Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Comparing and Contrasting: Fact vs. Opinion

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Elementary schoolers investigate nonfiction stories by analyzing facts and opinions. They read nonfiction stories about the Lewis and Clark expedition. Pupils utilize a T-chart to list the facts and opinions on opposite sides, and then...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

It's Your Opinion

For Teachers 3rd - 7th
Everyone has a different opinion about the characters they read about in books. Have your class explore forming an opinion and finding evidence to support it as they read and discuss what they think about a particular character. They...
Lesson Plan
5
5
Curated OER

Persuasive Practice: A Mt. Rushmore Addition

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
Budding authors research a US President and persuade the National Park Service to add him to Mt. Rushmore. In addition to the persuasive essay, individuals are required to develop a visual presentation using a web-based software that...
Lesson Plan
Media Smarts

How to Analyze the News

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Teach kids how to watch television, specifically the news, with this creative idea for learners of all ages from the Media Awareness Network. The elementary school plan focuses on presenting news as a story and uses Jon Scieszka's story...
Unit Plan
Odell Education

Building Evidence-Based Arguments: "Cuplae poena par esto: Let the punishment fit the crime."

For Teachers 11th Standards
Should a criminal's punishment match the crime? An argumentative writing plan explores this question as class members investigate a variety of mixed-medium sources by experts in the field, form evidence-based claims, and support them...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Family Life

For Teachers 6th - 12th
What is family? Challenge your scholars to write an encompassing definition of what this word means to them. After reading "It May Be a Family Matter, But Just Try to Define Family," class members discuss the emotional issues surrounding...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

ICYouSee: A Lesson in Critical Thinking

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Stress the importance of authenticating online resources and understanding the sources of websites' information with this activity. Using a Web-based activity, the lesson prompts young learners to think critically about determining the...
Unit Plan
Curated OER

Leap! Frog!

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students write a report stating facts and opinions based on frogs. Investigate and understand the changes that take place during the life cycle of a frog. Respond to language, meanings and ideas in different texts, relating them to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Body and Media #1

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine how films and media affect their body image. They identify their own definition of body image and research the topic. They discover the importance of using both fact and opinion sources.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Recognizing Propaganda/Bias

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Middle and high schoolers examine the uses of propaganda during the Nazi era. Using examples of propaganda used by Hitler, they discuss how it changed the thinking and ideas of people exposed to it. In groups, they identify how and why...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Police Arrest MySpace Users

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students research the background of websites, MySpace and FaceBook. In groups, they interview local experts about Internet crimes. They investigate what their school's policy is and write a news feature how local schools are disciplining...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Oral History and Interview Skills

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students develop interview skills and learn about US history at the same time. Students research an event from local history. Students prepare a list of questions based on the research. They create a list of interview questions and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Star Politics

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students discuss the advantages of a celebrity running for a public office. After reading an article, they examine the results of the California governor recall vote. In groups, they research the aspirations and career of a celebrity...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Children's Media and Censorship

For Teachers 8th - 11th
Learners examine the point of censorship when dealing with Students. They explore essays by Stephen King.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Art of Persuasion

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students practice persuasive writing by creating a travel brochure.  In this creative writing instructional activity, students research a popular tourist destination they would like to visit and create a brochure enticing readers to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Body and Media #2

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars discover how media influences body image. They identify how the media creates an ideal beauty. They answer questions after watching "Dying to be Thin".
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Conflict Resolution in 9 Easy Steps

For Teachers 1st - 6th
Students investigate student psychology by reading assigned text about nonviolence. In this conflict resolution activity, students read nine specific steps they should take the next time they are in an argument with someone. Students...
Lesson Plan
Alabama Learning Exchange

The Earth Has Many Layers

For Teachers 4th - 5th Standards
Learners conduct an experiment. In this Earth's layers lesson, students learn about soil, sand and rock. They complete their own Jell-O Mountain and investigate the Earth's layers on-line.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Haitian Political Crisis: What Role Should the U.S. Play in Foreign Governments?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the political situation in Haiti. They share their opinions on the role the United States should play in foreign governments. They identify the causes of the turmoil in the country as well.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Self-Control

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Pupils examine their feelings of anger in various situations. In groups, they view scenerios from different points of view and from reading many poems. They answer comprehension questions about a story they read to end the class.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Couch Potato or Inertia Victim?

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders how primary research is carried out. They design a simple survey questionnaire to interview people about their week average television watching time. They analyze the results and write a report based on the information.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Crossing the Color Line

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students watch the series "Unforgiveable Blackness". They analyze Jack Johnson's life to investigate the legal system and interracial relationships. They examine how segregation was threatened by peole allowing to marry ones out of their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sieve of Eratosthenes

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students discover the Sieve of Erathosthenes. They explore a method to find all the prime numbers in a group of numbers. Using models, students practice divisibility rules while examining the difference between prime and composite numbers.
Lesson Plan
Nazareth College

Create Your Own Tornado

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders identify key concepts and definitions about tornados. They work in small groups of three to four to create mini-tornados. After reading Tornado Alert as a class, 3rd graders discuss tornados and fill out a KWL chart.