State Bar of Texas
Texas v. Johnson
If you saw a person burning an American flag, how would you feel? Scholars analyze the concept of freedom of expression and speech with the Supreme Court case Texas v. Johnson. A short video clip creates open discussion in pairs on the...
K12 Reader
Prepositional Phrases II
Hidden within these sentences are prepositions; think your students can find them? After first reading a brief explanation of this part of speech, young grammarians are asked to examine eight sentences, underlining the prepositional...
State Bar of Texas
Tinker v. Des Moines
Freedom of speech allows anyone, even those in school, to say and do what they feel—right? The 1969 Supreme Court case Tinker v. Des Moines serves as the backdrop for a study on First Amendment rights. Scholars use a short video along...
The New York Times
Great Debate: Developing Argumentation Skills
"Advertising has no impact on whether people buy something." "Looting is morally permissible during national disasters and emergencies." "Gay teenagers should be allowed to take dates to the prom." Considering a class debate? Check out...
Curated OER
Critiquing A Speech Contestant
What makes a speech effective? Middle schoolers critique a speech for content and presentation. They view a video of a middle school student presenting an informational speech, They outline the content of the speech and critique the...
Curated OER
Parts of Speech Review
Students practice the parts of speech using index cards to label words in a sentence.
Curated OER
Crazy Critters Teach Parts of Speech
Pupils create pieces of writing about a creature they have created. They examine the parts of speech and how they are used in their writing to see how they can write more specifically.
Curated OER
Word Round Up: Developing Superior Sentences
In this superior sentences activity, students answer multiple choice questions about parts of speech, sentences, and making sentences superior. Students complete 10 questions total.
Curated OER
Writing a Newspaper Article
The perfect resource for a beginning journalism teacher or someone designing a journalism unit, this activity prompts students to write a newspaper article. It covers all aspects of the writing process, such as a guided warm-up...
Curated OER
The Art of Persuasion-Analysis of Argument
Analyze advertising techniques in order to pinpoint persuasive strategies that writers use. These same techniques are then examined in persuasive speeches. You will have to find your own advertisements, but speeches are included. Finish...
Curated OER
Free To Speak And Free To Post?
Students research online and in books city statutes regarding posting signs on utility poles, interview appropriate officials about ordinances and how completely it is enforced, explore what has happened elsewhere when citizens decided...
Curated OER
First Amendment and the Future
Students develop a strategy for furthering the First Amendment interest and knowledge in the school through posters, school-wide announcements, speakers, contests and more during the rest of the school year. Student research about free...
Curated OER
Using Dictionary Entries
Work on word pronunciations by exploring the dictionary. Learners complete a worksheet containing questions about dictionary entries. They review how to use a dictionary, identify syllable breaks, parts of speech, and word pronunciation.
Curated OER
Free to Speak and Free to Post?
Students research on the Web and in books with city statutes or call city officials to find out the local ordinance on posting signs on utility poles. If illegal, students explore what has happened elsewhere when citizens decided to...
Curated OER
Teaching Grammar Without the Hammer: Five Fun Activities
There are five lessons on teaching grammar here for you to peruse. Two of them work well for kindergartners; one on teaching synonyms and one on teaching parts of speech by reading Tall Tales. These lessons are especially engaging and...
Curated OER
Analyzing Persuasion
A reading of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech launches a study of rhetorical devices such as hyperbole, allusion, metaphor, simile, personification, connotative language and parallel structure. Class members then...
Curated OER
Conservation: Matching
Matching the vocabulary terms with the correct definition can be a fun way to build a content specific vocabulary. The class matches the words in the right column to the definitions in the left. Words are labeled by parts of speech.
Curated OER
Remembrance of Things Past
Engage critical and social thinking by exploring the value of language and word choice. The class considers the article "The Silence of the Historic Present" and analyzes several presidential speeches. They engage in class discussion,...
Curated OER
Celebrate Commencement with Class Presentations
Bring the year to a satisfying close by asking class members to reflect on the year in personalized graduation speeches.
Curated OER
Heroes in Art
Students examine the life, portraits and speeches of Frederick Douglass. They consider what made his speeches effective and why he is regarded as a national hero. They write an original speech.
Odell Education
Making Evidence-Based Claims: Grade 6
In order to make evidence-based claims, one must be able to draw explicit information from text. From here, learners take that information, analyze the text to develop a deeper understanding, and connect with the information in order to...
Curated OER
Understanding the Sociocultural Perspective
Enhance your understanding of basic principles and best teaching practices as they are viewed through a sociocultural lens.
Anti-Defamation League
The Movies, the Academy Awards and Implicit Bias
"And the award goes to. . . " High schoolers investigate bias in the movie industry by reading articles, watching a short video, and examining data about the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) membership, nominees, and...
Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary
Reading the Work of B. Franklin, Printer
Placing Ben Franklin’s ideas about a free press next to those embodied in the First Amendment sheds light on both. Learners interpret and compare two primary sources and then examine them in the light of a contemporary survey about...