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Liberty, Equality, Uniformity?
Students examine the French draft law to ban religious symbols from public schools. They research "secularist" and "pluralist" positions regarding this ban, debate the topic in class, and draft a position paper on the ban.
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Decidedly Different
Fifth graders inquire as to why scientists use observable characteristics, how they sort the characteristics, and why they do so. They write journal entries to be used throughout this unit.
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Stateside Slavery
Students read "Slavery's Past, Paved Over or Forgotten" from The New York Times and discuss as a class. This activity is the introduction for researching a topic on the history of slavery in the U.S. Student groups present their...
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Gwendolyn Brooks
Students examine the contributions of the author Gwendolyn Brooks. They create a journal, read and discuss poems by Brooks, write a poem about themselves, and create a timeline of their own lives.
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The East Africa Times
Learners work in teams as editors to design the front page of a newspaper covering a country in east Africa. They individually research and write articles that define modern life for the country's citizens.
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A Delicate Balance
Students reflect on racial balance in their own schools, debate merits of policies that seek to create and maintain school racial diversity, and write essays on whether their school should promote racial balance.
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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 Physical Behavior of Matter
Students distinguish between three phases of matter: solid, liquid and gas, on the molecular level. They compare and predict the relative compressibility of the three phases of matter through journal writings and drawings.
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An Introduction to Light Unit-Third Grade
Third graders are introduced to light in an eight part unit which includes activities, additional resources, and rubrics for each part. Students address topics such as energy, reflection, absorption, and refraction through hands-on...
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Rain Forest Reporters
Students research and write articles for an imaginary scientific magazine about rain forests. In this rain forest lesson, students research both ecosystems and magazine writing styles. They act as reporters and editors of their own...
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America's Economy: Sorrow And Hope
Students discover how Americans found the hope that broke the Great Depression. In this American economics lesson, students watch "America's Economy: Sorrow and Hope." Students then discuss the implications of the depression and...
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Confetti
Third graders complete pre reading, writing, during reading, and interdisciplinary activities for the book Confetti. In this reading lesson plan, 3rd graders complete journal entries, go over vocabulary, answer short answer questions,...
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Whose "Truth" Is Out There?
Students read article It's a Fact: Faith and Theory Collide Over Evolution, and examine different ways people arrive at what 'the truth' is, focusing on the evolution vs creationism debate that has been a hot topic throughout the 20th...
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Follow the Marx
Students explore communism from historical and theoretical perspectives to present to fellow classmates at a teach-in. Each team of students be responsible for researching and presenting on one of the suggested topics in the lesson.
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Lomax the Songhunter
Students write in their journals about the role of music in their lives. They discuss the media's use of music and watch a video clip about someone who prohibited the use of music. They create an illustration to show the folklife in...
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What Makes Up a Healthy Watershed
Students, after observing the elements of a local watershed, explore the need to protect watersheds as water resources for the future. They examine the factors involved with a watershed: geology, ecology, and the effect of man's...
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Changing Places
Learners investigate the Chinese-American immigration experience. In this assimilation lesson, students watch "Becoming American: The Chinese Experience" and then participate in classroom activities regarding the topic. The activities...
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A Nation Divided
Fifth graders participate in various activities related to the Civil War. In this Civil War lesson plan students understand the events and feelings of people during the Civil War by studying primary sources, journal writing, readings,...
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Imagine the Food and Imagine a Response
Students experience life in the Secret Annex. In this Holocaust instructional activity, students participate in a simulation. The simulation places them in the Secret Annex for dinner as residents. Students journal about the experience...
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Getting to Know You
Fifth graders identify strategies to assist in choosing a book. In this book selection activity, 5th graders discuss ways to determine if a book is the right reading level or on a topic of interest. Students preview several books and...
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Journal Entry: What You Want To Buy!
Third graders write a one page paper about what they would like to purchase given the savings techniques. They write down what the object is that they are going to buy, how they are going to earn money to purchase this object, and what...
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Parasite Development and Life Cycle
If you are new to teaching agriculture classes, this outline may be helpful when you are preparing a lecture on parasites in livestock. In addition to lecturing on this topic, the lesson plan suggests that learners research the life...
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Climate Change
Students define and associate words with the topic of climate change while completing associated worksheets. They read and discuss articles about climate change including the effects of global warming and the greenhouse effect.
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Zoo Animal Experts
As part of an exploration of zoo animals, kindergarteners conduct research on their favorite animal and compile their information. Learners write about their animal in a journal and create a trading card. The culminating activity is a...