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Discovering Saturn, The Real "Lord of the Rings"
Reading, writing, and rings! A lesson from NASA combines space science with authentic reading and writing tasks. Included in this lesson are pre-reading activities, four mini informational booklets on Saturn, a structured note-taking...
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ICYouSee: A Lesson in Critical Thinking
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...
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Macbeth News Broadcast
Here is an authentic assessment task for Shakespeare's Macbeth. Young literature scholars prepare, perform, and record a news broadcast about the major events in the play. For example, groups may choose to report on the death of Lady...
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The South, the North and the Great Migration: Blues and Literature
Here is a complex lesson plan that interweaves the history of the Jim Crow South and the Great Migration with the study of poetry, art, and blues music from the Harlem Renaissance. The plan helps young historians develop a deep...
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Let's Plan a Trip!
Take a virtual trip to see other countries and cultures! After learning about different cultures and populations, English learners think about a place they'd like to visit. Small groups or individuals plan a trip to a country of their...
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A Colony is Born : Lesson 11 - Group Presentations and Summatives
Fifth graders give presentations on colonial research. The others take notes on the presentations. They play a card game which helps them review content. They take a summative assessment and present their research notebooks.
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A Christmas Carol Exploration
Seventh graders explore the history of Christmas by researching classic literature. In this holiday instructional activity, 7th graders read the story A Christmas Carol and discuss the tone of Charles Dickens' classic literary work....
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The Outsiders Debate Project
Eighth graders read the book The Outsiders for understanding. They develop arguments, with support, for six assigned debate points. They write a position paper based on six debate points. The dress up as a character in the book and...
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Jurassic Park: The Science and Ethics of Genetic Engineering
Explore genetic engineering through an engaging "Jurassic Park" unit, which is an extensive use of a cross-curricular teaching event. Planned for AP Biology, English, and Calculus students, learners and teachers are involved for 4-6...
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Presentations Come Alive!
Partners create oral presentations about a short story or poem incorporating audiovisual aids. Then they make presentations to their classmates. Linked story map will help guide readers' organization of their presentation;...
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Review and Assessment on STDs and HIV/AIDS
Students create a one-two page newsletter demonstrating what they have learned related to a unit on STDs and HIV/AIDS. The newsletter consists of various articles, written by Students.
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Map of Ship Trap Island
Students read the short story "The Most Dangerous Game," and create maps of Ship Trap Island and justify why items are placed on their map in certain locations.
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The Important Thing About Technology
Students assess the advantages of modern technology tools by creating a page in a class book utilizing pattern writing as well as the writing process. They organize and develop a composition on a selected topic after going through the...
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Clean Air
High schoolers read sales promotion reports and create a sales promotion summary using information from the report. They develop a graphic organizer to outline their information for a presentation. There is an assessment checklist...
MENSA Education & Research Foundation
Early American Novel: Exploring the Emergence of a Genre
Need an extra challenge for your best readers? Check out a unit that uses Hannah Webster Foster’s epistolary novel, The Coquette, published in 1797, as the anchor text. The resource is packed with project ideas; each with its own...
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Propaganda Flyer
Fourth graders create a persuasive flyer to sway the opinion of the class on a controversial issue. They read assigned editorials representing the viewpoint that they must defend.
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Origami
Students investigate Japanese culture by creating origami. In this Asian heritage lesson, students utilize the Internet to view origami tutorials which they use to create birds and other animals. Students discuss what "heritage" means...
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Sneetches by Dr. Seuss
Students read "Sneetches" by Dr. Seuss. They complete a story map and write about the topic of prejudice. They role-play star-bellied and plain-bellied sneetches and write a persuasive essay about their experiences.
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Power and Authority
Fourth graders study authority and power as its used in government. In this government lesson plan, 4th graders define power and authority. Students then read different scenarios of authority and power examples in people as well as...
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Russia and Eastern Europe
High schoolers study Russia and Eastern Europe. They select from a menu of option activities to demonstrate their knowledge of both countries including preparing meals, reading Russian works of literature, analyzing political cartoons...
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Inventing and Presenting Unit 1: Analyzing Nonfiction and Inventing Solutions
Students read about and identify patterns in the invention process. Students discuss and write about information learned from research. Students compile a list of problems, choose one, write a problem statement, and compile a list of at...
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Evaluating an Olympic Sport
Students research the political context of the Winter Olympics in general and within certain countries in particular. They read authentic, published articles on the topic from the Internet and add this information to the spreadsheet as...
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World War I: People, Places, and Events
Students research the people, places, and events of World War I. They select a topic, conduct research, read and discuss a bibliography handout, and create a biography, newspaper, diorama, or comparative maps to present their research...
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An Immigrant's Journey
Students collect photos of immigrants coming to the United States. They write fictional journal entries for one of the photographs.