Scholars take a close look at evaluating sources and the information that comes from them. Learners review their research plans, use a handout organizer to learn how to take notes, and begin annotating correctly. They practice what they...

Do you know if that source is reliable? Learners examine closely to determine which sources provide reliable information for their research. Scholars use organizers to examine each source based on credibility, accessibility, and...

There are no wrong questions—or are there? Scholars learn to create practical questions to guide their research by first creating questions for their peers' research topics. They then vet classmates' questions before narrowing their...

What's the verdict? After finding sources and gathering information, scholars must now make a claim. Learners narrow their focus and refine their inquiry paths before analyzing the information and making a claim about their questioning....

It's time to prove it! Scholars now must ensure that all claims are based on evidence. Learners write detailed claims for each inquiry path using several evidence-based claims tools. At the end of the lesson plan, pupils respond to a...

Opposites attract. Scholars choose one of their claims from the previous lesson. They then must consider the opposite view of that claim and create a counterclaim, discussing it with classmates. To help guide the discussion, they use a...

Have you ever argued for the sake of argument? Scholars dig into what makes a compelling argument. They learn to create evidence-based arguments using a teacher-led model. Once finished, they use an evidence-based checklist to guide...

Do you know what the plan is? Scholars are now ready to complete the final instructional activity of independent research before finalizing their plans. Ultimately, they turn in all research tool sheets and frames and organize their...

Scholars examine the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and analyze the ideas in the preamble. Readers define new vocabulary words, listen to a Masterful Reading, answer questions in pairs, participate in a jigsaw discussion, and...

Is good good enough? Scholars examine claims made in a speech by Elanor Roosevelt. Roosevelt claims that people should adopt the Universal Declaration of Human Rights because it is a good document. Readers discuss their ideas in pairs,...

Let children be children. Scholars read in a speech by Malala Yousafzai how childhood is absent as children are forced to work and get married at a young age. Learners analyze part of the speech and discuss it in groups. After sharing...

A person doesn't have to be an adult to make a difference! Scholars examine a speech by a 16-year-old girl. They discuss her word use, answer guided questions, and complete a rhetorical tracking tool. Readers end their analyses by...

It's time to show what you know. The final lesson asks scholars to reflect on the seven-lesson plan unit and complete an end-of-unit task. Readers consider the claims presented in speeches by Eleanor Roosevelt and Malala Yousafzai before...

According to Machiavelli, a good ruler does whatever it takes. Using the resource, scholars work in small groups to analyze quotes from The Prince and then participate in a whole-class discussion. To finish, pupils select a phrase and...

Would Machiavelli consider Macbeth a successful ruler? Scholars ponder the intriguing question, demonstrating their knowledge of Shakespeare's Macbeth and Machiavelli's The Prince. They collaborate with peers to share their opinions,...

Readers of "The Palace Thief" continue examining Ethan Canin’s short story and consider how the narrator's actions develop the central idea of how one's expectations and the expectations of others influence behavior.

Does trauma have a lasting effect on people's lives? Scholars dive into the topic as they read paragraphs 9–11 of "A Genetics of Justice" by Julia Alvarez, in which the author describes her family's return to the Dominican Republic....

Are authors also designers? Scholars examine closely how E.B. White designs a section in Death of a Pig. They determine how the structure of sentences and paragraphs, the order of events, and the dialogue placement all contribute to the...

How does Lady Macbeth's ambition help advance the plot of Shakespeare's Macbeth? Scholars explore the topic using discussion and a jigsaw activity. Next, they complete a quick write to analyze how Shakespeare develops Lady Macbeth's...

Created for a 10th grade English classroom studying George Orwell's Animal Farm, this mini-project promotes exploration of character and plot. In the first section, young readers are required to characterize one character from the story,...

Have you ever felt like you are pulled into two directions? Some authors depict this feeling in their characters. Scholars choose a play or novel in which a character is pulled or influenced by two different directions and write essays...

Everyone enjoys a good mystery. Learners create essays explaining how a mystery gives meaning to a novel or play of their choice. They also examine the use of literary elements of diary entries in The Spectator. A third essay question...

Do 100 years make a difference? Scholars compare two poems written 100 years apart. They also analyze characterization used in a passage from Tom Jones by Henry Fielding. A final essay question allows writers to choose a piece of...

Ever felt stuck in the middle? Some characters do. Scholars choose a novel or play and write essays describing how a character is stuck between cultures. Writers also analyze the techniques used in a passage from We Were the Mulvaneys...