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Bringing Facts Into Science Fiction
Learners develop a setting, plot and characters for a science fiction story based on current news themes, and then individually write drafts of the story.
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Sparking History
Students create exhibits about patriotic symbols for a living museum. They write reflective essays exploring the themes and symbols of independence and their influences on social responsibility.
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Divided We Stand
Students research historic issues and events that have divided Americans in the past. They assess the division in American society shown by the 2000 presidential election by writing from the perspectives of people who have seen other...
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Striving for Success
Learners explore their own talents and create interview questions for a peer involved in a particular extracurricular activity. They write newspaper articles based on the interviews.
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Star Politics
Students discuss the advantages of a celebrity running for a public office. After reading an article, they examine the results of the California governor recall vote. In groups, they research the aspirations and career of a celebrity...
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An Egg-celent Gravity Experiment
Fifth graders record at least four hypotheses concerning what happens when they drop an egg from a high spot. They record at least five observations or supporting ideas about the egg drop. Students test gravity by dropping an egg from a...
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What's New?
Students act as teams of product managers for personal electronics companies. Each team evaluate new electronic devices in different product categories (such as handheld devices and portable music devices), and create product...
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Modeling Reality
Students identify what a role model is and what characteristics such a person should possess. They discuss a new trend in character role model figurines, which some believe perpetuate racial and ethnic stereotypes.
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Faces Behind the Guns
Students use the New York Times article profiling ordinary citizens who legally own guns as the basis of a role-playing exercise in which they explore the types of people who own firearms and their personal reasons for doing so.
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Guilty to a Fault
Students consider the moral and legal issues involved in distinguishing a verdict of murder from one of manslaughter (criminally negligent homicide) and write an essay describing the issues involved in the case that was researched.
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Calling Names
Students explore how language shapes debate by researching the names and tags both advocates and opponents use when discussing a topical issue. For homework, they create name collages and write prose poems.
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Straight Talk On Tough Issues
Students engage in a lesson plan that is focused upon the concept of breast cancer and research is conducted using a variety of reference sources. They reflect upon how different people deal with the tragedy of cancer and then students...
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What a Character!
Students look at the role of characters in a story. In this character lesson, students discuss how different types of characters change the plot of the story. They see how storytellers use their body, face, and voice to tell stories.
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Our Unique Legacy of Giving
Students view The Gift of All, a Community of Givers. In this philanthropic lesson, students discuss the gifts of philanthropists they've seen. Students research and write a two page paper with four bullet points. Students include a...
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Life Lessons
Students analyze various inspirational statements from graduation commencement speeches, and then write their own speeches that reflect lessons to help students succeed in the next stage of life.
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Babes in Electronic Toyland
Young scholars read a New York Times article in order to explore the use of handheld electronic devices in schools. They investigate, through surveys and essay-writing, the pros and cons of this technology.
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Cranberry Bog
Young scholars explore cranberry farming in Massachusetts and the rest of the nation. They research on challenges facing cranberry farming industry and then write reflection papers on optimum pest control methods from the perspective of...
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Fruitful Questions
Learners examine a fruit-related Q & A Science Times article. They write their own food science questions and answer them in the same format as the article. For homework, they analyze their fruit consumption according to U.S....
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Robin Hood
Fourth graders read and analyze the novel, Robin Hood. They create a vocabulary word map, complete a Venn diagram comparing Robin Hood and Little John, act out a chapter, create a wedding announcement, and write a new epitaph for Robin...
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Opinions, Please!
Students discuss the meaning and purposes of polls and surveys. After reading an article, they analyze the results of a poll given to residents of New York City. They create a survey of their own and analyze the data to write a written...
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Kicking It Around
Students analyze the recent boom in women's sports, focusing on the Women's World Cup Soccer tournament to examine various people's views about women athletes. They write a newspaper article summarizing what they learned in their...
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Nutrition
Students create a video incorporating clay animation and skits. Using their video creation, students explain and explore the five basic food groups, nutrition news, nutrients, benefits and food examples. They maintain a food journal,...
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Story Mapping A Favorite Book
First graders create a diagram of a story by using the computer program Kidspiration. In this diagramming lesson plan, 1st graders will pick a book to write about. They then will plug in story elements of the book into the computer...
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Conditions of City Life in the Late 19th Century
Learners examine tenement life. In this lesson on early urbanization, students research the role of journalism for social change in early American cities. Learners write a journal article for themselves that demonstrate an understanding...