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Speak Out!
Students consider their opinions on various topics and issues related to the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001. Then, focusing on one specific topic, each student supports his or her opinions in a...
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The Sculpture of Henry Moore
Eighth graders complete a unit of lessons on the characteristics of Henry Moore's sculpture. They examine and discuss examples of Moore's sculpture, identify the defining characteristics, write an essay, and create a sculpture in the...
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Evolution: The Great Debate
Students discover how research and questioning are things that must be done in order to form a valid opinion. In this critical thinking instructional activity students answer questions and provide evidence to support their argument.
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Youth Leading the Way
Students share opinions about groups or activities that give meaning to their lives. They read and discuss the article "Challenging Tradition, Young Jews Worship on Their Terms". Afterward, they investigate and write news articles about...
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Beyond the Story: A Dickens of a Party
Seventh graders collaboratively research the life and times of Charles Dickens as it relates to a character from the story, and write and present a first-person character analysis.
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Testing DNA and the Death Penalty
Students explore issues surrounding death penalty debate and participate in a values-clarification activity to help them form their opinions on this topic. They create a talk show to discuss issues involved with DNA testing and the death...
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Block the Shock Jock or Not?
Pupils examine their own experiences with racist and sexist speech by deciding whether or not they agree or disagree with statements related to this subject. They explore the limits of public speech by reading about the controversy...
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Conditional Sentences "If" Clauses
For this conditional sentences worksheet, students learn how to write conditional sentences. They then use what they learned to write 4 conditional sentences.
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Number Stories
Pupils write and solve various number stories. They solve number stories using one, two and three digit numbers. Students practice writing sentences using the following 6+1 traits, ideas and content, organization, word choice and...
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Spanish-American War
Middle schoolers view a video called Battling Beyond the Borders about the Spanish-American War. They discuss the role of newspapers in the war and then analyze political cartoons of the time, writing explanatory sentences about them.
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Fossil Fuels vs. Alternative Fueling Systems
Fourth graders brainstorm the differences between the fossil fuels that people use in their transportation now and what they could use to minimize greenhouse gas emissions. They use a variety of techniques from webquests to writing...
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Juvenile Delinquency
Ninth graders analyze and interpret historical research by examining, analyzing, and forming opinions regarding primary resources. They compare/contrast social conflict, its causes and effects, in regards to continuity and change over time.
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Summer Fun! Vacation Destination Postcards
Students design a postcard with a graph and text. They research their favorite vacation spot. Pupils write a friendly letter to their parents requesting to visit this vacation destination. Students use a Circle Map, to help fill in their...
Orange County Department of Education
Dancing Rainbows: A Pueblo Boy's Story
Third graders identify the main ideas illustrated in the story "Dancing Rainbows." They identify details from the story that show respect toward self and others. Students write a paragraph to illustrate how the Tewa Indians show respect....
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Make a Harry Potter Board Game
Students, in groups, make a Harry Potter Board Game. They explore how to write inference and recall questions.
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To Cut or Not To Cut
Learners examine the pros and cons of animal dissection and discuss various case studies in animal dissection. They research various perspectives of using animals as learning tools and write a position paper which tells their opinion on...
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Women in the Media
Students discuss ways they think women and men are portrayed in the mass media. They watch an excerpt from SISTERS OF '77 discussing media coverage of the event. Students write an essay describing their reactions to women in the media.
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Ownership of Lands
Students study the levels of forest ownership and how each are managed. In this land ownership instructional activity students research timber companies and complete a writing assignment.
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The Great Chicago Fire: Did Mrs. O'Leary's Cow Really Cause It?
Students research the Great Chicago Fire and its myths on how it started. They use their critical thinking skills to determine what really happened. They write an essay supporting their opinion on the fire.
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Genocide in World War II
Students access a variety of websites that explore the Nazi German genocide of Jews in WWII. They view a film, complete a worksheet and write an opinion paper supporting the view to either punish or forgive the perpetrators of crimes...
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Uncovering The Truth
Students investigate the social and religious contexts that surrounded the Salem Witch Trials. The research is guided using the worksheets included in the lesson plan. The culminating assignment is writing an editorial of personal...
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Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable: Haitian Frontier Fur Trapper and Explorer
Eighth graders investigate the life and contributions of Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable. They read and discuss an informational handout, define five words from the passage, conduct Internet research, and write a journal entry from the...
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Amelia and Eleanor Go For a Ride Lesson Plan
Students study Amelia Earhart and Eleanor Roosevelt. In this biographical lesson, students read Amelia and Eleanor Go For a Ride. Students write their own biography, create a timeline of events from the book, and write a story based on...
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Angels of Generosity
Students write a generosity journal which chronicals acts of kindness after reading the Surat story, Angel Child, Dragon Child.