EngageNY
Launching Researching: Reading for Gist and Gathering Evidence Using the Research Guide
Let's get to the gist! Pupils work in research teams to gather information about specific refugee experiences from Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Kurdistan. Scholars then try to find the gist of informational texts about their topics,...
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How To Write In Biographical Format
Students are introduced to the proper way to write a biography. As a class, they view examples of the format and what information to include. To end the lesson, they begin to write their biography and develop their voice when writing.
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Before Rosa Parks: Ida B. Wells
The contributions of Ida B. Wells to the Civil Rights Movement are the focus of this social studies lesson plan. Middle schoolers read a handout regarding Wells, discuss the handout, and write about non-conformist behavior.
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Ideas for Research and Discussion of Anne Frank's Diary
Students explore the life of Anne Frank. In this World War II lesson, students consider Frank's religious identity and national identity. Students also discuss children's rights as they consider Frank and other Jewish children who...
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Letters to Home
Seventh graders research historical events and everyday life in Texas in 1836-1837. They write a letter using Mr. Mitchell's perspective.
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Word Play
Learners define the steps of the formal writing process, consider the value and quality of the work done by Anne Frank in her personal diary, and create their own diary entries using the writing process outlined in class.
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Time Changes Everything
Students analyze census data from 1915, 1967 and 2006. They read an article about how the world's population is growing at an alarming rate. They use primary source documents to create a timeline on the information they gathered. They...
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Lifestyles of the Extreme and Adapted
Students explain challenging theories about the evolution and distribution of microbes. They also investigate other examples of extremophile species, then create posters and write diary entries about them.
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Destination Red Planet
Students explore reasons why people are interested in exploring other planets. After reading an article, they identify developments in the mission to Mars. Using the internet, they research the history of exploring Mars and create a...
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The Making of a Star
Learners create schematic diagrams of the new Russian space station module. They compose an imaginary yet realistic series of diary entries from the point of view of an astronaut living on board the completed space station.
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You Are What You Eat
Students evaluate their eating habits, focusing on the ways in which one assesses whether or not his or her diet is nutritious. They work in small groups to design a menu for a healthy lunch and write a paragraph justifying their choices.
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Shakespeare Shows
Students study, interpret, perform, and present various Shakespearean works adapted for middle school Students. They choose a scene from one of the plays covered in this teaching unit to reenact with a group.
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Advertise a State Vacation
Students create a brochure advertising a state for vacation. In this internet research lesson plan, students do research on a state and create a brochure with the information. Students write a commercial and videotape them.
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Sporting Tolerance
Students investigate African-American baseball players from the early 20th century. They read an article, answer discussion questions, write a journal entry, and create a poster-size baseball card for an athlete.
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Current Contexts
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...
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Fruitful Questions
Learners examine a fruit-related Q & A Science Times article. They write their own food science questions and answer them in the same format as the article. For homework, they analyze their fruit consumption according to U.S....
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Imagining Back Story: Creating an Artifact for an Extra-Extended Text
Young scholars create a "back story" for a character from Measure for Measure. In this Measure for Measure lesson, students read the text closely as they look for clues about where the character came from and how he or she became what...
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Fun Plays on Famous First Ladies
Learners inquire about the lives of the First Ladies in our country. In this First Ladies lesson, students build knowledge about the contributions of First Ladies and how their childhood made them the person they are. Learners do a play...
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The World Of Anne Frank
Students study Anne Frank's life in hiding. In this Holocaust lesson, students read The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank and then research the Internet as well as print sources to discover facts about her Holocaust experience.
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The Power of the Pen
Students discuss the personal and historical significance of journals, analyze the issues raised in a N.Y. Times article regarding Anne Frank's diary, and evaluate a Letter to the Editor written in response to the article.
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Then What Happened?
Young scholars complete activities about the story "Diary of a Worm", by Doreen Cronin. In this reading comprehension instructional activity, students make predictions and apply prior knowledge about the topic of the story. They actively...
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Great Caesar’s Ghost
Students explore ancient Rome. In this ancient Rome lesson, students research the Roman social classes and political structure. Students use their findings to write diary entries that describe daily life in Rome.
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Seminole Housing (Chickees)
Students listen to a story about the Seminole Indian tribes. They participate in a teacher-lead discussion of chickees--Seminole housing. They create a chickee book in which they write a description of their belongings in a chickee.