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Crime and Justice
Students investigate what happens when someone is arrested. They engage in a mock trial role play about a burglary. They engage in the process of the Criminal Justice System from arrest to sentencing.
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Readers Theatre: Presenting Historical Events Through Theatre
Students examine historical events. In this instructional activity on the US Constitution, students engage in a theatrical exploration of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. They also engage in an extensive discussion, complete...
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Reporting A Story: A School Newspaper Activity
Young scholars collaborate to document cultural groups within the school or community. They create a newspaper chronicling different groups within the school.
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Greek Inquiry Report and Presentation
Sixth graders choose from a list of researchable inquiry questions. They engage in all phases of inquiry/research process.
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Biodiversity Count
Students count the number of species they can find in a five minute block of time in both an urban lawn and natural, remnant forest area. They are introduced to the concept of low and high biodiversity areas and engage in a discussion...
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Constitutional Convention
Students engage in a role-playing situation to illustrate the kinds of compromised that were made a teh Constitutional Convention. They write three short 1-2 paragraph arguments and then present their arguments to the class at the...
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How Many Penguins Does It Take? Studying Carrying Capacity and Limiting Factors
How does a population's habitat determine the size of that population? Teach learners about carrying capacity and limiting factors with an engaging roleplay activity. Class members pose as a colony of penguins who must gather food amidst...
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Pilgrims: The First Americans
Fifth graders become familar with the pilgrims and first Thanksgiving through essays about important people of the time. In this Thanksgiving lesson, 5th graders choose an important figure from the time of the Pilgrims and write a...
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Circle Justice—Lesson 1: The Anger Within
Students examine the emotion of anger through the poem 'A Poison Tree'. For this poetry analysis lesson, students identify and decode unfamiliar vocabulary they encounter, engage in groups discussions and complete several writing...
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Learning Opportunities around the World
Students discover how education effects them and their community in a positive way. In this community lesson plan, students engage in a class discussion about the benefits of public education and play "community I-Spy."
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Creative Ways To Teach Characterization Lessons
Teaching characterization can be a creative, engaging experience for students.
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The Environment
Students, while engaged in a group discussion, collaborate a mini-project on environmental issues at home and/or in the classroom as well as incorporating environmentally related words and expressions within their daily diary writing...
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Social Studies: Exploring Boston's Big Dig
Young scholars, in a high school class for autistic children, take a virtual tour of Boston's "Big Dig" and the artifacts discovered there. During weekly lab sessions, they discover the processes involved in artifact preservation. ...
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Book Project Lesson Plans
Long term book projects can help engage students and enhance their critical thinking skills .
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Election Lesson Plans
Election lessons inspire and engage students in democratic dialogue.
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Get Out, Get Active: Three Social Studies Activities Your Students Will Love
Three recommendations to help keep your students engaged via outdoors social studies activities.
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The Rules of the Game
Students debate whether college athletes should be held to a higher behavioral standard than non-athletes. Students determine whether behavior outside of school should be punishable by university administration, then write letters to the...
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Monkeying Around
Third graders study machines. They watch a video about and identify and chart machines they find at home and at school. They design and build simple and compound machines, create an advertisement for them and attempt to sell them at the...
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Grocery Aisle Signs and Locating Items
Students engage in lesson that is intended to help those who have mild disabilities with life skills. They focus upon the practice of shopping and finding items located in the grocery store. Students view a slideshow with different store...
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Middle Passage: a Journey of Endurance
Students determine that thriving African cultures engaged in international trade and exploration before the emergence of European civilization. The study ancient Ghana, its geographic locale, the diversity therein to include its people,...
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Medieval News
Fourth graders engage in a lesson constructed in order to dissect the parts of a story used by the news media in order to communicate to the public. They use the media in order to help obtain information. Students create their own...
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Firsts from Aboriginal Peoples to Pioneers
Students examine Aboriginal people of the Americas. In this history instructional activity, students make connections between their own lives and those of Aboriginal people. Students engage in a 'talking circle' and use storytelling as a...
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Language Arts Ice Breakers
Activities that build rapport and help students demonstrate their skills can be a great way to begin the school year.