Curated OER
North or South? Which has a better way of life?
Sixth graders brainstorm what they believe are the causes of the Civil War. They copy the blank circle graph into their Social Studies journals twice once for their prediction and once for the actual. Students list the following...
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Bullying and Core Democratic Values
Middle schoolers explore the concept of core democratic values. After completing a survey of student populations regarding bullying, small groups analyze their findings and present their findings to the Student Council, principal,...
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Probability
Using real life examples, learners discuss probability and ratios. They begin by answering a set of questions, and then participate in a probability activity involving a bag of colored cubes.
Foreign Policy Research Institute
Islam and Islamic Culture
Whether democracy will ever take hold in Islamic nations continues to be a topic of great debate. Here, a series of questions, research, and discussion provide a foundation for class members to come to their own conclusion which they...
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Simulation: Revolutionary Town Hall Meeting
Secondary historians simulate events leading up to the American Revolution. They assume the roles of patriots, loyalists, or neutrals in a town meeting set prior to the Revolution. As Patriots and Loyalists make their arguments, neutrals...
Curated OER
Writing a Letter of Recommendation
Students compose letters of recommendation. In this written communication instructional activity, students read sample letters of recommendation and then write their own letters.
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Woman Suffrage
Students are provided access to primary sources for a discussion of woman suffrage. They are introduced to the motivations, ideology, and organizations involved in woman suffrage. Students analyze primary documents including cartoons,...
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Listening to the Prairie
Students, in groups, visit an exhibit and for a prairie scavenger hunt to locate sunflowers and name products made from them. After sketching a prairie dog, they find nature cues farmers use when growing plants and raising animals. The...
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Crisis Management
Students research the issues facing President Bush and write short political commentaries predicting what course the president take. For homework, they write editorials stating what they think the president should do to best serve the...
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Constitutional Issues: Watergate and the Constitution
Students take and defend positions on what conditions contribute to the establishment and maintenance of a constitutional government. They debate whether or not the government should have prosecuted Nixon over the Watergate scandal.
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Hot Weather, Rain Mean Fewer Pumpkins
Students share their knowledge of pumpkins, then read a news article about how hot weather and rain are affecting the pumpkin crop. In this agriculture and current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a discussion and...
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Closer to the Ground
Students understand the idea of a nonprofit organization, the service donated by others, and how it helps a community. In this philanthropic lesson, students explore the types of nonprofits that would be beneficial to a school and what...
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Sports Helmets and Impact Testing of Polymers
Students examine the importance of good quality safety gear. In this investigative lesson, students will tests various polymers, collect data, and analyze the data to determine which polymer is best for safety helmets. They will design a...
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WHAT DARWIN NEVER SAW: Evolution, Science, Biology, Natural Selection
Students view video showing recent field work on a twenty two-year study of finch beaks on a small island in the Galapagos, showing natural selection clearly operating in the wild.
Curated OER
Topical Discussions
Students share their opinions on controversial topics. They list their arguments and give reasons for thier position. A paper is written to reflect their views.
Curated OER
WHAT IS A JAPANESE FAMILY CREST?
Pupils become familiar with family crests in general and Japanese family crests in particular. Students become familiar with the history of Japanese family crests.
Curated OER
Screening Coleridge’s Fantasies: Using Popular Music as a Bridge to Literacy
Twelfth graders use music to aid them in interpreting poetry. In this poetry lesson, 12th graders analyze the lyrics, figurative language, and literary devices of selected music. Students compare the music to the poetry of Samuel...
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What Are The Odds?
Students read the book, Jim Ugly, and discuss whether the odds were in favor of or against the character Jake finding his dad. They demonstrate an experiment involving odds by keeping a tally of how many times a colored die is pulled out...
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Planting Trees to Help the Planet
Students react to a series of statements about trees, then read a news article about the planned planning of millions of trees to celebrate Arbor Day. In this planting trees lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a discussion...
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How Does Evolution Work?
Students are introduced to how the process of evolution works. As a class, they review the characteristics of natural selection and how those with advantageous traits reproduce and survive. To test this theory of natural selection,...
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Segregation
Students consider the implications of prejudice. In this segregation lesson, students experience a simulation that has school staff favoring students with blue eyes. Students discuss the simulation experience, watch "The Eye of the...
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Balancing Budgets: From Reagan to Today
Students discover details about the federal budget. In this contemporary government lesson, students research the efforts to maintain a balanced federal budget in the United States since the 1980's. Students then participate in a debate...
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Know the Code
Students explore the pros and cons of wearing school uniforms as a deterrent to on-campus crime. roles are assumed and the controversial issue is brought before the school board.
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Calculating and Applying Basic Probability
Eighth graders investigate the basic concepts of probability. In this probability lesson, 8th graders learn the associated probability. They work with spinners, colored cubes in a bag, flip coins, and choose colored candies while they...