As part of a study of civil disobedience, class members read excerpts from the writings of activists who were willing to break the law to protest unjust laws.

If you see phrases such as in conclusion or this is my paper about, you know you're about to read a poorly worded conclusion. A tip sheet, the fifth resource in a series of handouts to improve writing, helps scholars craft better...

How did the chicken travel down the road? Given a picture of a chicken truck, class members brainstorm what information they need to determine the total number of chickens on the truck. Pupils research for the information and devise a...

Bottom side up! Scholars complete an Inverted Pyramid handout to gain a better idea of how journalists organize information. They then look at the organization of a model newspaper article and gain ideas about creating their own...

Benjamin Franklin may be known as a Founding Father, but he was also a prolific writer. Scholars examine his better-known pieces to learn about genre, voice, and early American history. The resource includes options for various...

Students use Internet research methods to find information about manatees. They write a story about a manatee, told through the manatee's eyes, and also a letter to an environmental group, thanking them for what they do to protect the...

Students research report on their severe weather pattern for presentation to the class.

Students conduct research on a selected topic, organize the research information, and write a report. They read and discuss the rubric, brainstorm to develop criteria for determining credible sources, complete a KWL chart or web, and...

Sixth graders research Veteran's Day and wars that affected the United States. In this research activity, 6th graders work in small groups to create an oral presentation based on Internet and conventional research. They complete...

Eighth graders explore reference materials and then complete a research project.  In this research project lesson, 8th graders choose the best reference source to use. Students learn to correctly site sources for their project....

Third graders learn the importance of letter writing for communication. In this letter writing lesson, 3rd graders identify how letter writing was important in the life of Abigail Adams. Students understand what a primary source is and...

Students research and gather information on immigration, synthesizing the data they find.

Students access the internet for current news articles; increase awareness of issues in world news; to read critically; and to write critical reactions.

Students research an animal. In this research lesson, students utilize various types of technology to gather information about an animal. Students create a class blog and use digital photography for their research.

Young scholars research the Cree tribe of North America. For this Native American lesson, students will research on-line, then compare and contrast the differences between the Cree tribe and other Native American tribes. Young scholars...

Learners are able to identify the target audience for their writing. They are able to create an appropriate format for their papers. Students are able to focus on the developing clear arguments and supporting all key points with facts.

Learners investigate politics by writing a formal letter. In this U.S. Government lesson, students discuss political issues they would like to address and research their topic using the Internet. Learners locate an appropriate political...

In instructional activity 13 of this unit on colonial trade, young researchers learn about apprentices as they prepare to write help-wanted ads for the specific trade they have been researching. To begin, the class listens closely as the...

Students explore food. In this nutrition lesson, students investigate multiple facets of healthy eating and how the fast food industry impacts our society. They will participate in class discussions, read from their text-book, and watch...

Pupils use the Internet to search for model research papers, analyze the style of introductions. They write an introduction to a research paper on European explorers. This research project may be completed individually or with students...

Students plan and write paragraphs while integrating other core subject areas. In this paragraph writing lesson, students complete 5 lessons to practice writing paragraphs. Students incorporate various core subjects into their paragraph...

Miss Frizzle's class provides the inspiration for your young learners! Read "The Magic School Bus Explores Outer Space," and discuss the solar system. First learners will complete a KWL chart about a planet they're assigned to. Then, as...

In 1856 Congressman Preston Brooks of South Carolina beat Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts over the head with a cane. This event, which highlighted the acrimonious debate over the expansion of slavery, is the focus of a paper...

Eighth graders compose or create works of communication for specific audiences and purposes. They locate, access, and select relevant information from a variety of sources. They revise and edit their work to improve content, organization...