Lesson Plan
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Rising Temperatures Threaten Penguins

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Young scholars examine the continent of Antarctica, then read a news article about the decline in the Antarctic penguin population. In this current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a discussion and vocabulary...
Lesson Plan
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Wind Provides Electricity for Homes, Schools

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students complete a KWL chart, then read a news article about the comeback of windmills. In this current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a KWL chart and vocabulary activity, then students read the news report and...
Lesson Plan
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Archaeologists Reveal King Tut's Mummy

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students look at pictures of a sarcophagus, then read a news article about King Tut's mummy. In this current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a discussion, pictures, and a vocabulary activity, then students read the...
Lesson Plan
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Family Sells House to Help the Hungry

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students compare their wants and needs, then read a news article about a family that downsized their home to help African villagers. In this current events and poverty in Africa activity, the teacher introduces the article with a...
Lesson Plan
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Discoveries of Titanic Proportions

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students analyze various statements on the moon. After reading an article, they discuss the findings about a new moon around Saturn. In groups, they re-create a press conference in which the new findings were released to the public. ...
Lesson Plan
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Strange Winter Weather Affects Nature, People

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Learners react to a series of statements about the weather, then read a news article about the affect of unusual winter weather on people and animals. In this meteorology and current events lesson, the teacher introduces an article with...
Lesson Plan
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Were Rivets to Blame for Titanic Sinking?

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students answer questions about the Titanic, then read a news article about possible causes of the disaster. In this current events instructional activity, the teacher introduces the article with a discussion and vocabulary activity,...
Lesson Plan
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New Food Saves Lives, Could End Hunger

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students locate the country of Niger, then read a news article about a new type of food that is being used to fight childhood hunger in Africa. In this current events instructional activity, the teacher introduces the article with map...
Lesson Plan
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"One Giant Leap for Mankind"

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore the significance of the Apollo 11 lunar landing by interviewing an adult for memories of the mission. They incorporate their interviews into news articles as 'journalists' in July 1969 to document this historic 'step for...
Lesson Plan
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Still Suspicious?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students read and analyze The New York Times news article "An Assessment Jars a Foreign Policy Debate About Iran." They answer comprehension questions, evaluate both sides of the debate, and write a one page report on the article.
Lesson Plan
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Grozny on Guard

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students react to copies of leaflets dropped into Chechnya by Russian forces. After reading an article, they examine the historical and present conflicts in the area and answer discussion questions. In small groups, they trace how the...
Lesson Plan
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Let's Get the Facts!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students observe and demonstrate the process of summarization. They discuss the three steps of summarization, then silently read a National Geographic Kids News article. As a class they complete a semantic map of the article, and write...
Lesson Plan
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Does Free Speech Exist in School?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine their own First Amendment rights as students. They read and discuss a news article, discuss the Supreme Court case Frederick v. Morse, take an online quiz and conduct Internet research, and create a brochure outlining...
Lesson Plan
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Finding Political Answers

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students discuss the 2006 midterm elections. They read an article about exit polls. They create a scavenger hunt using articles of the New York Times. They write a paper about the importance of midterm elections.
Lesson Plan
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Bovine Oversteps Boundaries

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders read about Grady, the Silo Cow and analyze the parts of a news story.  In this news article instructional activity, 6th graders discuss writing for different purposes.  Students discover the characteristics of a...
Lesson Plan
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Current Contexts

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine how they are affected by world affairs. After reading an article, they examine Otto Frank's attempts to immigrate to America. Using the New York Times, they identify examples of news, advertisements and photographs...
Lesson Plan
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A Site to See

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Young scholars identify the risks and benefits of living next to a volcano. After reading an article, they discuss the behaviors of an active volcano. Using the Internet, they work together to research volcano-monitoring techniques and...
Lesson Plan
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Making History Relevant

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Learners maintain a weekly news journal in which they summarize current news articles and then relate them to topics previously studied in history class.
Worksheet
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Depression and Cannabis

For Students 6th - 10th
In this current events worksheet, students read an article about cannabis reducing depression and complete eight true or false questions, 10 synonym matching questions, and a cloze activity based on the article.
Lesson Plan
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2004 Better and For Worse

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students identify the significant events that helped shape 2004. After reading an article, they take a 2004 news quiz and discuss the impact of each event. They create their own quizzes to be given to their classmates on the same...
Lesson Plan
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Some Simple Rules to Sum it Up!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students observe and demonstrate three steps to summarize text. They read and discuss the three steps to summarizing, then silently read an article about dugongs from "National Geographic Kids" magazine. Students demonstrate the three...
Lesson Plan
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Could a Tiny Home be the Home for You?

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students read an article about tiny homes and use the article as a springboard for discussion. In this current events activity, students evaluate the merits of tiny homes, then create a chart comparing their needs with the things they...
Lesson Plan
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Star Politics

For Teachers 6th - 12th
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...
Lesson Plan
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Oh, the Places You'll Go!

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students read about and discuss the fifty-three recommended travel destinations for 2008 from the Travel section of The New York Times. They list three places they would each like to visit, read and discuss the news article, and create...