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TE Lesson: I've Got Issues!
Learners study environmental issues from different perspectives. They look at the issues from the view of both preservationists and conservationists as they identify themselves with one group or the other. They determine how teamwork...
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White Collar Crime
High schoolers discuss difference between crimes of deceit versus crimes of violence, define white-collar crime, and examine far reach of white collar crime laws. Students then analyze what differences exist between rationales for...
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Theories of Crime and Punishment
Students examine goals of two major theories of punishment, Utilitarian Theory and Retributive Theory, develop opinions about ethics and effectiveness of both theories, define legal duties of prosecutors and public defenders, and discuss...
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My Brother Sam is Dead: A study of the Revolutionary War
Fifth graders complete an analysis of the Revolutionary War through literature. After "My Brother Sam Is Dead," students create a time capsule containing items that would be relevant during the Revolutionary War. They identify key...
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Imaginary Wealth and a Magazine Article
Students explore economics by writing a fictitious news article. In this personal wealth instructional activity, students participate in a role-playing activity in which the year is 2025 and they must write an article about their...
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Analytical Essay
What is an analytical essay? Introduce this type of thinking to your young writers. First, discuss what it means to analyze something. Then, identify the different components of an essay and what details are embedded in each component....
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Inference Lesson Plan
Young scholars practice assessing graphics to infer and identify an author's implicit and explicit meaning in a piece of text. They evaluate the effectiveness of information found in maps, charts, tables, graphs, diagrams, cutaways and...
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The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Socratic Seminar
After reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and an article about the use of the novel, class members engage in a Socratic seminar focused on whether or not Twain's book should be banned.
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What Type of Community?
Students compare and contrast suburban, rural and urban communities. They read books such as The Little Red Hen and identify the type of community in each book. Using computer software, they write about each type of community and...
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Cause and Effect
Young scholars identify cause and effect relationships in a short story. After reading a short story, they participate in a discussion of how one event in a story can lead to several others. Students are then paired for a matching task...
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Speak Out!
Students consider their opinions on various topics and issues related to the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001. Then, focusing on one specific topic, each student supports his or her opinions in a...
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Pioneers Heading West
Young scholars brainstorm, analyze, compare and contrast,
and illustrate accomplishments of pioneers of the west. Students identify and interpret the Pacific Northwest pioneers. Young scholars present their final projects to the class...
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Why Did You Write That?
Second graders use actual written media to identify and discuss an author's purpose for writing. They identify the author's purpose in a selection from the newspaper, and write a short description of how they came to their conclusion.
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It's the Real Thing
Students listen to a read-aloud of Shel Silverstein's, The Giving Tree, identifying which parts of the story and which are make believe.
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The "State" of ABC's
Fifth graders apply the ABC format to write books about various states. They identify important people, places, and events and include title. copyright, and dedication pages. They have items for all letters and createcovers and "about...
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Examining newspapers
Students compare and contrast tabloid and broadsheet papers. In this journalism lesson, students examine how techniques and form differs from one type of publication to the other. The culminating activity is for students to take what...
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The Farmer Cares for the Land
Students identify cause and effect relationships in issues relating to agriculture and the environment.
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Native American Unit
Third graders explore America's history prior to 1492. This unit of six lessons identifies five regions of the United States and assists students in the development of an understanding of the Native Americans who lived in the regions.
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I Don't Pay Attention to Advertisements
Sixth graders examine the eight persuasive techniques, identifying them in all avenues of media including magazine, TV, Internet, and billboards, and making them aware of how advertising already influences them. They write an essay using...
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Unknown Element Project
Students work with a partner to determine the identity of an unknown element based on given descriptions. Groups use classroom textbooks, encyclopedias, and science internet sites to identify their unknown element then write a report as...
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Problem Solvers for Life
Fifth graders identify and explore the components of solving a problem. Students conduct a survey to collect, analyze and interpret data based on a given problem. Also, 5th graders use a variety of strategies to solve math problems,...
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Evolving Views about Minority Rights in the United States
Tenth graders compare and contrast majority and minority outlooks on issues. In this social justice lesson, 10th graders research majority and minority values regarding the Salem Witch Trials, Plessy v. Ferguson, the McCarthy hearings,...
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Critique Sources
Students distinguish between primary and secondary sources. They study about fact, opinion, and recognize bias. Students find out if information is accurate or not and report on it. For the final project students create an annotated...
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Objective Versus Subjective
Students examine the difference between subjective and objective statements, newscasts, and media. They discover that subjective is opinion based and objective is fact based.