The 11 lessons in this educators' guide focus on using newspapers to develop critical reading skills in the content areas.

How much does the environment affect how and what man creates? Children explore the effect of the environment on primitive man as they research raw materials from a specific location. They use their findings to write a short essay about...

Active listening is all about thinking, asking questions, and making connections. That's the take-away from a lesson plan about active listening. Participants learn techniques for identifying important information, including how to ask...

Learners create tables in a word processing program which helps them organize their text clues when reading a mystery story. They develop reading comprehension strategies while using a computer based graphic organizer in order to solve...

Second graders predict and graph data based on the color of jelly beans they think are in a handful. For this prediction lesson plan, 2nd graders will predict how many of each color jellybean are in a handful. Then they graph these...

Students study sports teams, gather data about the teams, and create a newscast about their data. In this sports analysis lesson, students research two teams and define their statistical data. Students compare the two teams, make...

Second graders will create their own story and read it aloud. In this literacy/technology lesson plan, 2nd graders use computer software to create their own story, which is read back to them while they write it. Afterward, the student...

Second graders collect data from their families about their reading habits and graph them. In this graphing family reading habits lesson, 2nd graders interview family members about their reading habits. They then use a graphing computer...

Learners research James Madison and create a table of his strengths and weaknesses. In this James Madison instructional activity, students read Jean Fritz's, The Great Little Madison, while developing their research skills, vocabulary...

How can we help endangered animals? Learn about which animals are endangered and what people can do to protect them with a lesson based on Carl Hiaasen's Hoot. After completing a KWHL chart to note what they already know and what...

Learners explore reasons for varied salinity in bodies of water. In this geographical inquiry lesson, students use a variety of visual and written information including maps, data tables, and graphs, to form a hypothesis as to why the...

Middle schoolers will paraphrase a resource without plagiarizing. Then rewrite after reading text. They then evaluate the site or reference they are using for accuracy. In the end, they complete a note-taking organizer.

Learners explore new ways to communicate through technology by utilizing an internet program.  In this reading comprehension lesson, students utilize the website voicethread.com to share their thoughts and notes about reading...

Hot off the press: a mini-unit for class members to create their own newspaper. Complete with graphic organizers, extension activities, and helpful learning targets that teach parts of a newspaper, the resource contains everything needed...

As testing season is upon us, give class members a way to prepare their minds and bodies for the big day. A resource promotes deep breathing exercises and comfortability to reduce anxiety. Along with multiple choice, short...

Second graders graph M & M's by color. In this graphing lesson plan, 2nd graders first predict how many of each color they think are in a handful of M & M's. Then they graph the amounts of each color on a computer program....

Students organize facts about Harriet Tubman. In this writing lesson, students research Harriet Tubman, sort facts about her into two categories, and use the information they have found to write about her life in complete paragraphs.

Students explore musical pitch. In this cross curriculum musical instruments and "sound" physics lesson, students identify and describe common traits of woodwind instruments. Students research "pitch" and what causes pitch fluctuation by...

Learners investigate the harmful impact of global warming by reading news articles.  In this environmental care lesson, students analyze an article about the Kyoto Protocol and its goal of saving our environment.  Learners...

Students, with teacher assistance, researching on the Internet and predict whether Puxatawny Phil see his shadow on Groundhog Day.

Students practice using objective and quantitative means to describe and compare the weather. They compile weather conditions and create a spreadsheet to record their findings.

Students investigate poetry by incorporating images into the words of a poem.  In this language arts lesson, students discuss poetry writing devices and self expression with their classmates.  Students create a film about the...