K12 Reader
The Apprentice System
Readers are asked to identify the central idea and two supporting details that develop this main idea in an article about the apprentice system popular in colonial America.
DocsTeach
Analyzing a Photograph of a Treaty Council
A photo catches a moment in time that provides a glimpse into the past. An interesting resource focuses on historical analysis using an image from a treaty council with Native Americans. Budding historians complete an online worksheet...
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Comparing Depictions of the Boston Massacre
Academics compare images of the Boston Massacre to understand differing opinions of the event. Scholars view multiple images, participate in group discussion, and complete a series of written prompts. Young historians gain an...
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Indian Nations vs. Settlers on the American Frontier: 1786–1788
Once Americans won the Revolutionary War, their quest to gain land did not end. An interesting activity focuses on Americans' expansion into the frontier following the war and how it conflicted with Native Americans living in the area....
Curated OER
Cruise the News
Students utilize newspapers as a resource to complete various tasks. They read articles, write summaries, investigate the classified section, write commercials, and circle spelling words.
Curated OER
Finding Main Ideas
What is the main idea? Previewing a text is a great way to identify the main idea without even reading, but what areas of a text do you preview? Teach your third, fourth, and fifth graders the most important areas to preview before...
Curated OER
Paragraph Building
Build the skills your budding authors need to develop to compose well-structured paragraphs. Give them the topic sheet (included here), and have them write a cohesive paragraph using the ideas listed. Consider having them include two...
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Turning Literature into News
Students examine the newspaper. In this writing purposes lesson, students read the newspaper and discuss the purpose: to inform, entertain and persuade. Students identify facts and opinions. Students write an article and discuss acts of...
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What's the News?
Learners investigate current events. In this current events activity, students identify current events from newspaper articles and place them on a timeline.
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Youth Leading the Way
Students share opinions about groups or activities that give meaning to their lives. They read and discuss the article "Challenging Tradition, Young Jews Worship on Their Terms". Afterward, they investigate and write news articles about...
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Using Best Newspaper Writing in a Journalism Class
Students explore the genre of journalism. In this journalism lesson plan, students examine newspaper articles and identify reporting techniques. Students collaborate to identify excellent pieces of newspaper writing.
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Zhu Zhu
Students read an article about the toy Zhu Zhu and answer comprehension questions about it. In this toy lesson plan, students also create an ad for a new toy that they invent in groups.
Curated OER
Finding Excellent Nonfiction in Long-form Journalism
How to find engaging, rigorous nonfiction texts through long-form journalism.
Curated OER
The Ancient Times
Young scholars create a newspaper sharing stories of Cleopatra before her death. They use the internet to research information about her and the time in which she lived. They share their newspaper articles with others.
Curated OER
The Life of a President
Learners examine the life of President Gerald R. Ford. After reading an article, they discuss his legacy. They collect articles written during his time in office and examine the key issues of his presidency. They write an article about...
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Teaching with Primary Sources Across Tennessee
Students examine Gee's Bend Alabama. For this resettlement lesson, students view a series of photographs taken of Gee's Bend Alabama. Students will write a series of newspaper articles based on the images, that exemplify the evolution of...
Curated OER
Lincoln Theme--Gettysburg
Fifth graders explore the significance of the Gettysburg Address. In this United States history lesson, 5th graders listen to a Gettysburg Address recording and look at photos of the battlefield. Students discuss their observations and...
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Grozny on Guard
Students react to copies of leaflets dropped into Chechnya by Russian forces. After reading an article, they examine the historical and present conflicts in the area and answer discussion questions. In small groups, they trace how the...
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Women's Right To Vote
Fifth graders explore the history of women's right to vote and identify two of the leaders of the suffrage movement, Alice Paul and Lucy Burns. After completing readings and discussions, they write an article for the newspaper about...
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Postcards From Mars
Fifth graders research and explore what life would be like for human colonists on Mars. They explore various websites, read and discuss newspaper articles, develop a chart of the hardships and conditions that would be faced by colonists...
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Climate Change
Students discuss global warming. In this global warming lesson, students read an article about global warming and list five things they learned. Students work in small groups to compare what they wrote. Students illustrate one of the...
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Getting Fired Up
Learners explore first-person accounts of volcanic eruptions throughout time and use second-hand information about volcanoes. They use both types of accounts to write news articles covering the events of a historic volcanic eruption as...
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Understanding the News
Students work in small groups to identify the following categories of news articles: hard news, features, announcements, and opinion/personal reflection.
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How To Write Good Letter to the Editor
Students discover how to write a letter to the editor that would be good enough to be considered for publication. They include her or his opinion about the story, share a story of a similar experience to the author's or offer advice to...