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Upcycled Garment or Art Work
Students explain the importance of recycling waste products. In this art lesson plan, students research different upcycled fashion designs and accessories. They design their own product and present it in class.
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Tragedy at Sea
Learners explore the recent Russian submarine tragedy. They examine the facts related to the vessel's sinking, then research the opinions of others regarding this event. They explore the impact this event has on their world.
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Local Leaders and Why They Are Successful
Young scholars research local leaders and create a web page showcasing the leader.
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Biome Web Quest
Third graders create paper mache globes, paint them and label the oceans and the continents. In groups, they research a biome, write about it and create an artistic visual representation of the biome and present it to the class.
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Exploring diversity: Finding ways to learn about our multi-cultural community
Students discuss ways to research our multicultural communities, set personal goals for learning about others, and outline a plan with specific goals to achieve their goals.
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Social Studies and Children's Literature
Students write a journal in response to literature. The story that is read is about prairies. The subject of prairies becomes an object for research. The culminating activity is the making of a map where prairies exist in the United States.
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Deportation in Narration
Students explore both sides of the United States immigration issue. Through research, they explore the increase in the deportations of undocumented immigrants over the last year, and the impact deportation has had on one immigrant...
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Read (or Scroll) All About It!
Students compare written headlines found in print and online news sources while using The New York Times. They conduct research with the top stories from the newspaper and have discussion that involves critical thinking skills.
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Words from the Wise
Students explore how famous people, through newspaper Op-Ed articles, often inform the public about issues of national importance. They write Op-Eds in the voice of famous people on current news topics.
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How to Write a Biography
Looking for a great lesson on how to write a biography? Here, middle schoolers draw from magazine articles, novels, historical figures, and current events to choose a person, or character to write about in a biography. They follow a...
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The Original's Sins
Are history textbooks plagiarized? The New York Times article, “Schoolbooks Are Given F’s in Originality,” looks at this question and forms the basis for a lesson plan on textbooks and plagiarism. The very detailed plan includes resource...
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My 3 Day Lesson on Courage
Second graders focus on what having courage means. They listen to a story about the Holocaust, then create posters which reflect courage, tolerance and acceptance.
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Evaluation Techniques
Students study the indicators that determine a Web site's credibility.
Mary Pope Osborne, Classroom Adventures Program
Mummies in the Morning Egyptian pyramids, hieroglyphics
Visit the Magic Treehouse and take your class on a trip through time with a reading of the children's book Mummies in the Morning. Using the story to spark an investigation into Egyptian culture, this literature unit engages...
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Cloning Around
Review concepts of cloning and genetic engineering and participate in a round-table discussion based on the ethics and potential of cloning with your class. Each learner then writes a formal essay on the topic, stemming from the debate.
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Searching for Answers
How does a judge in the federal judicial court decide on a verdict? Give your middle and high schoolers a better idea of how final decisions are made in the judicial system. Then split your class into four groups, assigning each group a...
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A Pill with a View
Learners brainstorm a list of potential uses for micro-video technologies. After reading an article, they analyze the development of a new pill-sized camera. In groups, they create a children's book that shows them the various systems of...
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Word Up!
Study the importance of word choice in informational text. Middle and high schoolers locate unfamiliar words and phrases in newspaper articles of their choosing, and use online word sites to explore the definitions and histories of each....
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Remembrance of Things Past
Engage critical and social thinking by exploring the value of language and word choice. The class considers the article "The Silence of the Historic Present" and analyzes several presidential speeches. They engage in class...
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Unforgettable...
Middle and high schoolers remember their most memorable experiences, and then connect their own narrative with an exposition about the topic associated with their experience. This New York Times lesson would be a great addition to...
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Ambassadors of Art
Have your class create their own art exhibit. Learners study the exchange of artwork between the Louvre in Paris and two American art museums, and create an introductory exhibit featuring European and American art from the Renaissance...
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States and Mates
Discuss and reflect on the concept of allies and alliances. The class examines the competition between the United States and Venezuela. Using the New York Times, they search for examples of geopolitical alliances. In addition, they write...
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Recurring Nightmares
Does history really repeat itself? Encourage your middle and high schoolers to answer this age-old question by reading the attached articles on the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 and the Iraq Crisis of 2002. How similar or different are...
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Anonymous Sources in the Media
When do people ask for anonymity? Why? After reading the New York Times article "For a Reporter and a Source, Echoes of Broken Promise," young readers participate in a roundtable discussion focusing on freedom of the press and the use of...