C-SPAN
Why Do Americans Not Vote in Elections?
In an age of inflamed politics, who votes, who doesn't vote, and why are the questions everyone is trying to answer. Pupils listen to scholars, journalists and data crunchers on voting statistics to make their own conclusions. A chart...
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Journaling
Students explore journal writing. In this writing lesson, students are given writing prompts such as "how the choices I make affect our water quality?" and use critical writing skills to express their feelings in a journal. There are...
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State Government Debt in Utah: Rapid Growth in Recent Years
Students examine growth of debt in Utah state government from 1991 to present, compare general obligation debt and revenue debt incurred by state, identify four primary methods used by governments to finance projects, and complete...
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Cooperative Classroom Text Features Activities
Fifth graders examine text features and create a PowerPoint presentation. In this text features lesson, 5th graders go over Kagan Cooperative Learning Structures and text features before they choose one to include in a book and...
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Fluid Thinking About Liquids and Solids
Second graders examine the physical characteristics of the different states of matter. In this chemistry lesson, 2nd graders observe how matter changes from one phase to another. They classify substances according to its type of matter.
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Fish Farm: an open ended, student centered laboratory activity
Young scholars are contacted by a fictitious company which raises tropical fish to do basic research for them so that they might keep their production costs down. They need to know the optimum salinity in which to hatch the brine shrimp...
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Marine & Aquatic Habitats Activities - Tidal Pools
Students analyze the survival needs of different organisms and the conditions in a particular area that can affect these survival rates.
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Blazing the Trail
Learning about proportions through measuring and mapping distances is the focus of this real-world math activity that doubles as an activity. Mathematicians complete a course designed to measure and map locations in order to put the...
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Trait Variations for Survival
Young learners examine how different traits could give one organism an advantage over another. In groups, they view two different organisms in different environments. To end the lesson, they complete a Venn Diagram on the two organisms...
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Improving Literacy in the Biology Classroom via Genetic Disorders
Students read, write and reflect on Science articles, this approach will promote both literacy and critical thinking skills. Critical thinking skills learned in the science classroom from these activities will impact students in many...
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Investigation - I've Got It
Learners explore patterns by participating in a sorting activity. In this pattern identification activity, students collaborate in a group and share their footwear in order to categorize each other's shoes based on similar...
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Spot the Hoax
Students examine websites and use critical thinking skills to determine which one is real and which one is a hoax. They then discuss their criteria for deciding which website was real and which one was not.
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Writing to Learn History: Annotations and Mini-Writes
Students use their critical thinking skills to write about historical events. In this historical perspectives lesson, students read documents about historical events and make annotations and marginal notes. Students then respond to...
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What and Why (Cause and Effect)
Students examine cause and effect. In this cause and effect lesson, students discuss examples of cause and effect that their instructor shares with them. Students identify examples of cause and effect in their own lives and then complete...
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Leaf Arrangement: Kinetic Cognitive Connections
Students use critical thinking to identify leaf patterns. In this problem solving activity, student compare leaf patterns by "acting out" the positions and structures they see. This is a kinetic lesson where concepts are attained through...
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Puzzles With Partners
Students work together to complete puzzles. They practice their critical thinking skills and cooperative learning. They share their puzzles once they are complete.
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Analysis of the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
Students examine primary resources to analyze pictures and documents related to the Pontysyllte Aqueduct (built by Thomas Telford) in Britain. For this critical-thinking lesson, students answer questions based on primary source...
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How to keep a timecard in Excel
Young scholars fill out a timecard of family activities in Microsoft Excel. In this Excel lesson plan, students use the program to fill in times they do various activities with their families.
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Patterns, Relations, and Functions
Students investigate the patterns of different data sets of numbers. They use critical thinking skills in order to find the missing numbers in any given set. This activity helps to develop the skill of number sense.
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My Mental Health
Students define mental health and complete a worksheet about themselves. In this mental health instructional activity, students evaluate themselves as they score their worksheet. Students discuss critical thinking questions about their...
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We Garden: My Life as a Fruit or Vegetable
Students explore agriculture by participating in a role-play activity. In this farm to fork lesson, students ask and answer questions as though they were a specific plant about to be eaten. Students write responses to critical thinking...
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Teachers See the Truth but Wait: Teaching Short Stories with Literature Circles
Students use literature circles to analyze four short stories from the Realms of Gold, Volume 3. In this literature circle lesson, students are assigned a role in the literature circle to improve their critical thinking skills for...
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Homelessness
Learners explore homelessness. In this speaking, listening, and critical thinking lesson, students listen to and discuss 3 scenarios in which families from urban, rural, and suburban communities became homeless due to different...
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Inuit Culture: The Family
Students examine the attributes of Inuit families. In this cultural practices lesson, students read "Saqiyuq: Stories for the Lives of Three Inuit Women," and respond to 10 comprehension and critical thinking questions about the...