Check Writing

Explore current events through multiple lenses by comparing social media coverage with a national news article. Although you can easily apply this to a more recent event, this analysis focuses on the 2012 shooting in Aurora, CO. Learners...

Train young political analysts by following the plans outlined here. After reviewing the three branches of the government, small groups analyze the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2004, identify instances of checks and balances, and...

A thorough lesson on persuasive writing takes middle schoolers through several activities, including group discussion, collaborative posters, and independent writing. They compare historical speeches and analyze the persuasive techniques...

After reading excerpts from Frederick Douglass' autobiography, your pupils will draw on what they've learned about the cruelty of slavery in order to write and present an anti-slavery speech or editorial.

Relate policy decisions to classroom activities. In order to prepare for a writing activity in which they will need to choose a side, learners are first given a sample policy for which they must choose yes or no and walk to the side of...

Explore cultures from around the world with an engaging pen pal resource. Through a series of classroom activities and written correspondence, children learn about the favoritec pastimes, schooling, geography, and weather that is...

Here is a great online interactive activity that will not only spur discussion on free speech and student expression, but will also involve a great deal of practice in identifying claims and supporting them with evidence.

Young historians climb through the three branches of the US government in the third lesson of this five-part series. While reading the first three Articles of the Constitution in small groups, children write facts on paper leaves that...

Examine several key issues covered in the October 8, 2004, presidential debate between George W. Bush and John Kerry. Young readers analyze the opponents' use of both fact and opinion in their arguments. Use the lesson plan to reinforce...

Take your middle schoolers back to the first Thanksgiving with an engaging cross-curricular unit that ties together topics in social studies and ELA. While learning about he settlement at Plymouth young scholars participate in a series...