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Measuring Around the House!
Trying to approach measuring in a fun and interactive way? You found it! This activity has young learners first cut out two "rulers" - one with simple units marked, and another with blank squares. They begin by going around their house...
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Integrated Social Studies and Drama Lesson
Learners study the Civil War. They conduct research in order to find out more information about the Battle of Corydon. Using this information, they create accurate props and sets for a play about this battle. They perform the play in...
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Celebrate Hispanic Heritage: Grades 6-8
To gain a better understanding of Hispanic heritage and culture, as well as to build informational comprehension skill, learners explore facets of Hispanic American History. They engage in a class discussion, research three facts, and...
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The War of 1812
You won't find a better worksheet than this! Here is a fabulous, comprehensive test on the War of 1812. Learners complete 50 questions of a wide variety; true or false, matching, fill-in-the-blank, multiple choice, and essays. They must...
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A Test of Faith
Secondary schoolers investigate the debate surrounding the current sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church with this New York Times activity. Through discussions and written reflection, they explore their own thoughts and opinions on...
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The First (and Last) Words
What does "freedom of speech" mean to your class, especially in the context of Internet communications? In round-table discussion format, middle and high schoolers address the issues discussed in "State Legislatures Across U.S. Plan to...
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The Many "I's" In "Team"
Pupils examine the negative behavior of an Olympic athlete. They look at how his choices affected the team as well as his position on the team. They consider the many reasons why unity is important among the members of an organization...
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A Lesson on Atmosphere & Symbolism screams a study of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven" on Halloween
Students normally "scared" of poetry welcome "The Raven" lesson plans at Halloween.
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Exploring History Through Photographs
A fascinating series of four lessons on how photography and society have evolved over time. These lessons bring in elements of art, math, social studies, and geography. Everyone gets to make maps, look at old photos, and take part in a...
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Media Babies
What is a media baby? Discuss at what age children should be exposed to electronic media. After reading an article, they identify the types of media products for infants and toddlers. Learners will predict the effects of media on the...
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The Importance of Scribbling and Doodling
A series of six lessons that focus on the importance of journaling and sketching awaits your ninth graders. The lessons get into the intricacies of responding to life experiences and events, the creative process, and an exploration of...
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Symbols of Canada
Here is a series of five lessons that invite learners to explore the many symbols of Canada. Young artists, write a character sketch, write a journal entry, create a landscape drawing, create and share stories, create a mural, and...
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Teaching Justice: Schooling and the Four Waves of U.S. Immigration
U.S. immigration is the focus of a unit on social justice. Over the course of a school year, young historians read a variety of texts to learn about four waves of immigration that have occurred over time in the U.S. An emphasis on...
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Body and Mind "Scapes"
Robert Harris' artwork is the focus of this interesting series. Each lesson examines his images of the land and the sea and leads into activities that center around geography and the environment. Pupils create pieces of music, and a...
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Casting a Wary Eye?
Help learners examine racial profiling of Arab-Americans and Middle Eastern Americans in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. They will be asked to look at beliefs, actions, and behavior towards this group of people...
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Good Sportsmanship Leads to Home Run
Pupils share examples of good sportsmanship, then read a news article about a team helping an injured player score a home run. The teacher introduces the article with a discussion and vocabulary activity, then learners read the news...
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Castle Builder
Discover a wonderful series of lessons on castles, life during medieval times, and finish by having your learners actually construct a castle. First, they look at the importance of castles during medieval times. Next, they study certain...
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Totem Poles - Storytellers of Long Ago
Third graders should enjoy these fabulous lessons on Totem Poles created by Native Americans of the Northwest. Learners investigate what totems are, the meaning of their symbols and figures, and how they were made by the Native...
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Water: From Neglect to Respect
The goal of this collection of lessons is to make middle schoolers more aware of the ways in which they are dependent upon water to maintain their standard of living. Learners compare water use in Lesotho to water use in the United...
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Conserving Electric Energy
Another fantastic lesson plan on energy is presented by the American Coal Foundation. This one focuses on electricity; how it is produced, how it is delivered, and how it is used. Some excellent handouts are embedded in this fine plan...
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Transporting Coal
Some really interesting worksheets on Amtrak's national routes, and the major river systems of the United States accompany this lesson on the transportation of coal throught the country. This is an exceptionally well-designed lesson that...
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What Makes a Hero?
Here is a well-designed activity inviting learners to consider the qualities of a hero. They describe the lives and deeds of national, state, and/or local heroes. This is a thoughtful activity, which is part of a sequential group on...
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Billie Holiday's Song "Strange Fruit"
Pupils analyze a variety of primary source materials related to lynching (news articles, letters written to or written by prominent Americans, pamphlets, broadsides, etc.) in order to assess the effectiveness of the anti-lynching...
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Using Details from the Text
Explore non-fiction comprehension strategies with your class. They will visualize daily activities and label a 4 circle Venn diagram with related phrases. They must identify the overlapping sections as "main ideas," then complete a...