Is interacting with people from different backgrounds part of a well-rounded education? A big question awaits young readers as they explore two New York Times articles that discuss modern-day segregation, population statistics, and...

Satires may be designed to expose a bias to ridicule but if misunderstood can they reinforce that bias? Langston Hughes poem, “Minstrel Man” opens a discussion of racist stereotypes, the minstrel tradition, and the musical, “The...

From Mr. Merdle to Mr. Madoff? A viewing of the PBS adaptation of Charles Dickens’ “Little Dorrit” launches an examination of greedy characters in literature and a study of greed, unfairness, and economic hardship today. The richly...

What could be more relevant to teens and preteens than experiencing stress? Use an article from the New York Times website to practice valuable Common Core skills for informational text reading, and also get a discussion going in your...

Nothing aids in comprehension more than an explanation and understanding of why things are done. Address why the Common Core requires the reading percentages that it established and analyze how this affects your readers. Learners read...

East Egg, West Egg, the Valley of Ashes, and the green light. Bring Gatsby, the Jazz Age, and the American Dream to your classroom with a resource designed for teachers. Included in the treasury are six great teaching ideas for F. Scott...

Examine the historic election of Pope Benedict XVI and reflect on the challenges he faces as the new leader of the Catholic Church. This New York Times lesson investigates how other world leaders are chosen in different forms of...

Get a global perspective and examine the challenges facing Mahmoud Abbas, the newly elected president of the Palestinian Authority. Thoughtful classroom citizens write letters to Mr. Abbas, asking him questions and suggesting advice....

Engage your learners in global events. The makers of the film Invisible Children began the Kony 2012 Campaign to bring awareness to the Lord's Resistance Army. You can show your class the video Kony 2012 and spark discussion with the...

Introduce your class members to propaganda techniques writers and advertisers use to influence their opinions. Each appeal is defined and illustrated with examples from current ads and political campaigns. Additional examples are...

Sometimes a test page loaded with text can make a student's face go blank. Help them decipher what a text question is asking with a series of tips focused on reading comprehension, vocabulary, and language arts mechanics.

How does a computer recognize voice commands? Scholars learn about digital assistants and natural language processing (NLP) algorithms in the ninth lesson of the series. They begin building a simple digital assistant and work on this...

Investigate herbal medicine in the science or health classroom with this lesson from the New York Times. After a discussion about class members beliefs about and experiences with herbal medicines, pupils read an article that might...

Learn everything from sight words to French vocabulary with this versatile study app. While the material that comes pre-loaded on the app is mostly based on learning how to read and spell, the app has the potential to be useful for any...

Students reflect on their own language learning experience and interests. They research language learning and brainstorm ideas in preparation for creating brochures on language learning technology.

Students study language. In this unique alphabets lesson, students read the article by Michael Everson "For the World's A B C's, He Makes 1's and 0's." They discuss the importance of alphabets and work in small groups to create a poster...

Students translate a 16th century English text into contemporary English. They discuss the cultural uniqueness and significance of language and document words or phrases currently used in their daily lives. They use this list to aid in...

Students examine an object in the classroom and write a description of it employing exciting language. They brainstorm and outline ideas for an original article about an event they participated in or attended.

Students examine the structure and language of sentences that are used for making comparisons. They drill through a series of sentences for a model and practice. Then students write sentences that make comparisons after brainstorming ...

In this English language learning exercise, students focus on English slang words that begin with the letter l. Students complete 5 multiple choice questions choosing the correct slang that would fit correctly into each of the given...

In this word recognition instructional activity, students use a karaoke program to read and sing songs, enhancing their sight word recognition. Students preform these songs to each other. This could also be a fun way to...

How was your year? Create an individual timeline that document learners' personal history from the previous year. After reading an article about celebrating New Year's in Japan, pairs interview each other to gather information about...

Learners consider what defines their local town or community and create a welcome sign for their town after learning about a special sign that welcomes visitors to Las Vegas.

This PowerPoint outlines methods for recognizing bias in various forms of media. The presentation defines loaded words, stereotypes, and one-sided arguments as types of bias and also highlights the characteristics of facts and...