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Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Common Sense: The Rhetoric of Popular Democracy

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students identify important arguments for independence made in Thomas Paine's Common Sense. They explain why these arguments helped persuade American colonists that independence was necessary. Students describe the importance of Common...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson 2: Using Common Sense

For Teachers 10th
Tenth graders explore the impact of Thomas Paine on the American Revolution. In this colonial America instructional activity, 10th graders analyze Common Sense and then paraphrase selected excerpts of the pamphlet. Students also respond...
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Lesson Plan
PBS

Thomas Paine: Writer and Revolutionary

For Teachers 3rd - 7th Standards
Is the pen really mightier than the sword? Scholars analyze the impact Thomas Paine's book Common Sense had on the American Revolution. Video clips and primary sources investigate the role Paine had on dissent in the colonies. They...
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Lesson Plan
K20 LEARN

Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death: The Journey to Revolution

For Teachers 8th Standards
The words of "Common Sense" and Patrick Henry's "Give me liberty or give me death!" speech ring throughout history. Scholars explore the nuances of each patriot's argument using excerpts from the famous pamphlet and speech and a recorded...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson: Allison Smith: What Are You Fighting For?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Trench art is a nontraditional art form created by soldiers in trenches during wartime. Artist Allison Smith connects her art to the American Revolution and the question: "What are you fighting for?" Kids examine her art, how it connects...
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Lesson Plan
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Carolina K-12

Causes of the American Revolution

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Beginning with the experience of hearing that lockers in school will be taxed, through analysis of political cartoons and informational text, and culminating in a debate between loyalists and patriots, your class members will engage in a...
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Lesson Plan
Center for History Education

Should the Colonists Have Revolted Against Great Britain?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
Should the Americans have taken the plunge and revolted against Great Britain? Using documents, including the famed Common Sense and a Loyalist response, pupils conduct a lengthy investigation of the question. The interesting resource...
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Lesson Plan
Alabama Learning Exchange

The Five Senses: How They Relate to our World

For Teachers K - 5th
Students explore the five senses and the significance of each sense. In this five senses and diversity lesson, students listen to You Can't Smell a Flower With Your Ear by Joanna Cole and take a walk observing opportunities to use all...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

What is Common Sense?

For Students 6th - 8th
In this self-assessment worksheet, students brainstorm a list of 10 common sense things to do to remain gambling-free after reading a brief description of what common sense is.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Common Sense Lesson Plan

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners examine excerpts of "Common Sense" and determine how it influenced the times. Using other primary source documents, they identify the amount of political discourse before and during the American Revolution. They answer questions...
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PPT
Curated OER

The War for Independence: 4th Grade

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Colonial Independence is a hot topic in the 4th and 5th grade; this PowerPoint highlights the victories, the decision for Independence, and the forces for and against colonial independence from England. This PowerPoint presents scant...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Beginnings of Constitutional Government

For Teachers 6th - 11th
Students examine excerpts of Thomas Paine's Common Sense. In this early American history lesson, students read Paine's pamphlet and analyze the information according the rubric provided.
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Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

A “New English” in Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”: A Common Core Exemplar

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
To examine the “New English” Chinua Achebe uses in Things Fall Apart, readers complete a series of worksheets that ask them to examine similes, proverbs, and African folktales contained in the novel. Individuals explain the meaning...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Journey of a Banana

For Teachers 1st - 8th
To investigate the price of bananas in order to evaluate basic counting and number sense skills, your mathematicians focus upon multiplication and problem solving that incorporates social studies in the form of building awareness about...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Using Primary Sources in the Classroom

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Scholars study a historical photograph to make predictions of what happened right after the picture was taken. They research a variety of different topics and use primary sources to answer questions about common food, fashion trends, and...
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Lesson Plan
PricewaterhouseCoopers

Consumer Fraud

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Falling into the hands of a credit scam is much too common these days, and the young adults in the classroom need to be prepared. Through the activity, learners discover how to be a safe spender and use common sense when presented with a...
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Lesson Planet Article
Curated OER

Living Below Our Means

For Teachers 6th - Higher Ed
Common-sense strategies that can help teachers achieve financial security through frugality.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Moving Toward Independence

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders identify the reasons why colonists were fed up enough to want to break free of colonial rule and create their own government. They complete an in-dept analysis of the pamphlet Common Sense and it's role in fueling the...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

The Enlightenment: Matching #1

For Students 7th - 8th
Matching exercises can help learners build a functional vocabulary related to many different concepts. They match ten ideas and key players commonly associated with the Enlightenment to their definitions. Ben Franklin, Edward Gibbon, and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Understanding Stereotypes

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Pupils confront age-related stereotypes, explore how stereotyping impacts their lives, and discuss how they can make changes to reduce over-generalizations, unfair assumptions, and critical judgments about people groups. They use a...
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Worksheet
2
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Carolina K-12

Colonialism and American Foundations Sample Test Questions

For Students 8th - 10th Standards
What was the main cause of European colonization in America? How did Thomas Paine's Common Sense play a role in the establishment of the United States? What was the trans-Atlantic slave trade? These are just a few of the many questions...
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Lesson Plan
Council for Economic Education

New Sense, Inc. vs. Fish 'Till U Drop or Coase Vs. Pigou

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Who is responsible for protecting the environment, and who should pay when it is damaged? The role of government and private industry is complicated. A role-play simulation prompts individuals to decide how to protect a fictitious town...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

The Brain Teaser Five Pack

For Students 4th - 5th
In this critical thinking worksheet, learners answer five brain teaser questions that challenge them to use their common sense and basic knowledge.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Declaration and Beyond

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students are explained that they are going to use a part of Thomas Paine's 1776 pamplet Common Sense as a starting point for exploring about argumentation, or persuasive writing. They are given a copy of the excerpt. Students discuss...

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