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Polished Poetry: Strange Zoo
Fourth graders use an online word list editor and software to create opening lines for a poem. They select and edit these into a complete, polished poem about an animal. They investigate parts of speech and alliteration.
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Cartoons for the Classroom: Obama Baggage
In this current events worksheet, learners analyze a political cartoon about President Obama and respond to 3 talking point questions.
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Cartoons for the Classroom: Between the Lines, Debt Crisis
In this European debt crisis worksheet, students analyze a political cartoon about Greek debt and respond to 3 talking point questions.
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Social Studies Strategies: Opinion Proof
In this strategy worksheet, students read about opinions and their proof, then use a "column note" graphic organizer to write an opinion on the left, and the support, or proof of the opinion on the left.
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Teaching Ethical Situations
Learners use journalism ethics standards to learn how to write ethically correct news stories. In this journalism and ethics instructional activity, students review journalism standards for ethics. Learners use the standards as they...
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Reading the Movies: Another Approach To Teaching Critical Thinking Skills And Writing
Students explore the elements of film to analyze character, action, and the themes in the movie, "Quiz Show." The lesson encourages students to make personal connections and real life applications as they view the movie, critically.
Teaching Tolerance
Consuming and Creating Political Art
A picture is worth a thousand words, but political art may be worth even more! After examining examples of political cartoons, murals, and other forms of public art, class members create their own pieces to reflect their ideals and...
Social Media Toolbox
Social Media Roles
Social media has changed the news publishing process, so how does it affect school news publications? Lesson nine in a 16-part series titled The Social Media Toolbox explores the traditional publishing roles through the lens of social...
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Forms Of Knowledge
Students put writing pieces into categories to show different organizational features in writing. In this writing lesson plan, students are shown examples of speeches, poems, editorials, cartoons, parodies, historical fiction, and more.
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A Long Way Home
Students examine the difference between hard news and editorial writing by considering several pieces written about the Elian Gonzalez custody battle. They then craft their own hard news and editorials on the case.
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What Now?
Students consider local and national divisiveness over the presidential elections by examining a New York Times editorial and then writing op-eds suggesting how to address post-election discord in their schools and/or communities.
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Fair Judgment
Students consider the demands of the judicial process and work in small groups to write editorials in response to the one that is read in class. For homework, they grade a television judge and write reflective essays.
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A Free and Open Press: Evaluating the Media
Students compare and critically evaluate the different media as sources of news, develop criteria for defining "news", experience the editorial process of selecting news stories and detect bias in news reporting.
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Crisis Management
Students research the issues facing President Bush and write short political commentaries predicting what course the president take. For homework, they write editorials stating what they think the president should do to best serve the...
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Scooting Away from Justice?
Students examine President Bush's July 2007, decision to commute the 30-month sentence of former White House official, I. Lewis 'Scooter' Libby by reading a New York Times article. They scan editorial sources on various sides of the...
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Laws and Force in Law Enforcement
Students investigate the issues of police brutality, use of excessive force, and the underlying issues by participating in a round-table discussion. They compare how these issues are explored differently in different types of...
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Active Voice
Students identify the qualities that contribute to effective verbal and non-verbal communication. They use those qualities as criteria by which to judge an in-class political debate on education.
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Reconstruction to Civil Rights
Eighth graders complete a unit of lessons on the period of time from Reconstruction to the Civil Rights movement. They analyze and interpret political cartoons and editorials, conduct research on famous civil rights places, and complete...
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A Heritage Study: Using Information Resources to Research Family History and Traditions
Learners research their family history through ethnographical study. They locate information through a variety of sources, interview people, write a report and present an oral presentation to the class.
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Hero Research
Students examine and research the idea of heroism. They watch and discuss a Powerpoint presentation, conduct research, and write a research paper about the qualities and characteristics of a hero.
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Publication Project
Ninth graders publish a magazine during a ten week marking period. They make individual contributions to the group project that is based on career choices. They write and publish articles, poems, entertainment pieces, and a play that...
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Deception and Advertising: When is it Misleading and when is it Puffery?
Eighth graders explore advertisements and deception in advertising. In this marketing and advertising lesson plan, 8th graders write cause and effect paragraphs describing products, promises made, deceptions caused, and the...
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What's Being Done?
Middle schoolers explore the concept of animal welfare. In this philanthropy lesson plan, students examine legislation that supports animals in their state as well as the role of the American Society for the Prevention of...
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Has Peace Finally Settled in the Middle East?
Students evaluate the changes made in the Palestine National Council charter and their potential impact on the future of Israeli-Palestinian relations. They write a brief essay focusing on an article from an Israeli or Palestinian...