Lesson Plan
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Community Helpers

For Teachers K
Kindergartners learn who community helpers are and what contributions they make for the community. They will hear a story outlining various community helpers, their jobs, and tools, create a graphic organizer connecting community...
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Where People Start Communities

For Teachers 3rd
Explore the difference between man-made and natural features in nature with your students. While not an in-depth look at this topic, it would be a way to introduce this communities in your classroom.  
Worksheet
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Dr. Nestler's Math 2 Pre-calculus

For Students 7th - 11th
Students are given a description of a scenario of Professor Fink searching for a group of children. When he finds them, he states that he can express their location as a function of his hand. Students analyze the scenario and determine...
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Reaction Time 2: Zap!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners explore critical thinking by conducting a reaction time experiment. In this human brain lesson, students utilize a timed Internet worksheet activity to research how fast their brain works when answering questions. Learners share...
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Taking a Closer Look (Critical Viewing)

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore persuasive writing in advertisements. In this advertisements lesson, students evaluate tobacco advertisements for persuasion techniques. Students then create a counter advertisement against smoking.
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Genre Lesson: What is a Mystery?

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Examine the elements in a mystery with The Westing Game. Learners unscramble words as if they had to put clues together. Additionally, they discuss terms used in mysteries. They practice the word using the context of the story, as well...
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Interpreting & Verifying the News in an Era of Info Overload

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Young scholars practice their critical thinking skills. In this media awareness lesson, students read articles about media overload and interpretation of media. Young scholars respond to discussion questions and discuss how...
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The Lion and the Mouse

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students write a story.  In this critical thinking and writing instructional activity, students read a fable, answer the provided thinking skills questions, and write their own fable.
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Mount Everest

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
  Students brainstorm about what different professions roles are and what skills they obtain.  In this critical thinking activity, students discuss reasons of why different people would want and need to climb Mount...
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The Student Cafateria as the "Leafy Chestnut Tree"

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the difference between "news" of earlier periods, and "news" as we know it today. They then go out into the school common areas and analyze news from the perspective of word-of-mouth storys and discuss what they can...
Worksheet
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As a Bird Flies or as a Submarine Dives...

For Students 4th - 6th
In this geography learning exercise, students look critically at a map containing a variety of different directions. Students answer 2 short answer questions regarding giving someone the best directions from point A to point B.
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The Cask of Amontillado

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers examine the Edgar Allan Poe story "The Cask of Amontillado." In this character lesson, students discuss and analyze the characters in the story. High schoolers make personal connections to the characters and create a...
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Historical Scavenger Hunts

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars investigate the impact of historical events. In this historical scavenger hunt lesson, students examine photographs of a local monument that zoom in on details. Young scholars record their impressions regarding the photos....
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Ravishing Rings (Multiplication with a Snack)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students understand multiplication through the use of snack manipulatives. In this multiplication lesson, students solve a multiplication problem using pretzels and then create and answer original problems. Students analyze how they got...
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Historical Events of the Civil War

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders research the Civil War through the use of primary documents. In this historical events of the Civil War instructional activity, 5th graders write about the information gotten from the primary document. Students answer...
Worksheet
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More Analogies Volume 3

For Students 3rd - 4th
In this recognizing analogies activity, students read sentences with two analogies at the beginning, determine how they are related, and complete the analogies by choosing the best multiple choice answers. Students write 16 answers.
Worksheet
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The Brain Teaser Five Pack

For Students 5th - 6th
In this critical thinking worksheet, students explain in their own words the answers to 5 mentally challenging brain teasers asked on the worksheet.
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Pulling It All Together

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students review data about a health problem and prepare an investigative report. Teams trade reports and utilize skills developed from previous lessons to evaluate the critical thinking evident in the reports.
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Anne Frank: Critical Thinking

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Students read a story by James Clavell about propaganda and they discuss how it was used in the story. In groups, they decide what they would do if faced with certain situations.
PPT
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Quadrilateral Investigation

For Teachers 4th - 5th
A good classroom tool is always great to have around. This tool provides learners with an opportunity to view and investigate the properties of quadrilaterals. Each slide contains images of a square as it is dissected into various...
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McMUN Model United Nations

For Teachers 10th - 12th
If you have been searching for a plan to run a model U.N. simulation, this plan provides some bare bones for your lesson. Scholars break into blocs to research and discuss global issues and come up with collaborative solutions. In their...
PPT
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Components of Civilization

For Teachers 7th - 9th
This presentation contains several critical-thinking questions related to the building, components, and purpose of large civilizations. This is an image-driven presentation lacking text. The questions are good so this resource could be...
PPT
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Answering an Essay Style Question

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Writing an essay can seem like a daunting task, but it can be a lot easier when learners are given an outline of expectations. This resource provides a step-by-step explanation of how to answer an essay question. However, the...
PPT
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Riddles

For Teachers 2nd
Promote critical-thinking skills with riddles. While this resource only has two example of riddles, it could be used as a model for other explorations. A teacher could augment this resource with a greater variety of examples.