Middle schoolers read two articles about the same event: "Plane from J.F.K Crashes off Canada" from the New York Times and "No Survivors from Crash of Swissair Jetliner Off Nova Scotia" from the Associated Press. They then compare the...

Is the circus a form of theater? Read "A City of Clowns? What Else Is New?" to sway your class that a circus, is indeed, a theatrical performance. Critical thinkers compare/contrast various forms of theater and identify what makes the...

Share their opinions on the use of DNA databases in criminal investigations. After reading an article, they evaluate the pros and cons of the databases and work in groups to answer discussion questions. They write a letter to a state...

A four corners pre-reading activity introduces class members to the major themes in Victor Martinez's award winning novel, Parrot in the Oven: Mi Vida.

Pupils learn about the guiding ethical principles of professional journalists, evaluate hypothetical dilemmas and determine if these stories should "go to press", and determine how to frame a story and when/where to report it.

Students perform research on specific cultures. They write a short paragraph on each of the universals and explain how each universal relates to their home culture.

Students explore Vancouver. In this Vancouver geography and English language building lesson, students brainstorm what they know about Vancouver and predict what their text will cover. Students listen to the informational content of...

Students analyze piece of literature by looking at it from one perspective and then by re-evaluating what they have discovered when other layers of meaning are added.

Pupils recognize the elements of a fable and write an original fable. They make connections with morals and other law-related concepts.

Sixth graders analyze the Aztec calendar and create their own examples of them. They determine the meaning of the symbols used in the calendars and record their ideas in journals. Students host a parent breakfast for them to observe...

Students examine the experience of the middle passage of slaves. They review slave songs and discuss their common themes. They develop a monologue in which they integrate a fragment of an actual slave song into a poem they have written.

Students read and discuss "Defending Affirmative Action With Social Science," examining the admissions policies in public universities and colleges. They write persuasive essays either for or against the admissions policies in their state.

Do you play any musical instruments? Consider using this question to interest readers in this short passage. Then, have them read the passage and answer the multiple-choice questions that follow. 

Reading can be a good way to learn about many different things, like rent-to-own housing programs. Learners read informational resources about rent-to-own programs and how they work. They complete graphic organizers using the facts they...

Students write about goals, responsibility, and persistence, and listen to President Obama's speech. In this President Obama instructional activity students create concept webs, listen with a purpose, and list the challenges of our...

In this reading worksheet, students complete a chart about two characters from a book. Information includes the character names, how they look, how they act, how they interact with others, and how the student might relate to them.

Students recreate an "American Idol" contest in which they present their favorite books to their classmates using arguments for and excerpts from the books. Following the presentation, students will be polled and the least popular books...

Students gather information about the H1N1 virus, and share this information. In this pandemic activity students read about Influenza A, or Swine Flu, compile information on the disease, and then present their findings to the class.

Students explore their own talents and create interview questions for a peer involved in a particular extracurricular activity. They write newspaper articles based on the interviews.

Students compare their prior knowledge about the relationship between sunlight and cancer with new findings. They research how different vitamins and minerals affect the human body.

Students distinguish the important elements of well-written restaurant reviews by analyzing and evaluating reviews from The New York Times and by writing their own reviews of favorite dining locations.

Learners test their memory recall and discuss its association to color. After reading an article, they discuss the natural and psycho-sociological significance of the color red. As a class, they participate in a mood-color association...

Students research the lives and accomplishments of Nobel Prize-winning scientists and compose stories about what the world would be like without the accomplishments of these scientists.

Students research Rorschach and other personality assessment tests in order to determine if they feel these tests are used appropriately in our society today.