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Interactive
Curated OER

Student Opinion: What Small Things Have You Seen and Taken Note of Today?

For Students 7th - 12th
An interesting and unusual topic for a news article, this resource from the New York Times website asks learners to take a moment and consider all the things they notice during a typical day. Based of the editorial piece "Things I Saw"...
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Assessment
Kentucky Department of Education

Kentuckians in the Civil War Era: Constructed Response Essay

For Teachers 8th - 12th Standards
What part did Kentucky play in the Civil War? A constructed response essay assignment tests to ensure scholars understand the concepts and the arguments for the causes of the Civil War. Learners must read a primary source quote and then...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Writing to Argue

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students write an argument using a clear structure and argumentative techniques. In this persuasive writing lesson, students brainstorm, write, and peer edit an argumentative essay. Worksheets include the prompt, facts and quotes, and a...
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Activity
Worksheet Web

Language – Debating

For Students 7th - 9th Standards
Having a debate doesn't mean you're fighting. Introduce middle schoolers to debate with a resource which distinguishes between an quarrel and a debate, describes the debate process and format, and presents some possible debate topics.
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Unit Plan
Curated OER

Teaching Debate to ESL Students

For Teachers 7th - 10th Standards
Language learners use the debate format to practice formulating, expressing, and defending their ideas. Working in teams, class members develop resolutions, use opinion indicators to express their opinions and reasons, and prepare...
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Lesson Plan
2
2
Curated OER

Search Warranted?

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Young readers work on evaluating claims in a piece of informational text with the article "In New York, It's Open Bag or Find Exits" from the New York Times. They analyze current search procedures implemented to fight terrorism and...
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Lesson Plan
1
1
Curated OER

Transition Words and Phrases: Road Signs for the Reader

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Therefore! However! Furthermore! Explore the power of transition words and phrases. Signal your readers by suggesting the relationship between different thoughts or points. Help them demonstrate an understanding of word relationships. 
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Lesson Plan
1
1
Curated OER

Pig Products

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
How do you feel about cloning? This issue is highly debated, so educate your class before they participate in a similar debate! Read a New York Times article related to the use of cloned pig organs for human transplants. Groups develop...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Echo, Echo, Echo, Each can help others

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students discuss and research arguments about philanthropy. In this persuasive speech writing lesson, students choose a needed project for the community and present the reasons for the project through an original persuasive speech....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Union is Perpetual: Lincoln is Elected

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students view primary documents about the race for President in the time of Abraham Lincoln.  For this election lesson, students prepare arguments for and against Lincoln using an analysis sheet.  Students create a poster or cartoon to...
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Lesson Plan
iCivics

Yeah, But...

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Impress upon your young learners the importance of formulating counter arguments based on facts and not opinions. This resource is meant to strengthen arguments designed in a previous lesson, but could also be used as a stand-alone...
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Lesson Plan
iCivics

So You Think You Can Argue

For Teachers 5th - 9th Standards
What defines an argument, and how can someone properly formulate a counterargument? This resource provides two options—an interactive PowerPoint presentation or worksheet—that will support your learners as they begin to explore how to...
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Lesson Plan
2
2
iCivics

No Rambling Allowed

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
What makes for a strong persuasive argument? Organization! After deconstructing a sample argument and then following the guidelines of an included worksheet, your class members will learn how evidence can be organized in order to produce...
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Lesson Plan
1
1
Curated OER

Don't Let the Earth Down

For Teachers 5th - 9th Standards
Although recycling is definitely beneficial, reducing our waste and conserving our natural resources should really be the focus of environmentalists. Encourage the future generation to create a public service announcement about a...
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Lesson Plan
1
1
Virginia Department of Education

Analyzing and Planning Persuasive Writing

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Young writers work backward to analyze persuasive techniques. As a class, work through the provided persuasive letter: a plea to an imaginary city council to lift a city-wide ban on fast food restaurants and discount stores. Start by...
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Activity
iCivics

Drafting Board: Military Intervention

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Should countries use their militaries to stop humanitarian crises in other countries? Learners make claims, organize their reasoning, and provide evidence for their arguments with this rich resource.
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Activity
iCivics

Drafting Board: Electoral College

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Should the president of the United States be voted by the Electoral College or the popular vote? Your young historians will consider the pros and cons of the Electoral College, and make an argument using reasons and evidence provided in...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

I Really Love This More

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Young language arts learners choose between two activities and then attempt to convince their classmates of their choice as a way of practicing persuasive speech. This particular lesson uses Valentine's Day as a theme; learners chose...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Writing About Art: Subjective vs. Objective

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Explore objective and subjective writing in this interdisciplinary lesson, which brings language arts and visual art together. Middle and high school students examine the sculpture Head with Horns by Paul Gauguin. They then analyze the...
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Writing
Curated OER

When Is It O.K. to Replace Human Limbs With Technology?

For Students 7th - 12th
Today's blog topic is robotic limb replacement for amputees. Upper graders read the related article and argument, then compose a blog response that addresses the questions provided. This is a great way to get kids thinking about ethics,...
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Lesson Plan
Eye On Education

I Say Tomato, You Say To-Mah-To

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Turn your junior high talkers into effective arguers. Introduce these budding lawyers to skills that show how to support a claim, decide what clear reason is, and how to use evidence to support an argument. Time is scheduled for class...
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Writing
Novelinks

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer: Writing Assignment

For Teachers 7th - 10th Standards
Ask learners to focus on one scene in Mark Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer in order to write an analytical essay about Twain's ideas surrounding childhood. The final assignment in a unit, this writing prompt requires learners to use...
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Assessment
Fluence Learning

Writing About Informational Text: Beyond the Beyond—Galaxies

For Students 8th Standards
Everyone has a different point of view, even when it comes to the enormity of the universe. Two separate text passages explain the scope of a galaxy, prompting young readers to write an essay about each author's argument and how the...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

End of Unit 2 Assessment, Part 2: Revise Essay Drafts

For Teachers 8th Standards
Time to revise! Scholars revise their argument essays based on Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream using feedback from their teacher and peers. They begin their revisions after reviewing a mini-lesson plan on proper writing conventions.

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