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Cause Célèbre
In this exercise, learners identify characters from an "Archie" comic and discuss the relevance of "Archie" to today's youth. They create public service advertisements featuring celebrities to address common concerns among teenagers in...
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Everyone Can Write Poetry
Embark on a journey of writing several different types of poetry. Fifth graders read several examples, and use the examples to model their own writing. Each poem is to be accompanied by a different art visual representation. In the end,...
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Population Changes in U.S. Cities
Pupils investigate the changes in the population of major U.S. cities from 1920 to 2003. They write down as many U.S. cities as they can in one minute. Students discuss the top five cities on their lists and they disucss why there are...
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Microscopes Online
In this microscopes worksheet, students access a website to complete questions about the early compound microscopes and the scientist involved in the development. This worksheet has 1 graphic organizer, 7 fill in the blank, and 10 short...
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Frederick Douglass
Fifth graders are introduced to the novel "Frederick Douglass" and conduct research about his life. The lesson integrates technology while using a library database. It is used as a source of information with access to a reference...
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Undercover-ed
Have your class engage in critical-thinking activities using this resource. Learners discuss a variety of topics they think get too much, or too little, attention from the press. They analyze why these topics are over or underrated....
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White House Havoc
The president of the United States must be able to keep a cool head in moments of crisis to lead his or nation out of the darkness. A history instructional activity encourages learners to study the ways various presidents have handled...
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The Minority Majority
Young scholars design a census class and school, then tabulate the results. They respond to a sample census, then reflect on why questions of race and national origin are different.
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Food, Glorious Food?
How are the reactions between American and European consumers different when it comes to genetically modified foods? Use the New York Times article "Consumers in Europe Resist Gene-Altered Foods" to inform your middle schoolers about the...
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Warm Thoughts About the Cold
“What do you think life is like at the South Pole?” After responding to this journal prompt, class members read and discuss the New York Times article, “At South Pole, New Home for a New Era.” Using resources available from the Times’...
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Deep Impact
How can acknowledging opposing viewpoints reinforce one's argument? Use this New York Times lesson to study consumerism and the environmental impact of new products. After reading the article "Whether a Hummer or a Hybrid, the Big...
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Direct Effect
Discover the damage that was caused by the terrorist attacks on September 11th with your class. They will learn about the events of that day and the litigation process for damages incurred that day. Their research will cover the various...
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Playing Vocabulary Basketball
Learners view a slide show featuring famous athletes and educational institutions that have played a part in the history of basketball. They participate in a game in which a basketball is tossed from person to person as facts and...
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Does My hair Disrupt Your Learning?
Students use the internet to research ways to save and earn money. They interview bankers and financial counselors to discover different types of investments. Students create public service announcements to inform their classmates of...
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Mapping Meteorites
After reading an article, "Cameras Capture a 5-Second Fireball and Its Meteorite's Secrets," space science superstars use the triangulation method to determine the location of a distant object. In-class activities and homework are...
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Slanted Sentences
Students examine biased words in news articles, suggest synonyms, then rewrite the sentences to demonstrate how word choice can alter meaning.
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User Friendly
Young scholars explore how consumers have become as proficient in computer technology as specialists were a decade ago. They create and conduct a test to determine the proficiencies of people in their school community.
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Stateside Slavery
Learners read "Slavery's Past, Paved Over or Forgotten" from The New York Times and discuss as a class. This activity is the introduction for researching a topic on the history of slavery in the U.S. Student groups present their...
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A Chorus For Us
Learners examine "serious" choral music written for student choirs and the composers who write it. They reflect upon the notion of "serious" music, and examine the trend of concert composers writing pieces for student chorus
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The Race to Learn
Students explore the history of education and race in the United States. By researching Supreme Court cases dealing with race and education, students examine the ways in which these cases have reflected changing social and cultural norms.
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Part-Time Protectors
Students research the roles of the reserve armed forces in a variety of United States military conflicts, then create a documentary that illustrates the contributions of part-time soldiers.
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A Tough Act to Re-enact
Young scholars discover the significance of various historical events. Using the information they find, groups re-enact these events, stressing their importance to history and our lives today.
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Fighting the War in Your Head
Young scholars analyze the experiences of a fictional soldier in a war and create a mental health profile for that individual. They emulate psychiatrists and propose treatment strategies for their particular soldier's post-traumatic...
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The Powers That Be
Students investigate past energy legislation, then write letters to Congress from the perspective of citizens trying to influence the original passage of these bills. Each small group does their research using a website imbedded in this...