Curated OER
Vanishing Verbs
Students analyze recent media trends, and develop critical thinking skills by summarizing main ideas, extracting details, formulating opinions, drawing inferences, and comparing and contrasting attitudes. They also practice paraphrasing...
Curated OER
Fountain Pen Makes a Comeback in Scotland
Students read and discuss a news article about a school in Scotland that is using fountain pens to write with. They answer article comprehension questions, participate in a discussion about the importance of handwriting, write their...
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My Brother Sam is Dead: A study of the Revolutionary War
Fifth graders complete an analysis of the Revolutionary War through literature. After "My Brother Sam Is Dead," students create a time capsule containing items that would be relevant during the Revolutionary War. They identify key...
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U. S. Flag
Third graders study the history, etiquette and different flags of the U. S. At the same time they make decisions, compromises and value other persons opinion as they work in small cooperative groups.
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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...
Curated OER
Brainstorming Time
Learners brainstorm a list of possible topics for their essay. As a class, they review the characteristics of anecdotal writing and the form they take in newspapers or autobiographies. To end the lesson plan, they decide on their topic...
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Stand Up and Sing: Music and Our Reform History
Students examine events of historical significance in music. In groups, they are given pieces of sheet music and work together to try to determine the social and political conditions of the time based on the lyrics. They write their own...
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Separation of Powers
Students examine the separation of powers in local and federal government. Using case studies, they review several instances of separation of powers. After reading the case studies, they write a brief opinion essays supporting their...
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Strategies for Success
Students share opinions about common bad habits, read about behavior economics by reading and discussing article "Your Plate Is Bigger Than Your Stomach," identify goals and strategies designed to improve negative behaviors, and test...
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Responding to Open-Ended Questions using RASP
Students learn how to answer questions correctly. For this writing lesson, students learn the acronym RASP and view model responses for each part of the writing strategy. Students practice using the RASP model to answer...
Core Knowledge Foundation
Gulliver's Travels
Students read and analyze the book, Gulliver's Travels. They develop a reading folder, identify the main story elements, compare/contrast Gulliver's adventures in Lilliput and Brobdingnag, and write a paragraph about the main characters.
Curated OER
Windmill of Your Mind - Distributed Energy Goes to School
Students research the possibility and feasibility of installing a wind-turbine distributed energy system for their school. They conduct research, watch an online video, analyze the cost of the project and examine the benefits, and write...
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Home Sick
Students discuss where everyday aliments could be treated. After reading an article, they discuss the life of a traveling nurse and how it differs from a hospital nurse. Using the internet, they research the requirements for taking...
Curated OER
Carter as President and Ex-President
Middle schoolers 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...
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Reporting Live from the 20th Century!
Students read and write newspaper articles. For this newspaper article writing lesson, students collect and share current news articles, examine how they are written, then choose an event from the 20th century and write their own news...
Curated OER
Harvesting a Forest: How Would I Do It?
Third graders design a machine for clear-cutting an area of forest. In this agricultural technology instructional activity, 3rd graders are read selections from American Tall Tales by Mary Pope Osbourn, discuss how trees are...