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Why Could the Hindenburg Float?
Tenth graders experiment with floating and sinking objects and heavy and light liquids, using correct terms, like density, to explain what happens. In this Hindenburg instructional activity, 10th graders watch a demonstration...
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Choosing the Right Strategy
Fourth graders record words in their word journal that were difficult to decode from a magazine or newspaper article. In this words lesson plan, 4th graders also write down what strategy they used to decode it.
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Bias
Students apply techniques of distinguishing between fact and opinion. Students identify words associated with persuasion and argument. Students read and categorizer a variety of newspapers and articles. Students identfy bias in a...
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Breaking News English: Adidas Agrees to Buy Rival Reebok
In this ESL worksheet, students first read or listen to a text about the Adidas and Reebok companies. Students complete 8 pages of comprehension exercises. Included are vocabulary, questions, completing sentences, discussion, problem and...
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Heaven or Ground Hog Day?
Students discover the ideas of enlightenment by reading historical poetry. In this philosophical lesson, students read poems by Sir Walter Scott and Sergeant Joyce Kilmer while discussing the themes of the writing with classmates....
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Introducing Recycling
Learners study environmental issues of excess garbage and learn about recycling. In this recycling lesson, students discuss recycling and read a story about too much garbage. Learners write a persuasive essay about the importance of...
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Accident Pinpoints Dangerous Site
Students read about local accident sites and conduct research of areas of high incidence. They interview police and insurance agents and explore what can be done if a site has multiple accidents. They write a news feature about the...
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Life in a Hurricane Zone
Students investigate the social effects of hurricanes. In this social studies instructional activity, students assume the persona of residents of the Dominican Republic and write diary entries and letters regarding the devastation caused...
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Three is a Toxic Number
Future public health advocates read a case study of a combination of water pollutants that may be linked to autism. The class is split into three groups, one to research each of the suspected chemicals. The look at how each one affects...
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The Front Page: Asking Geographic Questions
Students examine how to ask geographic questions. They read an article with details omitted, list possible geographic questions, and write a summary of the article.
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Fact and Opinion Lesson Plan
How are fact and opinion different? Middle schoolers explore fact and opinion and write articles pertaining to a football match, eliminating all opinion statements in order to focus on the facts. Then they discuss bias in the media....
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Research a Poet and Explicate a Poem by that Poet
Seventh graders choose a poet to research and find a poem by that author to explicate/analyze using a variety of sources for their research that will include their textbooks, the school library, and the internet. After conducting...
National Park Service
Freedom at Antietam
Explore how the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation affected everyday individuals in the Civil War era. Learners are given the opportunity to read and evaluate primary and secondary source material, and then to compose a writing...
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Adopted Dog Goes Home
Students examine the pet victims of Hurricane Katrina. After reading a story about one dog who was misplaced, they write about the situation and their reactions to it. They share their reactions to the class and discuss other possible...
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Can You Get the Signal?
What is a signal word? Recognizing these words is an important step in both reading and writing formal text. Review a list of signal words (provided and organized into specific categories), and then have your class play a game to...
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To Go Solar or Not to Go Solar!
Middle schoolers imagine that they are on a panel to consider if a solar energy system would be advantageous to a new school as it is being built. They read the included handout and then each play a role as a participant in a community...
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The Penny Press, Walt Whitman and the War
Students examine the Penny Press and how it began the era of mass circulated newspapers. They use the internet to research the writing style of the paper and write a short article using that style.
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Making Points on Election Dilemma
Young scholars define a straight news article, and identify characteristics of an editorial news feature. They read a CNN article that examines the 2000 presidential election, and determine what is factual and what is opinion.
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News Poetry
Third graders select a small item in a newspaper and then dramatize it in a well-constructed poem. They share their poems with the class.
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Africanized Honey Bees And The Press
Students investigate how honey bees and other insects are portrayed in the press. read the articles and compare and contrast the tone of each article. Have students create a list of the verbs used in each article and assess the overall...
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Note--Making
Young scholars identify the key facts from a news story. They write their own news story from given facts identified. In addition, they present their notes and stories to the classroom. Also, they classify a variety of news articles in a...
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Different Audiences
Students examine levels of language difficulty for different audiences. They explore how to simplify texts to suit a younger audience. Students use a thesaurus to find synonyms. Students select a news article to rewrite. They create...
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Breaking News English: BBC Nets Best Net News Award
In this English activity, students read "BBC Nets Best Net News Award," and then respond to 30 fill in the blank, 25 short answer questions about the selection.
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Words in the News Philippine Sedition Charges - 15 June 2005
Young scholars study vocabulary in order to read an online article. They participate in word work before they read and discuss the article. They take an online quiz and a role play activity.