Curated OER
Immigration: Another Perspective
Students research the geography and history of immigration and then take a look at current immigration issues. They prepare biographies, conduct interviews, view films, sample foods, prepare an oral presentation, complete worksheets and...
Curated OER
Journalism: Technology and Teen Abuse
Learners investigate the link between technology and abuse among teens. They research dating abuse when cell phones or the Internet are involved. Working as a team of reporters, photographers, graphic artists, and page designers, they...
Curated OER
Explorers in Kansas
Fourth graders read cards about the explorers: Coronado, Lewis, and Clark, Pike, and Long. In this influential expeditions lesson, 4th graders describe and observe explorers who came to Kansas. Students locate main reasons and details as...
Curated OER
Pop Tops
Get your class primed for a comparative analysis lesson plan with this activity. They compare and contrast their music preferences to those of their classmates. After reading an article, they identify current trends in popular music,...
Curated OER
Work Hard and Work Smart: Designing for Athletes
Students design new insights into work tied into athletes. Students design a sports bag for athletes. Students investigate varied sports. They interview people involved in varied sports. Students engage in active problem solving as they...
Curated OER
Catch-22
During or after reading Catch-22, have your high school scholars complete this research project. First they'll brainstorm a list of people they might like to research, then they'll dive into your library's resources! There are...
Curated OER
Home Smart Home
How smart is your home? Middle and high schoolers write a journal entry describing the types of technology found in their homes. After reading an article, they are introduced to "smart" home technology. In groups, they identify and...
EngageNY
Listening Closely and Taking Notes in Expert Groups: Colonial Trade Podcast
The twelfth instructional activity of this unit builds on the skills developed in the previous instructional activity, as fourth graders continue their quest to become experts on colonial trade by listening to interviews with historical...
Curated OER
Digital Family Stories
Students conduct an interview. In this family stories lesson, students pick an adult family member to interview. Students develop their questions, video tape their interview and share it with the class.
Curated OER
Fighting Fake News
Fake news. Alternative facts. Internet trolls. In an age of Newspeak, it's increasingly important to equip 21st century learners with the skills needed to determine the legitimacy of claims put forth on social media, in print, and in...
Curated OER
Telling My Story - Oral History
Students determine the importance of the process behind creating an oral history. In this oral history lesson, students determine how to ask important questions in an oral history interview. They practice interviewing each other and...
Curated OER
The Scientific Search for the Loch Ness Monster
Students gain an understanding of the real world applications of the scientific method. They design their own experiments to prove or disprove the existence of other modern legends, and they design and carry out an experiment to test a...
Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights
Vaclav Havel: Free Expression
Develop an understanding of universal human rights, particularly the freedom of expression, with the questions and activities that analyze the conflicts of Vaclav Havel. Learners define, interpret and rephrase the human rights article in...
Curated OER
Creating a Talk Show
Students practice interviewing and answering questions by creating a mock talk show. In this communications lesson, students view a classic clip of an older T.V. talk show and plan an outline of material for their own talk show....
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
College or Bust?
Based on a New York Times article, "The College Drop-Out Boom," participants in a fishbowl discussion formulate and express opinions about the correlation between level of education, career options, and economic mobility. Ample...
Curated OER
Accidents Happen: Seat Belt Laws, Enforcement, and Usage
Start with a NOVA video about car crashes, crash test dummy footage, or other video about seat belt use. Or have groups review attached data about seat belt usage (by state) and share their conclusions. Learners then devise a method to...
Curated OER
What’s your Name?
Youngsters work to build empathy, cultural understanding, and a sense of self as they uncover the story behind their own names. They read the book, The Name Jar, discuss immigration and how it feels to be in a new place. Then, they...
PwC Financial Literacy
Income and Careers: Career Exploration
Elementary schoolers take part in a virtual career day and are exposed to various career opportunities in the finance, education, and medical fields. By accessing a video you can download from the PwC Financial website, learners...
Curated OER
Nous Nous Souvenons: French-Canadians
Students research the French-Canadian influence in northern New York. They interview families of French-Canadian descent, research immigration history, visit a French restaurant, write narratives about their experiences interviewing...
Curated OER
Get To Know Your Local Philanthropic Organizations
Students develop appropriate interview questions, interview a philanthropic organization, and present information to the class. They use pamphlets and/or other materials gained during their interviews to mount a display about the local...
Curated OER
After Ben Johnson: The Dubin Inquiry
Students create interview questions that could be posed to gather necessary information about the use of performance-enhancing drugs. They role-play a mock inquiry using the interview questions.
Curated OER
War Stories
Students watch the film "The Perilous Fight: America's World War II in Color". Using the film, they work together to develop proper interview questions to use while talking to World War II veterns. After the interview, they research...
Curated OER
Story Generators
Students develop news stories for the high school paper based on current issues in the local news. Students identify different sources for articles, and develop interviews questions. In this news ideas and sources lesson plan, students...