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Industrialization
Eleventh graders examine government regulations. In this industrialization lesson, 11th graders look into what was going on inside American factories during the era. Students read excerpts of The Jungle and watch selected video clips...
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Elements of Satire
Learners analyze satirical articles. In this elements of satire lesson, students read and analyze satirical articles from newspapers. They create Venn diagrams to compare and contrast articles. Learners use calculators...
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Combing Through the News
Students use the Sean 'Puffy' Combs trial to compare how and why various media cover a news story differently.
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Hurricane Katrina: You Be the Reporter
Students work in a small group to create news stories, feature stories and editorials/letters to the editor and organize them in a podcast, video-based program, or newspaper/magazine focused on Hurricane Katrina.
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Inquiring Minds: News and Philanthropy
Learners recognize philanthropy and collect samples from the newspaper or other literary sources. In this newspaper writing instructional activity, students observe acts of kindness and write about them in a newsletter.
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Feeding the Soul
Students share memories of a special meal. They research, write and peer edit a newspaper column about a favorite food associated with Thanksgiving (or other holiday or celebration).
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1950's Rock and Roll
Students complete an Individual Artist Information Sheet on famous 1950's Rock and Roll musician. They read one of the chapeters on "Elvis Pressley, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Rockabilly, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Everly Brothers, or...
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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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A Valid Conclusion? Testing and Reporting on Hypotheses Using the Scientific Method
Students explore importance of accuracy in reporting, focusing particularly on articles documenting scientific discoveries, and practice scientific method by conducting experiments to test and report on scientific hypotheses.
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Animal Farm
Students read Animal Farm and examine how power corrupts. They role-play situations involving power and control. They investigate corruption and abuse of power in society. They write propaganda articles and hold panel discusssionsabout...
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Winter at Valley Forge
Students assess the events leading up to the American Revolution. In this United States History instructional activity, students read "Crossing the Delaware: George Washington Fights in the Battle of Trenton," then discuss the highlights...
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A Whole Lotta Shakin'
Young scholars read first hand accounts of earthquake survivors in order to begin the describe the different types of earthquake waves and the order in which they arrive. They engage in using earthquake waves as a means to indirectly...
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Count The Letters
Students perform activities involving ratios, proportions and percents. Given a newspaper article, groups of students count the number of letters in a given area. They use calculators and data collected to construct a pie chart and bar...
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Slanted Sentences
Students examine biased words in news articles, suggest synonyms, then rewrite the sentences to demonstrate how word choice can alter meaning.
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Spanish Influence on United States Currency: The Origins of the "Dollar"
Sixth graders research the Spanish influence on early colonial America and the process of establishing the present U.S. currency. They read and discuss an informational handout in small groups, and take a short quiz. Students then...
National First Ladies' Library
Blunders on All Sides: The Battle of Bunker Hill
High schoolers investigate the concepts surrounding the historical battle of Bunker Hill while conducting online research using a variety of resources. The information is used in order to create a newspaper article telling about the...
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Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier (1988)
Students explore the concept of student press rights. In this case study lesson, students read excerpts of Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier. Students then complete the provided worksheet activities and determine whether they agree with the outcome...
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Supplementary Angles
Students develop an understanding of the journalistic concept of the "news angle," by examining the newspaper coverage of an airplane disaster.
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Crime Time
Learners examine fundamentals of American criminal justice by analyzing each step of the criminal process. They follow the process of a well-known or publicized criminal case in The New York Times, and keep a journal of its newspaper...
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Stealing Second: History in the Making
In this Stealing Second: History in the Making lesson, students evaluate the internet and newspaper as separate and credible resources. Students analyze Clemente as a baseball player and humanitarian. Students create a class timeline...
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Pronouns
Young scholars play a game. In this pronouns lesson plan, students watch a video and read a book about pronouns. Young scholars review types of pronouns, fill in missing pronouns in sentences, read a newspaper article and find as many...
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Financial Plans
Young scholars explore financial planning. In this financial plan lesson, students read real-world problems from a current newspaper. They discuss methods for paying off debt, consolidating debt, computing net worth, and increasing cash...
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Lesson Ideas to Enrich Student Inquiry into the Holocaust
Students inquire about the Holocaust. In this Holocaust lesson, students read books and discuss their thoughts. Students also collect current event articles from newspapers. Students investigate ghettos, Pearl Harbor and Navajo Code...
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Critical Thinking & Writing: Brainstorming
Have your young writers organize their thoughts before writing. They generate ideas through various brainstorming activities prior to writing a mock feature news story for USA Today. A series of USA Today articles debating the level of...