Dream of a Nation
Big6 Research Project
Do research projects at your school look like a class of eighth graders staring at a blank screen? Use the Big 6 research method to guide middle schoolers through the process of finding a topic, searching for and evaluating sources,...
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Reading Comprehension: History of the Periodic Table
Although the article that launches this lesson is about the history of the Periodic Table, the objective is reading comprehension. Using the eight-page informational text, learners answer five comprehension questions and craft one essay....
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Learning Unit: The Pythagorean Theorem
Middle and high schoolers research the life of Pythagoras and the Pythagorean theorem. They write a short biography of Pythagoras and learn to apply the theorem in their study of right triangles.
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Biography
Transform a written biography into a video biography! Introduce your learners to the biography format by reading them a few examples (some suggestions are included). Then discuss the factors that make a good biography. What information...
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Ready-Set-Go-Whoa!
The Apaches: People of the Southwest offers readers a chance to employ the “Ready-Set-Go-Whoa!” strategy (an adaptation of the KWL) to test what they know and summarize what they learn as they read Jennifer Fleischner’s nonfiction...
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Keyboarding - Dear "Here is Your Help"
Students work in pairs to draft a letter responding to a request for advice. They brainstorm a solution and write a response using a word processing program and correct letter format.
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A Picture is Worth a Million Words
Young scholars practice composing digital photographs by documenting activities in their lives. In this photography lesson, students utilize digital cameras to create beautiful art from things they find around the campus or at their...
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Multimedia Storytelling
Experiment with multimedia storytelling. After watching a segment of American Family, first, middle and high schoolers tell a story about their families, clarifying the setting, characters, and script. They work on setting their story in...
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Down in the Dumps
After an introduction to municipal sludge, middle school ecologists consider the pros and cons of dumping in the Hudson River Canyon. The class is split into two groups: one to debate in favor or dumping and one to debate against the...
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I Can Author a Children's Math Book!
Students write short books teaching a mathematical concept. They may work in teams, with one student being the author and one student being the illustrator. They view examples of studenT books that deal with math concepts before beginning.
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Tall Tales Today
Students explore the attributes of American tall tales. In this folklore instructional activity, students read several tall tales, describe the elements of tall tales, and then use hyperbole to write their own tall tales.
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Power of Persuasion
Teaching students about persuasion can be a fun experience that involves writing, PowerPoint presentations, and vocabulary building.
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Ticker Text Parade
Students examine news headlines and create very brief news pieces in the style of news tickers. They write papers reflecting upon these experiences and on the value of concisely written news reports.
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Animating a Historic Event
Research a historic event using textbooks, primary source documents, the Internet, and other library and media resources. Young historians will take the research they have gathered and write an attention-grabbing, historically accurate...
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A Trip Down Memory Lane- Memoir Lesson Plans
By teaching memoir lesson plans, teachers can help students expand their awareness of different languages and cultures.
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Return Of The Living Dead
Young scholars research endangered animal species that have 'beaten the odds' as they continue to survive longer than scientists had expected. They write individual pages for a class book about endangered species.
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Older, Wiser, and Making a Difference
Students reflect on an adult who plays a significant role in their lives. They conduct peer interviews and write newspaper articles about these important individuals.
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Journalism and Responsibility
Students explore the world of journalism. For this media awareness lesson, students investigate the roles and responsibilities of journalists. Students watch segments of videos and research websites to inform them prior to writing their...
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Change the Face of History
Students create and write a "Choose Your Own Adventure" story as they investigate the Revolutionary War. They choose a historical figure who played a key role in the war who meets other influential figures and has the opportunity to...
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How to Take math Lectures Notes
In this math worksheet, students review the steps they were taught, to take correct notes in their math class. This worksheet can be used to teach students the correct process of note taking for just about any subject. There are 6...
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Responding To Rembrandt's Work Through Poetry
Students write poetry in response to Rembrandt's landscapes and portraits. They create accompanying illustrations based on interpretations of Rembrandt's work and present them along with the poems in book format.
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Day of the Dead
Students study the Mexican celebration of Day of the Dead. They view a video and research questions on the Internet. They synthesize the information from the websites and the topic for their RAFT writing assignment. They write their...
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Screening the Silver Screen
Young scholars write New York Times Movie Guide Reviews using descriptive and persuasive language.
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Moccasins are Made for Dancing
Students perform a traditional Native American dance. In this cultural dance lesson, students research two Native American dances. Students discuss the relationship between the dances and Native American culture. Students use their...