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Graphing My Path to Success
Seventh graders examine their school performance through self-assessment of strengths and weaknesses. They construct a line graph, plotting all courses and achievements. Students use graph paper and colored pencils for each activity. If...
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Black Kentuckians and the Civil War
Students demonstrate how the American Civil War affected black Kentuckians socially and politically. They identify and discuss the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which forced the end of slavery in Kentucky months after the...
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Diet: You Are What You Eat
Third graders examine the issue of food quality to assess the dangers of pesticides, additives, and improper food preparation. After keeping food diaries and categorizing foods, they fill in food pyramids based on their journal entries....
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Bill of Rights -- Americans with Disabilities Act
Students focus on the First and Ninth Amendments of the Bill of Rights. Before visiting a museum, they examine the Americans with Disabilities Act. During the visit, they work together with a museum member to watch a video and get...
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Lights Light Up My Life
Students conduct an investigation. In this energy conservation lesson, students observe and make predictions about fluorescent and incandescent light bulbs. Working in groups, students conduct an investigation to compare the two light...
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Peace and Aggression: A Challenge of Our Time
Students examine the arguments for and against the United States involvement in the Vietnam War. In groups, they must assign the Vietnam War a just or unjust war using the techniques used to fight and the reasons used by the government...
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Las Maquinas y Nosotros: Machines and Us
Second graders explain the relationship between energy and work. In this technology lesson, 2nd graders describe the different uses of machines in their everyday lives. They record observations and data in their science journal.
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Lessons from the Holocaust
Middle schoolers discover what a dictatorship is by examining the holocaust. In this government lesson, students discuss the laws that were enacted for Nazis to take control of Germany, and the types of laws we have put place to prevent...
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Participating in Democracy
Young scholars analyze film clips in class. For this democracy lesson, students identify the differences between civil liberties, democracy and freedom. Young scholars view a video regarding Japanese internment and answer study questions...
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Tracking Pollution - A Hazardous Whodunit
Students read a story problem about the issue of hazardous waste and pollution in a fictional town. In groups, they create a topographical map and predict how the water might flow and determine the place of contamination. To end the...
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The Wind & Sun: Powerful Alternatives
Learners examine the power that is possible from the sun through an interactive program. They also analyze how energy turns into different forms in different parts of the human body. They finally explore how wind is created and how wind...
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To Eat or Not to Eat?
Students identify various parts of plants and determine which parts people eat. They conduct a celery stalk experiment in which they determine the value and use of the stem, and how it helps the plant to meet its needs. Students use a...
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Punnett Squares
Eighth graders take a short quiz on genotypes and phenotypes. As a class, they are introduced to the concept of Punnett Squares and listen to a description of Gregor Mendel's pea experiment. In groups, they complete Punnett Squares to...
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The Is No Such Thing as a Perfect Pumpkin
Students explore using descriptive words to describe physical appearance. In this appearance instructional activity, students look at pumpkins and discuss how there is not a perfect pumpkin. Students also hypothesize about what the...
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Fairness
Students explore fairness. In this fairness lesson plan, students recieve a envelope of materials, not all envelopes contain the same materials. Students cut shapes to specific measurements and get money for them. If the shapes are not...
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Dumptown, USA: Making a Ton of Difference
Students investigate the recycling system in the United States by participating in an online activity. In this environmental care lesson, students research what makes up our trash output in this country and where it goes. Students...
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Eco-Kids: How Students Can Help Save the World
Fourth graders identify the different types of renewable and nonrenewable energy sources. In this ecology activity, 4th graders create models of wind mills and hydropower. They discuss the pros and cons of using alternative forms of energy.
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Fallout
Students view a short film about the results of dropping the atomic bomb at the end of World War II. They research controversies surrounding the use of the bomb and nuclear weapons. They write two editorials about the issue.
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Getting Caught In The Web
Sixth graders brainstorm the ways a person's actions can affect a community. As a class, one classmate is given a ball of yarn and pass it along to another student creating a web. Next, some classmates are asked to drop their part and...
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What Does Respect Look Like in School?
Fourth graders discuss why everyone needs and wants to feel respected. As a class, they share what respect looks like and what disrespect looks like. They pretend they have to leave their most valued object with a secret agent and what...
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Goal-Makers Win the Game!
Fifth graders are introduced to the meaning of the word "goal". As a class, they identify examples of goals with their teacher's guidance. Individually, they complete a worksheet to identify their short and long term goals and complete a...
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Analyzing My Path to Success
Seventh graders review their graphs from the previous lesson about trends. Individually, they identify their personal strengths and weaknesses when it comes to being successful. To end the lesson, they use this information to write a...
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Influencing the Agenda: The Impact of Interest Groups on Policy Making
Middle schoolers examine the role of interest groups and how they affect voters. In groups, they research how the groups have affected policy making in the county. They examine a specific issue and discover whether or not a vote was...
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Inhale the Colour of Life
Students view examples of portraits noting how the colors used make them feel. Using the same portrait, they redo them using different colors and then compare and contrast the first painting and second one in regards to how it makes...