Eric Liu's formula "power plus character equals citizenship" and his three strategies to making change happen model for high schoolers how to develop citizen power, how to get involved and participate to make democracy work. Class...

Empowered by the previous lesson where they interviewed a family or community member, young historians examine Angel Island immigrants' oral histories. They use a matrix to record their interpretation of the feelings of the immigrant....

Booker T. Washington was often criticized by W.E.B. Dubois and other African American leaders for his conciliatory approach to civil rights and education voiced in his autobiography Up From Slavery.  This teacher's guide not only...

One person's trash is another man's treasure. Challenge your class to build something useful out of the trash they throw away on a regular basis. Groups design and build a practical item from trash they collect, allowing the class to...

Two methods are always better than one! The eighth installment in this series asks pupils to convert decimals to fractions using two approaches. Individuals first use the more traditional approach of long division and then use reverse...

The fourth activity in a unit on crafting a research paper focuses on cohesion within and between paragraphs. Class members examine models that lack cohesion and ones that are cohesive and logically developed before using what they have...

Students discuss the importance of establishing the I & M Canal water route. They watch a video about the canal's history. They collect and write a personal migration story by interviewing a family member. They analyze trends and...

Learners explore the connections between major world events and the ways artists have responded through their work. They discuss Picasso's Guernica. Students explain why Picasso painted Guernica. They create their own personal...

Young scholars explore the concept of personal finances. In this personal finances lesson, students identify their income and expenses. Young scholars create a budget for their spending, saving, investing, and donating habits. Students...

Students create the perfect dog. They read and discuss Clifford's Sports Day and identify Clifford's personality traits. After listening to the story, they discuss their concept of a perfect dog with their families and draw pictures of...

Students have a better comprehension of the personal struggle of a survivor and the events which led to the establishment of the sovereign nation of Israel. They recognize the historical context for the events of the book. Students...

Second graders connect reading to writing by making predictions, completing text to world connections, solving problems, and more. In this reading and writing lesson plan, 2nd graders draw conclusions after reading and write them down.

Students explore the unique qualities of themselves and others. In this character education lesson, students read the book A Unicorn Named Beulah Mae and create a paper star displaying their unique personality traits.

In this printing numbers worksheet, students connect the dots to form each number zero through nine. The students print ten numbers.

Students in a special education class examine the United States Constitution. Using the text, they answer five research questions and discuss the amendments that concern medicine, ethics and law of the right to die issue. They develop...

Students research why government community workers are important to us. They work in teams to identify and illustrate the jobs and services provided by these community workers. Assessment comes from their Student Concept Maps.

Learners investigate the Atlantic slave trade. In this slavery lesson, students watch "Slavery, Society, and Apartheid," as well as "Slave Ship." Learners discuss the information presented in the videos, especially St. John's Revolt....

Students study the concept of separation of powers. They recognize how the Constitution provides for separation of powers and categorize public officials into one of three branches of government. Students do a role play and see if...

Students learn basic interviewing and biography writing skills. They first identify a senior citizen in their community who remembers the Great Depression.

Students discuss equality and fairness by reading a Maya Angelo poem.  In this U.S. history lesson, students read the poem I Know Why Caged Birds Sing, and discuss how the era it was written in affected the words.  Students...

Students assess the impact of music to portray emotions and tell stories. Examples are taken from the life of Rosa Parks and a piece of band music called "A Movement for Rosa". Evaluation is accomplished through in-class participation...

Middle schoolers examine the Bill of Rights. In this philanthropy lesson, students identify the responsibilities that accompany the 5 basic guaranteed rights in the Bill of Rights. Middle schoolers interview a community member regarding...

Clarify, connect, evaluate, predict, question. Laminate and display these colorful posers about the classroom to remind readers of the five basic strategies for comprehending all sorts of text. 

To better understand the conflict between Amir and Hassan, two characters in Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner, readers assume the voice of one of the boys and craft a letter to the other that explains his feelings and concerns.