Lesson Plan
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Trash or Treasure?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore their experiences and reflect on how one person can make a difference in our world. In this service learning lesson plan, students analyze themes in music related to encouragement. Students perform a service learning...
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The Electric Hearth

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students examine popular media. In this media awareness lesson, students keep logs of their interactions with media and then write an essay regarding the data.
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Politics and Leadership

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students research a historic leader and analyze how a philosopher's writings influenced the ruler in an essay. In this philosophy of government lesson plan, students view a video and participate in a class discussion on how great...
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Gunpowder And The Explosion Of World War

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discover the role of technology in 20th century conflicts. In this technological advancement lesson, students research how World War I, World War II, Vietnam, and the War in Iraq were fought. Students compose essays that...
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Playing with Puns

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students examine the wit of characters in two plays. In this drama lesson, students read The Shakespeare Stealer by Gary L. Blackwood and Twelfth Night by Shakespeare. Students analyze the puns used in both plays and write essays that...
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A Day at the Beach: How to Keep Our Planet Clean

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students write a persuasive essay based on cleaning up the coast and other philanthropic values. In this writing lesson, students determine what is needed in order to keep the planet clean, and offer solutions to the International...
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The Six Faces of Garbage

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students use the mathematics of surface area to approach the problem of garbage pollution from the classroom. After watching a video, students construct replicas of cereal boxes and compute their surface area.
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Civilizations Leadership

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students view a segment of Prosperity and Decline. They discuss what attributes made the empire strong. Students discuss what caused the fall of the Roman Empire. They write an essay describing the cause of the fall of the Roman Empire....
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People behind the Civil Rights Movement

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Learners identify the people actively involved in the Civil Rights Movement. In this United States History lesson, students watch the video "Eyes on the Prize" then participate in a class discussion about the video.  Learners also...
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Exploring the Self

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine a variety of songs, poems, and books exploring and analyzing the theme of self reliance and being true to one's self. They write a poem, essay, or letter that captures their true spirit and individuality and then they...
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Stereotypes and Tonto

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Students identify stereotypes, especially those applied to American Indians.  In this teaching tolerance lesson, students read an essay entitled " I Hated Tonto (Still Do)" and discuss the negative impact that stereotypes may have...
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Lobbying

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners examine the role of lobbyists in Washington, D.C.  In this Legislative Branch lesson, students watch video segments and read excerpts about lobbying. Learners write essays that explore the pros and cons of lobbying.
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Day in the Life of a Homeless Person

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine a day from the point of view of a homeless person. They listen to and discuss two stories, identify ways to help homeless people, watch a Reading Rainbow video, and write an essay.
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Is the Media Part of the Story?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discuss the role of the media in public opinion. They use the internet to research when the media has had an impact on war. They write an essay about their research and any conclusions they have made.
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Origin of the Modern Olympic Games

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students using a Venn diagram, compare and contrast the modern and ancient Olympic games. They write essays and construct timelines about the games. Students, using various items, create tools for a new Olympic game and write the...
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"you Shall Not Crucify Mankind Upon a Cross of Gold!": The Issue of Bimetallism in the Late Nineteenth-Century

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate the monetary system during the late 19th-century. They view a video, answer discussion questions, read and discuss text, and write an essay justifying either the pro-silver or pro-gold standard side.
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Scientific Inquiry

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders research the theories on the extinction of the dinosaurs. For this dinosaur extinction lesson, 6th graders view a video clip about scientific inquiry. They work in groups to research the two theories on dinosaur extinction.
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Social Studies" Turning Points

For Teachers All
Students will understand how people are affected by places and events and will communicate their opinions in an essay including historical facts.
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Whose God?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers investigate religious freedom in the U.S. They watch and discuss a Bill Moyers NOW video, take a Freedom of Religion quiz, write an essay, and participate in a mock trial and debate.
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Black and Blue: Jazz in Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students analyze the impact of jazz on the novel, "Invisible Man," by Ralph Ellison. They read and discuss excerpts of the novel, write an essay on the influence of jazz on Ralph Ellison as a writer, and view video excerpts on jazz...
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Introduction to the Caribbean

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars examine the history and culture of Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. They conduct research on Christopher Columbus, create a quiz, watch a video about Cuba, and write an essay comparing and contrasting Puerto...
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Exploring Pioneer America

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders research pioneers who had a strong influence on westward expansion. In this westward expansion lesson, 4th graders write an essay about four pioneers and an interview script about one. Students work in pairs to present...
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Asia: Tradition And Culture

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students discover Sky City. For this Asian culture and traditions lesson, students watch "Asia: Culture and Tradition," and then discuss the practicality of building Sky City. Students visit a Discovery Education Web site to research Sky...
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Civilizations: Rise To Power

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discover details about the rise of civilizations. In this Roman history lesson, students watch "Civilizations: Rise to Power," and read primary sources from different periods of the empire's history. Students write essays that...