Curated OER
Topical Discussions
Engaging in topical discussions can be a great way to teach kids how to build strong arguments and support their opinions with concrete evidence. High schoolers choose a controversial topic, build an argument for or against that topic,...
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Gandhi Speech Writing
Explore non-violent protest in this social values and world history lesson plan. After viewing the movie Gandhi, and discussing important events in Gandhi's life, young orators write a speech defending Gandhi's position on the value of...
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Analyzing a Writer's Stance
Should college admissions decisions be based on whether whose family members attended? Secondary students read and respond to a New York Times article on the issue of 'legacy preferences' in college admissions. Following class...
Curated OER
Investigating Factors That Affect Rate of Enzyme Action
Students explore the properties of enzymes. In this chemical reaction lesson, students explore enzymes through a Web-quest and investigative study. Students will collect and summarize data and create a class presentation. This lesson is...
EngageNY
Presenting a Research-Based Claim: Visual Aid and Peer Critique
Back to the drawing board. Scholars work on the visual to complement their claim presentations using the Criteria for the Cascading Consequences Chart Visual as a guide. They then practice their presentations with partners.
Curated OER
Lost on a Deserted Island
Third graders practice brainstorming with their classmates as they discuss a role-play situation. In this group discussion lesson, 3rd graders must present ideas of ways to survive on a deserted island by discussing with their...
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Friday Forum
Middle schoolers research a variety of controversial articles to gain knowledge. They form an opinion and defend their position with supporting data. They evaluate opposing arguments and present their viewpoint both verbally and in the...
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Civil War: Generals at the Battle of Stones River
Students explore U.S. history by creating a computer presentation in class. In this Civil War battle lesson, students read assigned text about the Battle of Stones River and research individual generals from the battles. Students utilize...
Scholastic
Awesome Adaptations
Engaged learners discover how an owl beak works and how animals adapt to their environment. This task is part one of a three-part series.
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Recruiting a Few Good Citizens
Students write persuasive speeches to recruit soldiers for a Civil War company. In this Civil War U.S. history and writing lesson plan, students work in groups to create a recruiting poster and write a speech to persuade soldiers to join...
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Fractions, Decimals, and Percentages Got You Down? "Tri" This!
Young scholars explore number sense by creating a math presentation in class. In this parts of a whole lesson plan, students define and discuss the relationship between fractions, decimals and percentages before completing a problem...
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Irregular Past Participles
Even though this activity on past participles is designed for an ESL class, it could work in any class setting. Questions prompt students to fill in the blanks with past participles, and to think about the functions of participles within...
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Topic: Persuasive Speech
Students examine what makes a speech persuasive. In this speech lesson, students recognizes what is needed to make a good persuasive speech and create their own persuasive speech about something related to the human body.
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Coast-to-Coast Book Design-Part 4: Let's Create the Pages!
Pupils work in groups to share their lists of A-B-C ideas they came up with from the previous activity. They review page layouts taught during lesson two. Students complete a rough draft of their page. They create a colored illustration...
Penguin Books
An Educator’s Guide to Gayle Forman
Sometimes a novel is the best way to tackle a tough topic. A helpful educator's guide for the novels of Gayle Forman discuss tough topics such as teenage suicide. Discussion questions and writing activities encourage readers to think...
Curated OER
Speaker Report
Fifth through eighth graders think of themselves as newspaper reporters as they listen to a presentation by a guest speaker. As reporters, they take notes during the presentation. Using these notes, they create a rough draft and then a...
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Heading West
Students study the concept of the westward expansion. In this exploration of the western U.S. instructional activity, students participate in different activities that explain economic hardships, jobs, and land opportunities. Students...
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Discovering the Breakdown
Fifth graders investigate diseases of the respiratory system. In this respiratory system lesson, 5th graders research, using a variety of sources, the common diseases this system. They determine the causes of a breakdown in the system...
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Writing A Speech Lesson Plan
Pupils write persuasive speeches. In this speech lesson, students discuss the attributes of persuasive speeches and then write their own persuasive speeches regarding topics of their choosing.
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Argument
Learners write and discuss opposing points of view. In this argument lesson, students learn to understand what an argument is and they get to argue one side of a disagreement. An alternative written assignment is provided. A worksheet is...
Dream of a Nation
Solution Debate
Class members choose a current social, political, environmental, or economic problem presented in Tyson Miller's Dream of a Nation: Inspiring Ideas for a Better America, research this problem and a variety of suggested solutions, before...
Dream of a Nation
Congressional Debate
Should junk food be banned in schools? Should the US open its borders to all immigrants? Should the US impose term limits for the House of Representatives and for the Senate? Using Tyson Miller's Dream of a Nation: Inspiring Ideas for a...
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Mastering Verbs
Second graders will master verbs. In this language arts lesson students will spend extra time working with verbs, and mastering the past, present, and future tenses of commonly used verbs. The students will engage in several activities...
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What Makes a Cat a Cat?
Students investigate the lives of pets by videotaping them. In this animal life lesson, students videotape a cat and other pets using school cameras in a computer lab. Students review the footage from the cat and other animals and...