How did Fidel Castro's revolution affect the people of Cuba? Through a series of vivid images and light text, learners will consider life for Cubans under both Batista and Castro. The images can be used as discussion starters or to...

This detailed lesson plan from New York Times' The Learning Network centers around Carroll Academy and its girl's basketball team. Learners compare their school to Carroll Academy, read anywhere from 1 to 5 engaging articles about the...

Use this farm animal matching worksheet alongside the Growing Minds Farm Animals lesson; kids learn about different animals and the products they are needed for. This activity highlights cows, bees, geese, chickens, goats, sheep, and...

Frequently banned, often challenged, a mainstay of middle school curriculum, Tales from the Secret Annex, is the featured text in the seventh unit in the Teacher Guide Core Knowledge Program. The 134-page guide includes an...

Scholars use an Analyzing Images: Slavery in America handout to make predictions from pictures featuring slavery. They then discuss the pictures with partners. Learners further their thinking by close reading The Slave Trade and...

A thorough lesson introduces learners to Hans Christian Andersen, the nineteenth-century author who created wonderful tales. They read the original texts of several of his stories, including "The Ugly Duckling," "The Little Mermaid,"...

Have your budding authors evaluate various writing styles found in informational brochures. They look for effective writing, compare and contrast styles, and create an assessment.

Ninth graders use captions to determine an artifact's function and to list the features of a civilization. They classify artifacts according to the 8 Features of Civilization and for each Feature of Civilization they locate one artifact...

Fifth graders will perform exercises and write the number of each exercise performed on the collection data sheet. They survey eight of their classmates for their exercise data and write that data on the collection data sheet. They then...

Students in adult ESL education classes evaluate and compare information about computers. They demonstrate the correct use of compound nouns in their description of computers. They review information and skills needed to actually visit a...

Bring language arts and U.S. history together in this instructional activity, which prompts middle and high schoolers to gather biographical information about Abraham Lincoln. They compare and contrast information written about his...

Assess whether your class members can comprehend complex informational text with a series of drills based on selections from Emerson, Thoreau, and G.K. Chesterton. The exercises could also be used for group work or a full-class discussion.

Students explore GreenHybird.com and develop a list of questions car buyers might have. Students also attempt to answer the questions on GreenHybrid.com and then explore the answers with car dealers in the area before writing a clear and...

What is easier to read: a bulleted list or a block of text? Look at different examples with your class and then go over the style guidelines for vertical lists. 

Although the ideas on how to implement the skill RI.9-10.2 are lacking, the assessment would work well for challenging learners to summarize, and identify the main ideas of presidential speeches that are of similar topics. One could use...

Fifth graders are introduced to the text, SCRIBBLEBOY, discussing the cover page for clues to the genre. They discuss the ordinary surroundings contrasted by the graffiti and the words and phrases used to provide information about the...

Pupils interview peers, teachers, counselors, parents and local health providers to see how they identify "good" stress and suggest teens cope, write news feature about stress, complete with extra boxes, such as list of signs to spots,...

Use this lesson to focus on a compare and contrast writing structure in your middle school language arts class. Here, young writers compare and contrast two texts using graphic organizers. They use a double bubble format for their...

Engage your class in a scavenger hunt to find the main ideas and supporting details in a text. They follow the teacher while s/he models how to determine main idea and find supporting details, and then they work independently. A fun...

Using a relief map of New York State, learners answer questions about the distance between different cities, identify bodies of water, and more. First, they discuss vocabulary related to the Hudson River area. Then, they complete a...

Your learners need to develop skills to argue effectively, and this comes by understanding the traditions that make claims valid, and what detracts from their effectiveness.  Although this resource does not give advice on how to...

Students analyze the components of a book to use it as a model for the creation of their own book. The title, author, illustrator, front cover, back cover, dedication page, and author are examined in this lesson.

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...

Students research the way phones work and what places - both locally and nationally - have already faced the problem of in appropriate use. Students also interview gym owners or managers in their community and those who use they gyms....