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The Campaign: Issues and Strategies. What do you think?
Students research a candidate in an election and discuss how the media portrays that candidate and how the media influences voters. In this candidate lesson plan, students also distinguish fact from opinion, look at political cartoons,...
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War and Remembrance: St. Crispin's Day speech from Henry V
Students discuss their opinions about war. For this political science lesson, students use a video about war to analyze their own ideas about war. They discuss the terminology Shakespeare used in reference to war, and examine the...
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Manifest Destiny
Students explore the Manifest Destiny. They interpret quotations, study point of view in writing, research English words that derived from Mexico, and analyze reasons why settlers moved west. After writing journal entries in first-person...
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Science Activity for Grades 4 - 8
Learners use the scientific method and see the relationship between explanation and evidence as they investigate the effects of violence on young viewers.
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Swift Response
Students examine how matters of national security affect the press' ability to practice free speech. They read and discuss an article regarding the Swift program, discuss opinions about patriotism and the press, and write a letter to the...
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Defining Issues
Students work on a 'campaign committee' to define civic issues that are important to them and their community. They write letters to city officials with proposals for how to address these issues.
Channel Islands Film
Arlington Springs Man: Lesson Plan 1
Learning to craft quality questions is a skill that can be taught. Class members use the Question Formulation Technique to learn how to create and refine both closed-ended and open-ended questions. They then view West of the West's...
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Dealing with DNA Controversy
Pupils research controversial statements about biological applications and write a persuasive essay. In this biology lesson plan, students are assigned a controversial statement as a research topic, then they use this topic to create a...
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Should They Stay or Should They Go?
High schoolers share opinions about labor unions, discuss the recent split within the AFL-CIO, and write an article based on interviews with union members.
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The President's Day Has Arrived
Young scholars state and defend their opinions regarding all aspects of the impeachment proceedings against President Clinton after completing a survey and researching the topic. They also consider opinion polls, media bias and global...
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Advising China
Students express their opinions about how growth and modernization affect nations. Reading an article on China, they discuss the causes and effects of exponential growth in a single town. They research how China has changed by writing...
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Food Myths Critical Thinking and Reading
Young scholars read a series of statements made by students about the hazards and benefits of various foods. They distinguish the "facts: from "opinions" in the dialogue, summarize the facts in a short paragraph, and write an essay...
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Discoveries of Titanic Proportions
Students analyze various statements on the moon. After reading an article, they discuss the findings about a new moon around Saturn. In groups, they re-create a press conference in which the new findings were released to the public. ...
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Guild v. Google
Students share opinions about what constitutes fair use of copyright materials and participate in a mock trial arguing the case of The Authors Guild v. Google.
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Lura Pierce
Students express opinions on eavesdropping on citizens, read the article "GOP Senators sat Accord is Set on Wiretapping", and debate issues presented in the article. They create letters to send to Congress presenting their concerns.
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A New NATO?
Students read and interpret NATO's mission statement. After reading an article, they discover incidents in which NATO has deviated from their original purpose. In groups, they research the opinions of the countries of NATO. They write...
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The Aftermath of War
Students share their opinions on the war in Iraq. After reading an article, they identify the thoughts of President Bush on the conflict. In groups, they share their opinions for and against current United States policy in Iraq and the...
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Safe and Secure: More or Less?
Learners discuss what they believe to be the state of security of the nation since September 11, 2001. Reading articles on security, they gather insight into new reports on security. They write letters to major newspapers expressing...
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Maven Makeover?
Students reflect on the role of prisons and discuss how they believe sentencing should be handed down. After reading an article, they discover the experiences Martha Stewart went through while in prison. In groups, they share their...
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Struggles for Power
Students investigate the leaders of the Roman Empire. In this ancient Rome lesson, students research the contributions of Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius I, and Nero. Students write obituaries that feature the accomplishments,...
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The Secret is Out
Students explore ideas about journalism ethics as they relate to Watergate and discuss various issues related to an anonymous source being revealed. They write letters to the public editor of The NY Times about credibility and anonymous...
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Who's on Trial Here?
Students discuss privacy issues that public personalities encounter when they are accused of committing a crime after reading an article in The New York Times. Students then write essays after researching several trials of public...
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Fountain Pen Makes a Comeback in Scotland
Students read and discuss a news article about a school in Scotland that is using fountain pens to write with. They answer article comprehension questions, participate in a discussion about the importance of handwriting, write their...
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Are We Safer?
Students discuss the meaning of feeling safe in their environment after September 11th. After reading National Intelligence reports and news articles summarizing the findings about national security, they write letters to their...