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Persuasive Journal Prompts
Need a journal topic? Whether you use these prompts as part of a persuasive writing unit, or reproduce the download as a one-page handout for your class members, the suggested topics make a great addition to your curriculum library. In...
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Justice and Kindness Play a Part: King Day
Middle schoolers recognize injustice in the world. For this social justice lesson, students discuss the responsibility they have to be advocates for justice and kindness and identify a time when they felt they were treated unfairly.
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What's Air Got to Do with It?
Young scholars use M&M's to create a pie graph that expresses their understanding of the composition of air. They watch and conduct several simple experiments to develop an understanding of the properties of air (it has mass, it...
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Just a Spoonful of Rights Makes the Responsibility Go 'Round
Students explore the concept of philanthropy. In this service learning lesson, students define rights and responsibilities. Students discuss the role of philanthropy in contributing to the common good. They also review historical...
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Worms: Nature's Recyclers
Students explore vermi-composting. In this vermi-composting lesson, students listen to the story Diary of a Worm and discuss the parts of a worm. They create worm bins and add organic food for the worms to recycle.
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The World's Tallest Building
Learners investigate the world's tallest buildings. In this architecture lesson, students discover how humans change the physical environment. Learners read about and view pictures of famous buildings in the world. Students make lists of...
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Great Lakes Ecology
Eighth graders identify the Great Lakes, and describe the habitat of life of a loon. They are able to point to and explain one of the major river systems that enters the Great Lakes with a focus on the Clinton River and the food webs...
National Park Service
News Bearly Fit to Print
There are an average of three human fatalities by bears in North America every year, which is low when you compare it to the 26 killed by dogs and the 90 killed by lightning annually. The lesson encourages researching human-bear...
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A Statistical Study on the Letters of the Alphabet
Students use a book or magazine to research the use of letters. They complete a worksheet and compare their results.
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War in the News
Students consider the portrayal of war in the news. In this lesson on Journalistic perspectives, students will work in groups to critically examine news articles written during war times throughout history.
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Yellow Journalism in the Spanish-American War
Students write a newspaper based on events in the year 1898 using Yellow Journalism, the exaggeration of facts or events.
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Under the Weather
Learners review mean, median, mode, and range while using the newspaper to answer weather questions.
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The Pizza Puzzle
Students identify the origin and preparation of the main ingredients in pizza. They identify the food safety procedures followed in a pizza factory and then prepare and eat a pizza in class.
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Geography in the News
Ninth graders are introduced to an article in which falls into one of the five themes of geography. They pick their own article and summarize it to the class.
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The Environment
Students participate in three stations in which they are made aware of the environment, ways to preserve it, the importance of preserving it and their part in preserving it. They discuss where items are found, recycling, and...
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The Euro: Classroom Exercises
Students examine trade between the United States and the European Union. In this costs of goods activity, students conduct research to identify the costs of goods made in the EU in America and the cost of goods made in America in the EU.
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The Right to Remain Resilient
Students examine the Civil Rights Movements in the U.S., both current and historic. In small groups students investigate a specific civil rights group, create an illustrated timeline, noting key events, people, and state and federal laws.
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The Ocean Floor -- Science
Students work together to create a model of the ocean floor. They practice using new vocabulary associated with the ocean floor as well. They share their model with the class.
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Buying a Car
Eighth graders create spreadsheets to calculate payments. They create a list of items they would like to purchase that require monthly payments. They simulate buying a car and create a spreadsheet to determine the amount of the monthly...
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Causes of the Revolution Newspaper
Learners examine the events that led to the Revolutionary War. Using the internet, they discover the advantages and disadvantages of each side. They use the information to produce a special edition newspaper on the war. They must include...
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Newspaper Reporting and Writing
Learners will examine advertisements, explore ways to inform, locate pictures of Hemingway, read sports articles, and follow directions to create a finished project - a newspaper. their newspapers are multifaceted with not only...
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Cartoons for the Classroom: Unhealthy Outlook
In this current events instructional activity, students analyze a political cartoon about healthcare issues during the Clinton administration and respond to 3 talking point questions.
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Cartoons for the Classroom: An Educated Electorate Takes its Mid-Term
For this current events worksheet, students analyze a political cartoon about mid-term elections in the United States and respond to 3 talking point questions.
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Cartoons for the Classroom: Government Snooping, Different Views
In this current events worksheet, students analyze political cartoons about the collection of government intelligence and respond to 3 talking point questions.