Curated OER
Un-Presidented Election
Students explore the results of the 2000 presidential election. They look back at important issues in the campaign and write newspaper articles which cover specific angles on the election.
Curated OER
Making Magic
Learners assess the elements of J.K. Rowling's 'Harry Potter' series that have made it such a success. They incorporate these elements into a short film, incorporating such concepts as pop culture mythology, urban legend and archetypes.
Curated OER
Your Stance on France
Students explore the growing unrest in France in November 2005. They read various editorial responses to the violence and brainstorm problems and solutions that might help the people of France move forward effectively.
Curated OER
To Sleep, Perchance to Dream
Students examine their thoughts on the origin and meaning of dreams on a personal basis. They compare and contrast different models of the nature of dreams. They maintain a dream journal over a specific period of time.
Curated OER
Full Court Press
Young scholars 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...
Curated OER
Science Lesson #2
Fourth graders explore and experiment with objects that float to see if they float differently in salt water or fresh water. After the experiment, they write a paragraph in their science journal explaining how fresh water and ocean water...
Curated OER
Hmong Among Us
Students examine the Hmong community in Minnesota, then research and write case studies on refugee communities from the top ten countries with approved applications to the U.S. They write first-person stories from the perspective of...
Curated OER
Reviewing Rumsfeld
Students use the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats, or SWOT, institutional analysis method to evaluate Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's performance to date. They write formal recommendations based on their analyses.
Curated OER
All Choked Up By Smoking Statistics
Scholars use the article "More College Students Are Smoking, Study Says" as a springboard for discussion on the reasons why people smoke cigarettes. They investigate different methods of graphing statistics by using the data provided in...
The New York Times
Sequencing the Stages: Understanding H.I.V. Infection at the Molecular Level
How does HIV operate at the molecular level? Pupils discover the progression from a healthy immune cell to one infected with HIV, watch an animation of the HIV life cycle, and finally identify each of the stages with illustrations on...
Curated OER
All the World's a Stage
Is the circus a form of theater? Read "A City of Clowns? What Else Is New?" to sway your class that a circus, is indeed, a theatrical performance. Critical thinkers compare/contrast various forms of theater and identify what makes the...
Curated OER
Famous Person: Yushiko Uchida
Third, fourth, and fifth graders read the book The Bracelet by Yushiko Uchida and examine the events of Uchida's life. They participate in a guided discussion of Japanese culture, perform a reader's theater, listen to a guest speaker,...
Curated OER
Shades of Meaning
Examine and distinguish between words that have similar definitions but different connotations. Middle schoolers define connotation and denotation and participate in a "shades of meaning" contest in small groups. Groups use the Visual...
Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation
Tea Overboard
While less well known than the event in Boston, the Yorktown Tea Party was equally decisive in turning community sentiment against Great Britain. To gain an understanding of why the colonists objected to the Tea Act, young historians...
NYC Department of Records
Citizenship and Elections: The Importance of a Ballot
Approximately 58 prcent of those eligible voted in the 2016 US Presidential election. In an attempt to impress upon learners the importance of voting and voting rights, class members examine primary source documents related to the...
Curated OER
A Safe Place For Hate?
Students explore the conflict over the admission of hate-related information onto web portals and other web sites, and, after representing the point-of-view of the constituencies involved in this conflict, posit possible solutions to the...
Curated OER
Putting Toxicogenomics To The Test
Students evaluate the pros and cons of a new approach to food, chemical, and drug testing. They read and discuss the Times article, 'DNA Chip May Help Usher In a New Era of Product Testing.'
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A Fresh Start?
Students examine the roles and responsibilities the Department of Defense holds. They read an article about the resignation of Donald Rumsfeld. They develop questions to submit to the White House about the recent changes.
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Calling on Congo
Young scholars 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...
Curated OER
Cooking Up an Explanation
Students pose scientific questions about food items and research their explanations. They then create recipe cards with the answers and present their findings in a cooking show format.
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The Wrath of Hurricane Mitch
Young scholars investigate how hurricanes and other natural disasters can devastate the elements of the infrastructure of a country, as well as the lives of its people.
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Testing Bangladesh's Waters
Students assess the causes and effects of massive arsenic contamination in the water supplies of 43 of Bangladesh's 64 districts. They evaluate why this contamination occurred, and how it affects the population of Bangladesh.
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Modern Conditions Placed on Traditions
Students explore the role of traditions in world cultures. They read a New York Times article dealing with recent changes in the traditional clothing worn in England's House of Lords
Curated OER
Fear Factors
Students explore their own childhood fears. Then, by reversing the scenario and considering how the objects of their fears might in turn also be afraid of them, students confront these fears and create a student books that help younger...