Pennsylvania Department of Education
Giving Things a Name
Students label images seen on an interactive website. In this early writing lesson, students do their best to write the name of the object seen on the screen.
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A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words: Public Views of Lincoln
Students write a letter in the voice of Abraham Lincoln. In this history lesson, students interpret the way the public viewed Lincoln during various times by examining political cartoons and images. Students write a letter in the voice...
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A Long Way Home
Students examine the difference between hard news and editorial writing by considering several pieces written about the Elian Gonzalez custody battle. They then craft their own hard news and editorials on the case.
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Getting Down with the Alphabet
Students view magazines and discuss photographs that impacted on them. In this digital photography instructional activity, students use digital pictures to photograph the letters of the alphabet. Students look at lighting, framing and...
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High Crimes and Misdemeanors
Students analyze the Constitution's wording regarding impeachment and discuss the impeachment process. They then design a survey based on student-generated questions about the charges against President Clinton and write a letter to the...
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Position Wanted
Learners share their opinions about local job opportunities for people their age. After reading an article about hiring trends, they discuss Google's answer to filling jobs. Class members research and report on an employer that offers...
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Pardon Me
Students examine the pardon process and the controversy surrounding the Clinton pardons through reading and discussing "Lobbying for Forgiveness." They write a forgiveness letter and create pardon guidelines for President Bush.
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Should They Stay or Should They Go?
Students share opinions about labor unions, discuss the recent split within the AFL-CIO, and write an article based on interviews with union members.
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All Those In Favor
Students share opinions about measures recently passed in their school, vote on and argue for and against hypothetical school policies, and respond to a "president's" decision to pass or veto the measures.
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Hurricane Katrina: You Be the Reporter
Students work in a small group to create news stories, feature stories and editorials/letters to the editor and organize them in a podcast, video-based program, or newspaper/magazine focused on Hurricane Katrina.
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World War I: War in a Democratic Society
Students research opposition and support for World War I from a number of perspectives. They analyze a number of primary and secondary sources, while considering what (if anything) makes a war just and write a letter expressing his/her...
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Stamp of Approval
Students share opinions about what constitutes a worthy design for a postage stamp. They research a subject and design a postage stamp to submit to the United States Postal Service.
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Guild v. Google
Students share opinions about what constitutes fair use of copyright materials and participate in a mock trial arguing the case of The Authors Guild v. Google.
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The Lorax Explorations
Students read and debate the purpose of Dr. Seuss' The Lorax, analyze its story elements, and write their own The Lorax II.
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Fountain Pen Makes a Comeback in Scotland
Students read and discuss a news article about a school in Scotland that is using fountain pens to write with. They answer article comprehension questions, participate in a discussion about the importance of handwriting, write their...
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Conflicting Views
Students complete a Venn diagram comparing the United States and Afghanistan. They research the history of the Taliban and how they relate to the United States and its foreign policy. They write a paper on possible solutions.
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Harvesting a Forest: How Would I Do It?
Third graders design a machine for clear-cutting an area of forest. In this agricultural technology instructional activity, 3rd graders are read selections from American Tall Tales by Mary Pope Osbourn, discuss how trees are...
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The Royal Family
Students pretend to be King or Queen. In this royal family lesson, students draw a family tree and review family vocabulary words. Students identify members of the royal family and take a royal family quiz. Students discuss their...
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Who's on Trial Here?
Students discuss privacy issues that public personalities encounter when they are accused of committing a crime after reading an article in The New York Times. Students then write essays after researching several trials of public...
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Eleanor Roosevelt
Students examine the contributions made to our society by Eleanor Roosevelt. They create a timeline of Eleanor Roosevelt's life, participate in a jigsaw activity, listen to a guest speaker, complete a Venn diagram, and write a letter to...
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Reformation Simulation
Students discover the Medieval reformation. In this ethics instructional activity, students simulate council and government bodies to determine responses to various opinions regarding religion and ethics. They determine what postilions...
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What's In a Name?
Students listen to poems, and discuss what they like and dislike about each poem. They write an original poem about a partner, describing their partner and creating art to go with it.
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John Lawson's Emigration Impact: Short Essay
Students review John Lawson's writings to discover the impact they had on emigration to America. Using the writings, they analyze the influence of them and review the early settlement of the colonies. They write their own essay sharing...
Hold McDougal
Songwriting Skill - Finding Your Style: Elisa Victoria - “No Surprise”
Hip Hop? Country? Punk? R and B? So many styles. Young song writers consider the emotional effects of various style options before selecting the style best suited to the emotions they want to express in their song. The sixth in a...