North Carolina State University
Exploring Genetics Across the Middle School Science and Math Curricula
Where is a geneticist's favorite place to swim? A gene pool. Young geneticists complete hands-on activities, experiments, and real-world problem solving throughout the unit. With extra focus on dominant and recessive genes, Punnett...
Annenberg Foundation
Exploring Borderlands
What motivated Europeans to explore the New World, and what effects did their exploration have on Native American populations? The second installment of a 16-part American Passages series prompts pupils to watch a video and read several...
Curated OER
Presenting Your Case
Pupils research a famous person of their choice in this lesson. They research the person's life, feelings, and character through a series of written activities. They compile their research into a creative project called a character's...
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Words With Short Vowel Sound of Letter A
In this language arts activity, students learn 6 words with the sound of short vowel A. Students write these words on the lines and then draw a van and an apple.
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Handling Data
Students create a simple table in order to solve a problem. As a class, they create a simple data table in order to discover the number of letters in each student's name. This data is interpreted in order to answer questions and make...
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Add Awesome Alliteration to your Writing
Students practice writing with alliteration, repeating the same letter sound at the beginning of two or more words in a sentence; students also review of adjectives, verbs, and adverbs while creating an alphabet book.
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Advising China
Students express their opinions about how growth and modernization affect nations. Reading an article on China, they discuss the causes and effects of exponential growth in a single town. They research how China has changed by writing...
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I Can Preserve My Planet
Students explore renewable and nonrenewable resources. In this ocean preservation lesson, students use KWL charts to understand ways the ocean is important to our daily lives. Students create a poster or wirte a letter to someone...
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Writing with Alliteration
Young scholars read Thank You for the Thistle and understand what alliteration is. In this alliteration activity, students write sentences using alliteration. Young scholars choose a letter of the alphabet and the class writes an...
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Pioneer America: Pioneer Living
Fourth graders research pioneer life. In this pioneer lesson, 4th graders read the book Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder and discuss what life was like for early pioneers. They research pioneers and show what they...
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Popularity, Publicity, and Public Service
Students discuss the issue of celebritites who speak out for certain diseases. After reading an article, they consider a doctor's perspective on the use of celebrities. In groups, they research a common disease and design a public...
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College Accept-tion to the Rule
Students extend their ideas about the college application process. They write an informative, persuasive letter about themselves to a college admissions counselor that could be used as a 'cover letter' to college applications.
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War Fair
Students gather a general understanding of terms related to international rules of warfare and human rights, then discuss hypothetical applications of those rules. They write letters expressing their opinion on the current application of...
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Trendy T's
Learners consider popular trends, such as rock fashion. They create designs for t-shirts that represent current pop culture and write pitch letters selling their ideas to the clothing industry in the year 2030.
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Swift Response
Students examine how matters of national security affect the press' ability to practice free speech. They read and discuss an article regarding the Swift program, discuss opinions about patriotism and the press, and write a letter to the...
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Exchange Students
Students discuss as a class the items they value and why. They read an article about the popularity of cellphones in Iraq. In groups, they work together to create a guide to their culture to share with others visiting their classroom....
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The Case for Space
In this lesson, students share what they know about gravity and flight, and then develop marketing strategies promoting careers in aerospace to young people. Using what they have learned, they then write recommendation letters to the...
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Let's Get Critical!
Young scholars write a letter to a classmate recommending a favorite book and brainstorm ways in which a person would encourage others to read a book, focusing on specific elements of novels.
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Lura Pierce
Students express opinions on eavesdropping on citizens, read the article "GOP Senators sat Accord is Set on Wiretapping", and debate issues presented in the article. They create letters to send to Congress presenting their concerns.
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Declarations of Independence
Students examine what they know about American Indians past and present, then research key issues facing American Indian tribes today. To synthesize their learning, students write letters taking the perspective of an American Indian.
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Fur Right or Wrong
Students explore the uses for animals in different societies. Then, through research and reflection, students prepare for a mock convention for animal rights. They write a letter to a governmental animal regulatory body.
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Defining Issues
Learners work on a 'campaign committee' to define civic issues that are important to them and their community. They write letters to city officials with proposals for how to address these issues.
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A Sea-nic Perspective
Students brainstorm topics related to the health of our world's oceans. They create presentations about specific issues affecting oceans for display in a classroom exhibit. They write letters of invitation to guests to view the exhibit.
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A Tale of Two Wars
Students create Venn diagrams comparing and contrasting the Vietnam and Iraq wars. They write informed letters to their senators expressing their opinions and possible solutions to the war. They also create mock bumper stickers...