“We the people . . .” Thus begins the Preamble to the Constitution. Using a close reading approach, class members examine an excerpt from Linda Monk’s article that traces how the interpretation of these words has evolved. Some of your...

Examine three speeches while teaching Aristotle's appeals. Over the course of three days, class members fill out a graphic organizer about ethos, pathos, and logos, complete an anticipatory guide, read speeches by Martin Luther King Jr.,...

"The Gettysburg Address" is the basis of a series of activities that not only model for learners how to conduct a close reading of a text, but also how a close reading can help them comprehend a difficult text. The detailed, step-by-step...

After watching West of the West's documentary on Catalina Island, The Magic Isle, class members research how Walt Disney's and William Wrigley's different visions impacted the island.

Invite your class to share their appreciation of one another through the work of a Valentine's Day cinquain poem. Scholars use their knowledge of their classmates to describe them through adjectives, action verbs, and a complete...

Students use distance measuring tools to follow directions and chart the path the pilgrims made from Plymouth, England to Boston, Massachusetts. In this Pilgrim voyage lesson, students use a map to chart the distance traveled by the...

The Pilgrims may have arrived in North America by way of the Mayflower, but chances are, your class members' ancestors came to the United States in another way. Guide them through an exploration of their own heritage, countries of...

Students explore the derivations and usage of common slang terms. Through internet research and discussion, students consider the Latin and Greek roots of contemporary slang terms. Groups complete an etymology chart documenting their...

Students brainstorm important facts about Christopher Columbus, input information into Kidspiration or Inspiration, watch United Streaming Video on Christopher Columbus and New World to gather information, research online to find...

Students explore the concept of equality. In this Martin Luther King, Jr. lesson, students read Martin's Big Words, discuss fairness, and create a cloud with their dream recorded on it.

Students determine what factors identify a country's political borders. After reading an article, they investigate questions surrounding the Great Rift Valley. On a map, they trace the valley from Asia through Africa and research the...

Learners examine how Presidents are judged during their time in office as well as afterwards. They conduct and Internet search for Jimmy Carter's inaugural address and write a news story about his address. Once they have written an...

Students share the difficulties they have in determining what to write or draw for a project. In groups, they view examples from three different artists and discuss how their personal experiences affected their art. They brainstorm a...

Students, after studying The Early Peoples, explain and give examples of how Native Americans and Europeans adapted to living in certain environments. They give examples of early cultures and settlements that existed in North America...

Students use the internet to identify cultural traditions throughout the world. In groups, they examine each culture and determine the effect they had on life in the United States. They use this information to write a family history...

Students discuss symbolism in art, examine various images of compassion in Buddhist tradition, analyzing components of the concept, and then produce their own images of compassion through art.

Students explore the Constitution and The Bill of Rights including the process of the Convention throgh a variety of websites that examine the framers, venets leading up to and after the convention games and more.

Students explore river routes. In this social studies lesson, students trace the route of a river from its source and discuss the Continental Divide. Students draw the route the river takes and name the states it flows through. Students...

In this stock market learning exercise, students read a 2-page article about the history of the U.S. stock market and then respond to 12 short answer questions about the selection.

Sixth graders find similarities and differences in two different diary entries. In this Holocaust history meets literary skills lesson, 6th graders read the diary of a soldier or prisoner from the the Auschwitz concentration camp and...

In this current events worksheet, students analyze political cartoons that feature icons like the hot dog and the teddy bear. Students respond to 3 talking point questions.

A riddle and a class lecture kick off this lesson on Greek Geography and city features. Learners use a worksheet to answer questions related to what they learned in lecture and complete a homework assignment. Note: This is a lesson...

In this geography worksheet, learners read about ancient Mesopotamia and respond to five short answer questions that follow. They identify what part of the country was the heart of Mesopotamia. Then students compare the given map with a...

Fourth graders investigate the lives and societal contributions of Patrick Henry and Sojourner Truth. They complete a series of lessons that compare and contrast the biographies, historical context and work of these two revolutionaries.