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Do They Agree?
Fifth graders review and practice subject-verb agreement by cutting and pasting, and by writing a simple paragraph in which the subjects and verbs agree. They utilize worksheets imbedded in this plan to practice subject-verb agreement.
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Who Knows?
Students come up with questions that they may ask an expert in a particular field. They contact those experts and ask their questions.
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Border Poetry/Writing Workshop
Young scholars analyze a poem set in the U.S.-Mexico borderlands and defend their own interpretations of the work. They demonstrate understanding of poetic technique by writing their own poems of living on the border.
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Did Disco Change America?
Students examine the economics of a time period along with the music.
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Finding Our Place in Time
Students utilize interviewing skills of an historian to research the time period of the 1970's. They use prior knowledge of the 1960's to explain the mood of the country in the 1970's.
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True Spin
Students gain an understanding of concepts of marketing and promotion in popular music. They pretend as if they are in the position of employee in a recording label's promotion department and determine what type of promotion is needed...
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Food For Thought
Students create an individual menu for one of their peers. They must examine their peer's activity level and family history.
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How Credit Cards Work
Students discuss the nature and use of credit cards. They view a video about the role of credit cards and the whole idea of consumer credit. They examine the benefits and disadvantages to both merchants and consumers.
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Use It or Lose It
Students explore the effects of resistance training on the muscles. Data on the muscle mass of rats is examined is graphed to determine any increase in mass due to training.
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Helping the Body Build Strong Bones
Students explore the effects of diet and weight-bearing activities on bone mineral content. The influence of playing a variety of sports with different weight-loading levels is examined.
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Storytellers: Pearl Jam
Young scholars examine the concept of freedom of speech as it applies to music. They watch and discuss the video, "VH1 Storytellers: Pearl Jam," participate in a class discussion about free speech, conduct research, and conduct a debate.
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Distribution of Active Volcanoes Exercise
Students collect and plot data, then interpret the results and answer questions about the geologic causes and the human effects of volcanic eruption. They participate in a role-play activity and a virtual field trip, as well.
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Conflict Diamonds
Students examine how diamonds are portrayed in American culture. They identify the political and social implications of conflict diamonds and the locations of these diamonds in Africa. They evaluate the effectiveness of the Kimberley...
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Give a Hoot About Owls
Students research basic information about owls. They complete a class KWL chart, and conduct research on owls using the Internet and a variety of resource books. Next, they write an owl acrostic poem and a report using their research...
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Jelly Bean's Galore
Students investigate the origins of the Jelly Bean. They complete a Scavenger Hunt using the jellybean website. Pupils create a bar graph using information collected about jelly beans. Students discuss the time of year that Jelly Beans...
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Gunshots by the Numbers
Students analyze the incidence of gun injuries among children and what can be done about it by reading and discussing the article "Keeping Guns Out of Children's Hands." They convert statistics about gun injuries into visual...
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A Historic Gamble
Students explore and evaluate the economic impact of legalized gambling on Native American Indian communities. They draft short, persuasive speeches that take the perspective of a tribal elder appearing at a town council meeting.
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Heightening Awareness
Students review their prior knowledge about Haiti. They examine violence in Haiti by reading and discussing "HAITIAN FORCES BATTLING UPRISING REPORT RETAKING 3 TOWNS." In groups, students research specific time periods of Haitian history...
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Navigating the Straits
Learners research the players and events that have influenced U.S.-China relations since World War II, with specific emphasis on the two countries' relationships with Taiwan. They write a briefing paper, advising the president on the...
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Emblems of the Land I Love
Learners explore the histories of American patriotic emblems and examine ways in which patriotic artwork uses these emblems to reflect the ideals that they embody. They find a common or popular patriotic image and design a modern...
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Changing of the Guard
Students reflect on their knowledge of democracy. After reading an article, they examine current plans for the placement of a democracy in Iraq. In groups, they research past regime changes and democratization attempts and discuss the...
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Everyday Objects
Students reflect in their journals about an everyday object they take for granted. After reading an article, they examine what a cook's tools can reveal about their life. In groups, they research everyday objects and write a museum...
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Viruses and Host Evolution
Students are organized into groups of four. On Day 1 they are given a worksheet about viruses and their effects on the evolution of a rabbit population. After about 30 minutes of group work, a class discussion of the material begins. ...
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Mohs Hardness Test
Fifth graders listen as they are told about another way to classify rocks; by their hardness. They observe the Mohs Hardness Test overhead, discover how the test works, and then use materials such as pennies, butter knives, nails, and...