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Funny Business
Students discuss how much they understand of satire and parody. They read an article about an Iraq news parody show. They create and act out their own parody skit. They write an essay about using humor in grave situations.
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Family Sells House to Help the Hungry
Students compare their wants and needs, then read a news article about a family that downsized their home to help African villagers. In this current events and poverty in Africa lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a...
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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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Wind Provides Electricity for Homes, Schools
Students complete a KWL chart, then read a news article about the comeback of windmills. For this current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a KWL chart and vocabulary activity, then students read the news report and...
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Were Rivets to Blame for Titanic Sinking?
Students answer questions about the Titanic, then read a news article about possible causes of the disaster. In this current events instructional activity, the teacher introduces the article with a discussion and vocabulary activity,...
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Underground Vault Protects World's Seeds
Students share ideas about keeping things safe, then read a news article about a huge vault built to store billions of seeds. In this current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a discussion and vocabulary activity,...
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Calling on Congo
Students listen to an interview with a former news coorespondent in Congo. They discuss an article about the instability in the country following their elections. They research Congo's history along with its connection to the United...
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Where Were You?
Students examine various New York Times readers' reflections on the life and death of President John F. Kennedy, by reading and discussing "Readers Reflect on President John F. Kennedy." Students then write their own personal...
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Mummies Unwrapped
Young scholars investigate various methods of mummification practiced in cultures around the world and present their findings in 'televised' news reports.
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What's Your Angle?
Students examine The New York Times' coverage of immigrants' rights in order to gain an understanding of how different news angles function. They assess the angles of different news media outlets, such as television, radio, and Internet...
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This Just In…
Students consider the impact a reporter has on broadcast journalism. They research a famous broadcast journalist to prepare a mock news report.
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2004 Better and For Worse
Students identify the significant events that helped shape 2004. After reading an article, they take a 2004 news quiz and discuss the impact of each event. They create their own quizzes to be given to their classmates on the same...
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Angling for a Story
Students explore different news angles relating to a local sporting event, then create a detailed treatment of the story prior to reporting it.
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Separate But Equal Opinions
Students examine the ways in which editorials and Op-Ed pieces respond to current events. They write editorials in response to news items from the New York Times.
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Photo Forgery
Students inspect examples of manipulated photos and explore the technology and issues behind doctored photos. They hold an in-depth discussion about the responsibility of the photojournalist and news editor to show true photos.
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Executive Exchanges
Students explore the April, 2006, overhaul of the White House staff. They research the positions in transition and stage a press conference to introduce these changes to the public.
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Gorillas In The Midst
Students consider the idea of the eco-tour, and examine different aspects of the Mountain Gorilla Project eco-tour in Rwanda. They synthesize their understanding by acting as expert panelists on a morning news show that focuses on the...
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Ice, Ice, Baby
Learners explore the causes and effects of the melting ice formations in Antarctica; they then research different aspects of the topic in order to create a news special.
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Current Contexts
Young scholars examine how they are affected by world affairs. After reading an article, they examine Otto Frank's attempts to immigrate to America. Using the New York Times, they identify examples of news, advertisements and...
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A Site to See
Students identify the risks and benefits of living next to a volcano. After reading an article, they discuss the behaviors of an active volcano. Using the Internet, they work together to research volcano-monitoring techniques and create...
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Without Limits
Seventh graders research about the important contributions of two scientists they chose from the list. For this science lesson, 7th graders develop a creative presentation such as skits or news program about their research. They present...
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Bringing Facts Into Science Fiction
Young scholars develop a setting, plot and characters for a science fiction story based on current news themes, and then individually write drafts of the story.
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Full Court Press
Students investigate the Supreme Court's role and function in the federal government and examine how Chief Justice Rehnquist's illness might affect the future of the Court. They write letters to President Bush on the Supreme Court...
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Stories That Go with the Territory
Students investigate various expeditions throughout history to new and/or uncharted territories. They work in groups to develop and 'produce' television news magazine segments about some of these historic expeditions.