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Secret Life of Bees Research
The Secret Life of Bees provides high schoolers an opportunity to connect the events in the novel to events in America’s history. After choosing a topic from a provided list, individuals research how the event affected the Civil Rights...
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Dante's Peak Movie Review
Middle or high school volcanologists watch the 1997 film, Dante's Peak. They make observations as they watch and then write a movie review, focusing on what was accurately represented. They also point out what facts were stretched by...
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Self Portraits
Third graders complete a unit on the writing process that focusses on the self-portraits of Rembrandt and Norman Rockwell. They create their own self-portraits and write autobiographical sketches. They also research the lives of the...
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The Road to Success
Students chronicle the main events in their lives so far. They draft, revise, and publish an anecdote. Students get to know their fellow classmates and they build a nurturing learning community. Students take an interest inventory and...
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Editing
Fourth graders edit their previously written essay rough drafts with a partner in this lesson. They apply the revision process using a revision checklist, then revise independently. They conference with the teacher about their needed...
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How green is your school?
Students read about Sidwell Friends School and the Green School concept and develop coverage for their student media. They employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to...
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My Personal Improvement Plan
Students investigate what is necessary to design a personal improvement plan including making web using software. They research the meaning of Body Mass Index and how to measure it before accessing assigned web sites that discuss health...
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Research/Technical Writing: Paraphrasing
Young scholars work in groups to paraphrase an article. For this paraphrasing lesson, each group is assigned a paragraph to paraphrase in one sentence. Other groups critique the sentences to make sure each is...
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Passport to the World
Eighth graders investigate the process for obtaining a United States passport. They plan a trip to a foreign country looking at important information including the climate, geography, culture, money, and language. They complete the...
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How Was Coal Formed?
Geology can be a lot of fun. Learners review geology related vocabulary, make flashcards, use encyclopedias to answer questions, then explore the formation of coal. They identify dates and order them into key time frames of geologic...
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The Bills of Rights: Cutting It down to Size
Eighth graders explore democratic values. In this U. S. Constitution lesson, 8th graders read the Bill of Rights and consider the significance of the amendments. Students design a governmental time capsule that includes their own plan...
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The Witch of Goingsnake
Students identify figurative language in a proverb and write an interpretation of the proverb prior to reading The Witch of Goingsnake. In this The Witch of Goingsnake instructional activity, students read a native American proverb and...
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Conflict Mediation - Part 2: Practice
Fourth graders work in small groups and try the mediation process, taking turns as mediators and disputants. They discuss and review the handouts over the concepts of mediation. Students volunteer to participate in the class role-play.
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Directed and Undirected Free-writing: An Activity in Brainstorming
Analyze the free-writing method of brainstorming to explore how to write an essay. Middle schoolers plan their writing from the beginning after reading two samples of free-writing, then creating their own. The lesson includes extension...
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Inventing and Presenting Unit 1: Analyzing Nonfiction and Inventing Solutions
Students read about and identify patterns in the invention process. Students discuss and write about information learned from research. Students compile a list of problems, choose one, write a problem statement, and compile a list of at...
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The Earth Moves Under My Feet
Students study earthquakes, monitor seismic activity using the Web, and plot real-time activity. They examine movement of the Earth's tectonic plates. They create an earthquake preparedness project.
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Books on Trial
Sixth graders persuade classmates that their favorite book is the best book ever written. In this persuasive writing lesson, 6th graders create a written argument as to why their favorite book is the best. Students present their argument...
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A System of Rules
Learners write letters, create models, create a photo display, and make charts about the rules that a state has. In this rules lesson plan, students learn about and make different displays of how states come up with rules, change them,...
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So, So Surreal Self-Portraits
Learners take virtual trip back in time to 1924 when a Dada manifesto sparked the Surrealist movement in Europe and the United States. They explore about the history of Surrealism and visit online galleries of notable artists of the past...
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The Salem Witchcraft Trials
Students research the Salem Witchcraft Trials and conduct a mock trial.
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Identifying the Theme in a Story
Students recognize Theme through the use of simple, short stories. Using Pro Quest, students begin by researching the literary element, theme, and how it can be identified. They then identify the themes in Aesop's Fables and...
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Publishing: A Persuasive Essay
Third graders are given an opportunity to create a visual to accompany their presentations of their persuasive essays. They may use the computer or other media as resources.
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Exploring Facets of life in the 1930s presented in John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men
Ninth graders research various aspects of The Great Depression. They select a topic related to this information. Students gather five sources on their topic and select the most important information. They present information using a...
National First Ladies' Library
The Flying Inauguration of the "Sudden President
Students study the inauguration process as well as what the constitution states about who succeeds the President of the US when the office is emergently vacant. They discuss the role of government and the events leading to Lyndon...