Students read The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry. After reading the story, they center on the controversy of destroying the rain forest or conserving it. Students have to make an informed decision about rain forest destruction.

Young scholars incorporate the five themes of geography to study the Yangtze river region. They analyze the possible effects of the three rivers gorge damn project on this area and role play a float the entire length of this dangerous...

Students investigate contemporary hate groups and then participate in a debate on tolerating their existence of the Holocaust. They work in groups to conduct research. Students use print and Web resources to identify one or more...

Students identify the major components of arguments. They deconstruct several arguments in order to relate the differences between premises and conclusions. Students review several documents and identify the way arguments can be...

Students identify and interpret what their school is like and how it works. They watch animations and slideshows on the government website. Students also develop thinking skills by examining the way voting and democracy works through...

High schoolers explore and analyze statements made during a televised presidential debate. In groups, they research and test the validity of the statements made by the presidential contenders. Students examine sources and draw...

In this debate worksheet, students read and learn about the fine points of debate and persuasion. The vocabulary presented and the ideas are quite advanced; premise, conclusion, syllogism, ad homineum, and other difficult terms.

In this personal facts worksheet, students ask three different people, six personal questions and put their answers on a chart. Students then answer eight personal questions about themselves and prepare their presentation about one of...

For this formal argument worksheet, students learn debate skills by writing a formal argument to the given prompt. Students must be able to state their position, provide points that support their decision, and support each point with...

Time to revise! Using a writing evaluation rubric, scholars participate in a peer editing process to provide feedback on each others' informative essays. Next, pupils begin revising their drafts based on the feedback they receive. 

Don't copy me. Scholars prepare to dig in with an introduction to their research folder and a discussion about plagiarism. They then review the meanings of harmful and beneficial and how the words apply to the use of DDT. They finish the...

3D printers, selfie sticks, smart watches. GPS, self-driving cars, YouTube. Imagine life without inventions. Believe it or not, these items were all invented in the last 10 years. Inventions, and the inventors responsible for them,...

Pupils compare and contrast the legal system as it pertains to juvenile and adult crime and punishment. Incorporating primary documents, legal decisions, and video evidence, individuals form an argument debating the treatment of...

Engage your class by showing them how silly putty and human tissues are alike. Pupils learn more about tissue mechanics by reflecting upon their experiences with silly putty. The lesson covers   collagen, elastin, and...

Imagine being forced against your will behind barbed wire for doing nothing but being yourself. Scholars investigate the impact Japanese-American internment camps had during World War II. Through video and archival evidence, they create...

Four lessons, each following the same routine, explore the careers of a teacher, nurse, electrician, geologist, plumber, and police officer. After listening to a read-aloud and thoughtful discussion, young scholars construct puppets...

Four lessons focus on job opportunities in Texas. In the first lesson, scholars examine the geography of Texas in preparation for analyzing data that showcases the economy of different regions. Lesson three challenges pupils to research...

Have your scholars search for spelling errors in a passage about presenting in public. They find 10 spelling errors total.

Students share their unique cultures with others in the class and identify with different cultures from their own. Students use their English speaking skills to work with the other students from the same or nearby country. Students...

Students create and deliver an autobiographical, multimedia presentation. Students are introduced to the concept of multimedia communication. They use the technology that facilitates a public presentation.

Students use the program SKYPE to speak to a pal in a Latin American country and describe their life and compare and contrast it to the other's. In this SKYPE lesson plan, students create digital presentations about life in North...

Young scholars discuss the theme of work-related restrictions. They read an article and answer questions related to it. They discuss their answers as a class.

Students synthesize the information they have been researching on water quality to evaluate the potential health risks in a region with arsenic contamination. They prepare and present a persuasive speech that incorporates visuals.

Students present opening statements, along with their sign and slogan reflecting their point of view on an issue. 3. They debate the issue of whether there should be a double/single standard to promote equality in the United States...