe their book...
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Life Savers?: Exploring Ethical Dilemmas Regarding AIDS Treatment in South Africa
Students participate in a roundtable forum to discuss the notion of defying South African national government policies in order to fight AIDS after reading the online article, "A Bold Move on AIDS in South Africa."
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Putting Toxicogenomics To The Test
Young scholars evaluate the pros and cons of a new approach to food, chemical, and drug testing. They read and discuss the Times article, 'DNA Chip May Help Usher In a New Era of Product Testing.'
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Science Fiction Fun
In this writing worksheet, students read a science fiction book and write a report. Students follow the 6 guidelines and answer the questions to complete this report.
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Able Am I
Students read the article "Disabled Skier Designs His Way to Be a Daredevil." They discuss using the questions on the lesson plan. Students create large sized baseball cards featuring competitive, disabled athletes.
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A Different World?
Students share their opinions in a brainstorming session on the factors that contribute to their quality of life. They read the article "Life Is Better; It Isn't Better. Which Is It?," from the NY Times and discuss the article as a...
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Talk About the Passion
Students think critically about artistic freedom and evaluate the aims and effectiveness of censorship and education. They begin an investigation of the ongoing controversy surrounding Mel Gibson's "The Passion of Christ" by reading "New...
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Pandemic Panic
Students gather information about the H1N1 virus, and share this information. In this pandemic lesson students read about Influenza A, or Swine Flu, compile information on the disease, and then present their findings to the class.
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Children's Literature Across the Curriculum Ideas-Challenger: America's Space Tragedy
Students read Challenger: America's Space Tragedy by MichaelD. Cole. They complete a variety of cross-curricular activities surrounding the study of the Challenger space shuttle tragedy. Included are reading, art, math, science, writing,...
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Official Statements
Pupils research the viewpoints of famous Americans, and then write commencement speeches reflecting these viewpoints to be delivered to high school graduates of today.
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Blubber: Discussion Guide
Young scholars read Blubber by Judy Blume. In this Blubber discussion lesson, students answer pre-, during, and post- reading of the novel to assist them with comprehension. Themes addressed are problem solving, perspectives, leadership,...
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The View
Students explore the structure and purpose of Op-Ed pieces in the newspaper. They then write Op-Eds from the perspectives of United States presidents on important issues of their day.
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Nonfiction Genre Mini-Unit: Persuasive Writing
Should primary graders have their own computers? Should animals be kept in captivity? Young writers learn how to develop and support a claim in this short unit on persuasive writing.
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Slave Narratives: Frederick Douglass, Harriet Jacobs, and the Columbian Orator
Young historians practice in-depth, quality analysis of primary source texts in this three-lesson unit, which examines excerpts from the slave narratives of Frederick Douglass, Harriet Jacobs, and Caleb...